KNOCKING AT THE DOOR. 
 
 ALEX. H. JONES, 
 
 MEMBER-ELECT TO CONGRESS 
 
 t 
 
 HIS COURSE 
 
 BEFORE THE WAR, DURING THE WAR, 
 
 AND 
 
 AFTER THE WAR' 
 
 v 
 
 ADVENTURES AND ESCAPES. 
 
 \ 
 
 WASHINGTON: 
 
 McGILL & WITHEROW, PRINTERS AND STEREOTYPERS, 
 
 1866. 
 
Digitized by the Internet Archive 
 in 2018 with funding from 
 University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill 
 
 https://archive.org/details/knockingatdooral03jone 
 
TO j THE PEOPLE. 
 
 In conformity to promises, made at the solicitation of 
 many, I now proceed to the narration of my course before, 
 during and since the war, &c. 
 
 I was born and brought up near Asheville, Buncombe 
 county, North Carolina, where I received the rudiments of 
 an education in literature and practical farming, and where 
 in my youth I read the life of Washington, Marion, Putnam, 
 and the history of the United States. In a word, I was 
 taught to love the Union next to my God. In my seven¬ 
 teenth year, by the consent of my father, I volunteered into 
 the service of the United States, under the supervision of 
 General Winfield Scott, and was honorably discharged at the 
 pleasure of the Government. In my twenty-second year I 
 married and settled on a farm, where, from exposure and 
 hard labor, I became seriously afflicted with rheumatism, 
 and was advised by my physician to change my occupation. 
 In the year 1851 I removed to Hendersonville, where I en¬ 
 gaged in the mercantile business, and continued up to the 
 war; having never taken any active part in politics until the 
 year 1860, and then it was more accidental than intentional. 
 
 Having become an administrator of an editor, it devolved 
 upon me to fill out the unexpired time as editor. In prin¬ 
 ciple I was a Whig. Exchange papers from almost every 
 State in the Union kept me posted in the political world, 
 and I endeavored to give the people the benefit of the great 
 arguments in favor of the Union. My editorials were deter¬ 
 mined and uncompromising. I was dubbed by the disorgan¬ 
 izes an abolitionist, a Tory, a Lincolnite, &c. The postmas-. 
 ters in South Carolina and some sections in North Carolina 
 refused to distribute the paper, calling it a d—d abolition 
 sheet. Finally the administrative term of the paper closed, 
 but not without making its mark in western North Carolina, 
 as the sequel will show. 
 
4 
 
 The year 1861 having arrived—and South Carolina had 
 passed the so-called ordinance of secession—and treason now- 
 making some headway in North Carolina, an election was 
 called. The Union party of the western portion of the State 
 organized and went almost unanimously against a conven¬ 
 tion. In this election I took quite an active part in my 
 locality. Over-rejoiced at the success, and hoping the ques¬ 
 tion was set at rest so far as North Carolina was concerned, 
 I gave vent to my feelings in loud expressions of praise to 
 the western portion of the State—so much so that I was 
 marked as a Union leader. In the meantime President 
 Lincoln issued his proclamation, calling on the loyal States 
 for troops to put down the rebellion; and Governor Ellis, 
 instead of furnishing his quota of men, replied to the Presi¬ 
 dent: “You cannot get a single man; but North Carolina 
 will furnish forty thousand for the South,” &c. Volunteer 
 companies were formed throughout the State, and every 
 thing done in order to excite the people to the highest point. 
 Meetings were held in the various counties, in which men 
 who had claimed to be Union men participated with the 
 original secessionists in passing resolutions “that the time 
 had arrived when the South should be a unit in repelling the 
 usurpations ot Lincoln,” &c. Rebel flags were being hoisted 
 and defended by the excited volunteer youth of the country. 
 Never shall I forget the time when, in my native little vil¬ 
 lage, a long flag-pole was dragged by my office door well 
 guarded, for the reason it required a force to hoist a rebel 
 flag in that place. The attempt had been made and failed 
 on one occasion previous to this. 
 
 I was a quiet looker-on, for I could do nothing more, to 
 use the language of another, than to think to myself, “Fa¬ 
 ther forgive them, they know not what they do.” 
 
