Page:Confederate Military History - 1899 - Volume 4.djvu/17

 N presenting this sketch of the North Carolina troops in the Civil war, the author feels that, in justice to himself and to the heroic soldiers whose deeds it attempts to commemorate, some facts in connection with its preparation should be stated. The authorship of this chapter was originally assigned to a distinguished participant in the deeds recorded. He, however, after vainly striving for about a year to find time in which to write the sketch, was reluctantly forced by his engagements to relinquish the undertaking. Thereupon the author was invited to prepare the chapter. The time which the publishers could then allow for the collection of material and the completion of the manuscript necessitated more rapid work than such a subject merits.

This necessity for haste especially prevented the collection of much-needed data about the last twelve months of the war. During those months the Confederate officers wrote very few official reports. The only way, therefore, to get reasonably full information concerning the events of that period is by correspondence with the survivors. This was attempted, but the time was too short for satisfactory results.

The author regrets exceedingly that many gallant deeds and minor actions are shut out by space limitation. He can only hope that the publication of this imperfect sketch may incite other pens to more elaborate works. As a subsequent edition of this work may be published, the author asks for the correction of any errors unwittingly made.