Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 24.djvu/44

 36 Southern Historical Society Papers.

port of Wilmington during 1863-64, became for a considerable time the main support of the North Carolina troops, and through them of the Confederacy. Goods were purchased by the State abroad on warrants that were backed by n, coo bales of cotton and 100,000 barrels of rosin. Among the imports intended for use of the army directly were 50,000 blankets; shoes and leather sufficient for 250,000 pairs; gray woollen cloth for 250,000 uniforms; 12,000 overcoats ready made; 2,000 Enfield rifles with 100 rounds of fixed ammu- nition; 100,000 pounds of bacon; 500 sacks of coffee for hospital use; $50,000 worth of medicines at gold prices; large quantities of lubricating oils and other minor supplies of various kinds for the charitable institutions of the State, besides many other necessities of life needed by the people for every day use. The supplies of shoes, blankets, and clothing were more than enough for the North Caro- lina troops, and large quantities were turned over to the Confederate Government for the troops of other States. In the winter of 1863-64 Governor Vance supplied Longstreet's corps with 14,000 suits of clothing complete, and after the surrender of Joe Johnston, North Carolina had ready-made and in cloth 92,000 suits of uniform; there was also a great store of blankets, leather, &c. When Johnston's army surrendered it had five month's supplies for 60,000 men, and for many months Lee's army had drawn its supplies from North Carolina. It has been said that at the end of the war North Caro- lina had supplies sufficient for her to have still prolonged the strug- gle for two years. It was due to the executive ability of Governor Vance, a son of this University, that North Carolina found herself in this enviable position, and to this is due the fact that our people suf- fered less than other States, comparatively.

Not only did Governor Vance provide thoroughly for the wants of the soldiers in the field, but he was careful also to see that the fami- lies of the men in the army were not allowed to suffer. Granaries were established at certain points in the State, and corn was distri- buted to the most needy districts; commissioners were appointed in each county to look after the needy, and in this way the State be- came, for the time, a great almoner. Commissioners were appointed, whose sole duty was to provide salt, and the chief of the bureau for making salt, saltpeter, copperas, sulphur, sulphuric acids, and medi- cal extracts, was Prof. W. C. Kerr, class of 1850. As early as 1862 he had been chemist and superintendent to the Mecklenburg Salt Company, whose works were located at Mt. Pleasant, near Charles- ton, S. C. He had made such improvements in the manufacture