 Orders for a second election were made and reached the 
 western portion of the State; or, at least, were made public 
 only'some four or live days previous to the day of election. 
 This was fatal to the Union men. But few were to be found 
 now who would face the music and become a candidate in favor 
 of the Union. My name was announced by the “straight” 
 Union men of the district. My opponent was the same 
 that had run on the Union ticket at the previous elec¬ 
 tion, and was elected by an overwhelming majority over the 
 secession candidate; but he too had gone over to the rebels, 
 and carried all of his friends who had not moral courage 
 enough to stick to the Union. 
 
 In attempting to make the first political speech of my 
 
 * 
 
 
life, I soon found for what purpose the volunteer compa¬ 
 nies were raised. I had not proceeded far with my speech 
 until I was invited from the stump and threatened with a 
 ride on one of Lincoln’s rails. The second day following, 
 the pretended election came off. Clerks were at the ballot- 
 boxes with pencil and paper in hand, taking down all the 
 names of those who voted for me, (“the Lincoln” candidate,) 
 with threats that all such would be hung or shot. At some 
 precincts the polls were guarded, and those who dared to 
 vote for me were mobbed. Never were such scenes enacted 
 in the mountains of western North Carolina on any previ¬ 
 ous occasion ; guns, pistols, knives, stones, and every means 
 possible, were used to prevent the people of western North 
 Carolina from showing by their votes that they were a loyal 
 and Union-loving people. On the one side boys not more' 
 than fifteen and sixteen years of age were allowed a vote, 
 whilst Union men stood aghast. 
 
 Notwithstanding so many illegal votes were allowed to be 
 cast in favor of secession, the State fell short something over 
 forty-six thousand votes, according to previous elections. 
 This fall-off* was principally in the western part of the State, 
 and this is another evidence that the majority of the people 
 in the mountain counties are, and have always been, true to 
 the Union. But the convention met and declared the State 
 out of the Union, and it was as much as a Union man’s life 
 was worth to openly advocate the cause. Something must 
 be done, and I was looked upon as the Union leader in my 
 section, and was applied to by hundreds for counsel. I had 
 to proceed with much caution, for some were constantly 
 going over and affiliating with the rebels, and it seemed to 
 me the very moment they went over their hearts became 
 corrupted. With the aid of my younger brother, who was 
 as true a man as ever saw the light of day, and some others, 
 we formed a secret Union league, with certain signs and 
 tokens by which we could recognize each other, even if we 
 were strangers. My brother and myself having relatives in 
 East Tennessee, we arranged a kind of “ under-ground rail¬ 
 road” by which we could communicate; and acted in accord¬ 
 ance to the circumstances that surrounded us, watching and 
 waiting, hoping that East Tennessee would be relieved by 
 the presence of Federal troops. Conscription would occa¬ 
 sionally make an inroad upon us, and this was evaded in 
 every manner possible. Early in the spring of 1863, my 
 brother was notified to appear before the conscript board ; he 
 notified me of the fact, and said he thought he would get off 
 
6 
 
 on tho ground of inability. Indeed lie was quite a delicate 
 man, but I told him no man of his sentiments would be ex¬ 
 cused. Said he, ‘-you know our solemn vows never to fight 
 against the Union.” I told him that I did, and I did not in¬ 
 tend to break my vow at any hazard. We had solemnly 
 pledged each other that we would sacrifice all that we pos¬ 
 sessed on earth, and our lives, sooner than be forced to fight 
 against our conscientious principles. He went before the 
 board with a certificate of inability, but all to no purpose; 
 he was notified to appear for duty. Never shall I forget our 
 next meeting and parting, poor fellow, with a wife and six 
 little children whom be dearly loved. On parting from me 
 in the road, said he, “I am going to keep my pledge. I am 
 going to Tennessee, and I doubt whether we shall ever meet 
 again in this world, my health being feeble, but I will do 
 what I conceive to be my duty before God.” After some 
 conditional arrangements, we bid adieu. Never, never will 
 I forget that last look of my dear devoted brother. From 
 the period of my brother’s departure, I was suspicioned and 
 watched closer than ever. My triends would not confer 
 with me, only in a private way, for fear of condemnation 
 and suspicion, and I was frequently warned by them that 
 my life was in danger. I had written several articles over 
 fictitious signatures, with which I was strongly suspicioned, 
 against the rebellion and certain characters advocating the 
 same; finally, I wrote a long article preparing the minds of 
 the party for the designs that I intended carrying out, and 
 had some six hundred copies printed secretly, which was 
 carefully distributed into the hands of those fqr whom they 
 were intended. The article is here copied, leaving off the 
 extraneous : 
 
 “Multum in Parvo.” 
 
 “We were once a happy people; yea, happy and blessed. 
 Let us pass our minds back, and reflect a while on by-gone 
 days, to our childhood. Do you remember that old school- 
 house trail, once so familiar V Do you not in your mind 
 hear the warble of those sweet birds on your way to and fro ? 
 Do you not remember those sweet faces, those happy school¬ 
 mates? Don’t vou recollect, when returning home, the 
 cheerful song and whistle of the plowman? Cast your eye 
 down to yonder meadow, hill-side, or some other place, and 
 near by don’t you see that milk maid, perhaps your sister? 
 Don’t you hear that sweet happy voice, as she mingles her 
 
I 
 
 tuneful powers with those around to add to the happiness of 
 your peaceful home? Don’t you see your brothers, your 
 father, as the case may be, coming from the farm, the shop, 
 or the counting-room ? What cheerful faces ! Perhaps they 
 are tired and care-worn ; but they are cheerful; I can see a 
 fixedness in their countenances, looking to the future paving 
 out a way for our comfort and welfare. We take a little 
 larger scope, and see yonder our good neighbor enlarging 
 his farm; another building a new house; over the way a 
 little, our neighbors are engaged in erecting a neat church 
 * or school house; in one direction and in another lives an 
 uncle or cousin, or neighbor so-and-so; some of them are 
 wealthy and prosperous. Let us still enlarge our view, and 
 go from county to county, from State to State, and happiness 
 and prosperity meet us every where throughout our broad 
 land; and with all how free we were to visit and associate 
 throughout the whole boundary of the United States and 
 Territories. No wonder we prospered as a nation. No 
 wonder that we prided ourselves in the best government 
 ‘the world ever saw.’ 
 
 “Alas, civil war is stalking abroad in this our beloved 
 country. Devastation, misery, and confusion have come upon 
 us, and we must face the fact. 
 
 “ The writer will deal in facts, and proceed at once to call 
 the attention of the reader to the war in which we are now 
 involved, and will first speak of the cause, &c. 
 
 “ The first cause of this great national strife originated j 
 with men and measures that were unfriendly to republican¬ 
 ism ; that were opposed to a democratic form of government. 
 Don’t be startled until you examine the evidence and facts 
 brought forth ; that will prove beyond a doubt what is here 
 asserted. It is useless to carry the mind back to the Revolu¬ 
 tion, in order to prove that there was a revolution; but per¬ 
 haps it is necessary to call to mind that there was a cause , 
 and a just cause, for the Revolution of our fathers; and I can 
 only refer the reader to the Declaration of Independence 
 for those just reasons for throwing off* the yoke of bondage. 
 
 “It is well known to all Americans that in the struggle of 
 our fathers for independence, that there were Tories; men 
 who were opposed to American independence; many, per¬ 
 haps, were honest in regard to their preference for the king 
 and the rule of the mother country. 
 
 “South Carolina by far held more of these Tories than 
 any other State, and in the adoption of the Articles of Con¬ 
 federation her convention tied on the vote—one half for 
 
8 
 
 King George; but finally with groat reinctance this State 
 pledged her faith to the United States, and became a pros¬ 
 perous and wealthy State; but the seeds of disaffection were 
 not lost. In 1832 she attempted to nullify the Constitution, 
 but the taint had not got sufficient hold on the masses of 
 the people: it was plain, open rebellion, and we had a Presi¬ 
 dent who knew how to deal with traitors; his watch-word 
 was, ‘This Union shall be maintained at all hazards.’ 
 
 “ The disapprobation of the people and the promptness of 
 the Administration gave nullification such a rebuke, that it 
 dared never again to appear until it assumed the false colors, 
 of secession coupled with States rights. The spirit of rebel¬ 
 lion was kept animated and fed by circumstances as they 
 occurred, and the fire eaters of the South labored hard to 
 prejudice the minds of thjs people. The press, instead of 
 trying to bind up, were sowing the seeds of strife by making 
 appeals to the people not to read northern papers, not to 
 read northern literature; in short everything that could be, 
 was done to alienate the sections. 
 
 “The Missouri compromise line having been obliterated by 
 Congress, and opened a road for the disunionists, on which 
 they traveled quite successfully, with the aid of James Bu¬ 
 chanan, in the Kansas affair. It was during President Bu¬ 
 chanan’s term that the disorganizers added to their former 
 corruptions the plans through which to disrupt the Govern¬ 
 ment, and he (Buchanan) was either wilfully corrupt, or so 
 weak that he would or could not discharge the sworn duties 
 of his office. It was during this Administration that it be¬ 
 came necessary to hold the noted Covode investigation, which 
 filled quite a large volume, and which but few men South 
 ever saw. It was during this term Secretary Floyd had the 
 Government arms removed south, thereby endeavoring to 
 rob the Government of the means to maintain itself in case 
 of an out-break at the South, which was intended and which 
 said Secretary Floyd was known to. It was during this 
 term that a secret organization was formed, its object being 
 to overthrow the Government. It was during this memora¬ 
 ble Administration that members of Congress, governors of 
 States, and many other office-holders, could violate a sacred 
 oath which was taken to maintain the Constitution of the 
 United States. It was during this term that the noted 
 Charleston Democratic Convention was held, in which that 
 patriotic statesman, Steven A. Douglas, was sacrificed, and 
 arrangements made by which three candidates were placed 
 in the field from the South, so as to make sure the election 
 
9 
 
 of the Republican candidate, and thereby make a pretext to 
 tire the hearts of the southern people. The secession party, 
 or wing of this convention, did not go there with the inten¬ 
 tion of being governed by the majority. They went there 
 with treachery in their hearts; treacherous to their party; 
 traitors to the Government ; treacherous to the principles of 
 liberty. This minority draws off, or as they say, seceded, 
 and meets in Baltimore, and nominates Mr. Breckinridge, 
 having no doubt a previous understanding with him that 
 he would accept the nomination. The secessionists now 
 had things just as they desired so far, for they well knew 
 that the Republican party would have their candidate, and 
 would be almost certain to carry the election according to 
 the provisions of the Constitution. Now I here make the 
 assertion, and no intelligent mind can help being convinced 
 of its truth, that this very influence, used by the secession 
 party knowingly, purposely and premeditatedly, aided in 
 the election of Mr. Lincoln. .Surely they should have given 
 him a fair trial after being instrumental in electing him the 
 constitutional and lawful president of the United States. 
 In view of these facts, the Union men of western North 
 Carolina pledged themselves, if Mr. Lincoln was elected, 
 they would sustain him. His election was announced, and f 
 immediately the howl came up from all the cotton regions, 
 
 4 nigger , nigger , nigger ,’ as though the salvation of the whole 
 world depended upon the negro and slavery. 
 
 “The period for inauguration arrives; Mr. Lincoln takes 
 the oath and issues his address to the people, expressing 
 hopes for peace and quiet, declaring his intention to admin¬ 
 ister the Government according to the Constitution, and dis¬ 
 avowing any intention of interfering with the institutions of 
 any of the States, &c. 
 
 “In the face of all this, petulant South Carolina strikes the 
 fatal blow to slavery by tiring into the flag of her country. 
 This step forced the President, according to the oath that 
 he had taken, to take measures to put down the rebellion 
 and protect the Government property. 
 
 “The cry of the secessionists at this juncture was ‘no 
 coercion, no coercion,’ and plying the question to Union men, 
 
 • If North Carolina is called upon for men, are you going to 
 flght for Lincoln or for the South V and very many commit¬ 
 ted themselves one way or the other before they knew what 
 they were doing. 
 
 “Time passed on and North Carolina, about the last State, 
 was declared out of the Union; and how has she been 
 2 
 
10 
 
 dragged out? Fellow-citizens of the free and blue moun¬ 
 tains of western North Carolina follow me, and I will lay 
 the truth naked before you, and you will be the witnesses to 
 the facts. 
 
 “At the first election, we of the western portion of the 
 State voted secession down by an overwhelming majority, 
 which carried the State by a large majority. After which 
 armies were raised; vigilant committees appointed throughout 
 the country; a system of espionage kept up; the post offices 
 and mails usurped; some barn, stable, or other old house has 
 been fired; the howl is raised; some poor, friendless Union 
 man perhaps arraigned, and rumors of the most startling 
 character on the wing. In the meantime certain characters 
 were going through the country preaching that cotton was 
 king; that the Yankees were a nation of thieves, and would 
 seize our lands, ravish our waves and daughters. We were 
 told that one southern man could whip five Yankees ; that 
 they were a set of cowards. We were told that secession 
 > would be peaceable ; and certain of these characters said 
 they would drink all the blood that was spilt, or wipe it up 
 with their pocket handkerchiefs. The last was a promise 
 made by Jeff. Davis in a speech made at Memphis, Tennes¬ 
 see. Peaceable secession and reconstruction were the great 
 arguments used in western North Carolina with the non¬ 
 slaveholders. There was policy in this, there being but 
 comparatively few slaveholders in the mountain district. 
 The argument used with the slaveholders was 1 eternal sep¬ 
 aration ;’ an independent government, with slavery for its 
 chief corner-stone. 
 
 “The mouths of the Union men now almost completely 
 gagged; an election was ordered the second time—only 7 a few 
 days’ notice, and no discussion allowed. Thus doubly 7 pre¬ 
 pared, the farce of an election was held, and notwithstand¬ 
 ing the result was heralded forth as a great triumph, there 
 was but little over half the usual vote of the State, while 
 thousands of illegal votes were cast. 
 
 “ The politicians had now almost become fully initiated 
 particularly the democratic party, into this damnable heresy 
 of secession. The rebel leaders at Washington, one after 
 another, came home much better prepared to carry out their 
 villainous purposes. They know how to work the wires, for 
 they have been practicing for these many years. They had 
 excited the people on the slave question in Congress and at 
 home, in order to prepare them for secession,"and taught 
 the people that they were imposed upon by unequal tariffs, 
 
11 
 
 and that separation was the only hope for their salvation; 
 di sgraced themselves by an effort to mob their superiors 
 within the halls of the Capitol. The fact is, these fire-eaters 
 went there with treason in their hearts. It was a settled 
 and fixed policy with them to disrupt the Government they 
 had corrupted, and were acting in the capacity of spies and 
 traitors at the same time, with the hope that the Union 
 would be divided peaceably, as they had persuaded the peo¬ 
 ple would be done if they would secede. 
 
 “ The rebellion has been going on nearly two years, and we ) 
 are told that England will soon raise the blockade; that 
 France would soon acknowledge the independence of the 
 South ; while many openly avow that they would prefer to 
 live under the crown of England or France, rather than be 
 united with the North again ; that republican governments 
 had proved a failure, &c. This unveils the real objects of 
 these would-be tyrants. Rise, dust of Washington, Marion 
 and Jackson, and rebuke the traitors ! 
 
 “ See Life of General Francis Marion, pp. 245-246 : 
 
 “‘In short, rny dear sir, men will always fight for their 
 government according to their sense of its value. To value 
 it aright they must understand it; they cannot do without 
 education, and a large portion of the citizens are poor, and 
 can never attain that inestimable blessing without the aid of 
 Government; it is plainly the first duty of Government to 
 bestow it freely upon them ; and the more perfect the gov¬ 
 ernment the greater the duty to make it known. Selfish 
 and oppressive governments, indeed, as Christ observes, 
 must “hate the light and fear to come to it, because their 
 deeds are evil.” But a fair and cheap government like our 
 Republic, “longs for the light and rejoices to come to the 
 light, that it may be manifested of God,” and well worth all 
 the vigilance and valor that an enlightened nation can rally 
 for its defence. And God knows a good government can 
 hardly ever be half anxious enough to give its citizens a 
 thorough knowledge of its own excellences. For as some 
 of the most valuable truths for lack of careful promulgation 
 have been lost, so the best governments on earth, if not duly 
 known and prized, may be subverted. Ambitious dema¬ 
 gogues will rise, and the people, through ignorance and love 
 of change , will follow them; vast armies will be formed and 
 bloody battles fought, and after desolating their country 
 with all the horrors of civil war, the guilty survivors will 
 have to bend their necks to the iron yoke of some stern 
 
12 
 
 / 
 
 usurper, and like beasts of burden drag unpitied those gall¬ 
 ing chains which they have riveted upon themselves forever.’ 
 
 44 If it were possible for the instigators to succeed in this 
 rebellion, and become separate and independent of the 
 North, another revolution would follow just as certain as 
 night follows day. The existence of the principle of liberty 
 and of equal rights is 4 inalienable and inherent in the very 
 nature of man, and therefore can no more be destroyed than 
 hunger or love that a purely republican form of govern¬ 
 ment is the only one adapted to the nature of man, and the 
 011 I 3 7 one calculated to secure universal satisfaction and hap- 
 Pi ness, and the subjugation of man by his fellow-man is an 
 open violation of the principles of human nature. If the 
 leaders who were the cause of our national troubles had only 
 proceeded upon this principle, subjugation and suffering in 
 its many forms in our land, would not now have existed. 
 By creating every man free to choose or refuse good 
 and evil, God allows every man to govern himself, and 
 surely then men ought to allow one another to govern 
 themselves; subject, however, to the constitution and laws 
 of their country, as they are to the law 7 of God 4 rewarded 
 according to their deeds.’ There is no danger that this 
 pri nciple will ever be extinguished ; but in case the subju¬ 
 gation and servitude of man, in any form, should be carried 
 to a very great length, there is danger, indeed a moral cer¬ 
 tainty, of a revolution; and a revolution too, violent in pro¬ 
 portion to the means that may bring it about. 4 Slowly but 
 surely, as if it were in the insinuating yet resistless folds of the 
 boa constrictor, is this serpentine aristocracy subduing and 
 subjugating by piece-meal the virtuous and the talented poor 
 ot our country.’ But there is scarcely a possibility of a des¬ 
 potic form of government in this country. No, thanks to 
 the great Author of our being, man’s nature is unalterable; 
 the spirit of seventy-six and the love of liberty will live and 
 will increase , and woe be to the man or set of men that ride 
 
 over it. The great doctrine of human rights, of liberty, of 
 free government, of 4 independence,’ wi 11 live and spread, 
 and root up and trample down every vestige of tyranny, of 
 aristocracy and forcible servitude. 
 
 “To-day, if all restraint were thrown off and the people of 
 western North Carolina could have an untrammeled vote, 
 they would cast a large majority for the Union of our fathers, 
 notwithstanding the false assertions daily sent out that the 
 South is a unit. Maryland, (My Maryland ,) Kentucky, 
 Missouri, northern Virginia, East Tennessee, and western 
 
1 
 
 Q 
 
 o 
 
 North Carolina, these States and parts of States have not 
 suffered themselves, as strong as the current is, to be alto¬ 
 gether drawn into this maelstrom of secession. Add the 
 mountain portions of Georgia and Alabama which were 
 coerced by those non-coercionists to that portion just named, 
 and let us make the contrast between these and the remain¬ 
 ing portions of the South. The first named had a better 
 system of general education ; more equality in society; more 
 general intelligence and common practical sense; fewer very 
 wealthy, but more frank, open and honest men, as a general 
 thing betterposted in governmental affairs; better acquainted 
 with ethics and less with etiquette. It is clear that the 
 South is divided within herself. 4 A house divided against 
 itself cannot stand.’ 
 
 “There are now thousands who have been forced into the 
 army, who do not believe the cause of the South is just any 
 more than myself, and thousands more if the veil of disguise 
 was thrown off would be of the same opinion. 4 Oh ! but,’ 
 says one, 4 if the Constitution had been carried out, we would 
 not fight at all;' but every body ought to know the rebellion 
 was got up on the false pretext that Mr. Lincoln was going 
 to violate it; and all should know if the instigators had loved 
 the Constitution better than secession, even had it been vio¬ 
 lated, they would have fought for it. The fact stares every 
 one in the face, that treason began before Mr. Lincoln had 
 any power, had he desired such a thing, and that these cotton 
 lords of creation, who own fifty, a hundred, or perhaps five 
 hundred slaves, look upon a white man who has to labor for 
 an honest living as no better than one of their negroes. 
 Hence such epithets as 4 old Abe, the rail splitter,’ &c., as 
 though splitting rails was a disgrace, and as though some of 
 the best men that ever graced the halls of the Capitol had 
 not split rails. But says one, 4 this aristocracy possess much 
 learning and are highly educated.’ True, many of them are. 
 But what is education without common sense and justice. 
 The fact is, these bombastic , hiahfalutin, aristocratic fools have 
 been in the habit of driving negroes and poor helpless white 
 people until they think they can controj the world of man¬ 
 kind. This nature is bred in them, and they are taught to 
 think that cotton is king; that they themselves are superior; 
 to hate, deride and suspicion the poor. This is education 
 perverted.f The people of South Carolina boast that they 
 are wealthier according to white population than any other 
 State. If so, what does it consist of? And if she has been 
 more prosperous and gained more wealth than any of the 
 
 
14 
 
 other States, wherein did the Government oppress her more 
 than others? and why was she, above all others, for breaking 
 up and destroying the very Government under whose foster¬ 
 ing care she had obtained this wealth ? Simply because she 
 imbibed the false teachings of Calhoun, and here is the 
 bottom of the whole thing. It was well said, 4 let Calhoun 
 take a pinch of snuff and the whole State would sneeze.’ 
 
 , The South has thrown off the best guarantee she will ever 
 have again for the protection of slavery—the Constitution 
 and the Union—mark the prediction! This rebellion has 
 done the cause of slavery more injury than any thing else 
 could have done. It is causing the non-slaveholder of the 
 South to think. Men have brains and they will act. 
 
 “ What has been and is to be gained by continuing the 
 rebellion? Thousands of suffering widows and orphans 
 friendless, except their God; millions of confederate notes 
 and shinplasters which ‘promise to pay,’ which secessionists 
 can refuse with impunity, but which Union men must take 
 or be mobbed ; a host of speculators who would steal the 
 ‘pewter off of a dead negro’s cane;’ a mock government 
 through conscription ; a country going to waste as fast as 
 time can move; large armies and brave men, but a bad 
 cause; a host of politicians and smart men, and but few 
 statesmen and honest ones; gags for the mouths of our 
 wisest and best men ; brambles and briers where corn ought 
 to grow; a mock Congress to pass conscript, tythe, and 
 other odious laws, and military detailed mobs to enforce 
 them ; military officers who shoot boys and hang and whip 
 women without trial; more lunatics than our asylums will 
 hold. What else? Fort Sumter, and treason by firing 
 upon it; a different flag from the one our fathers fought 
 under; millions of enemies who were once friends. And 
 now what has the South lost? The respect of the civilized 
 world; thousands of her deluded young men; commercial 
 intercourse with the nations of the earth ; a good and reli¬ 
 able currency; and we have well nigh lost our liberties; but 
 thanks to God we have not lost the love of liberty, nor the 
 principles of a free and republican government. ‘But,’ 
 says some sprig, ‘liberty is what we are fighting for.’ 
 Liberty to do what? ‘ Why the liberty of peaceable secession .’ 
 The devil had the liberty to secede, but he had to take quar¬ 
 ters in a different clime, no doubt where the most of the 
 instigators of this suicidal war will land in the end. Talk 
 about liberty! Who could desire more liberty than we, as 
 a race, enjoyed, civilly, religiously, commercially, or in 
 
15 
 
 any sense whatever? The truth is the liberty of the ballot- 
 box was just what the instigators of the foul plot to break 
 up the Union were afraid of. They were not willing even 
 to risk the people of North Carolina with the privilege of 
 ratifying or rejecting the ordinance of secession that pre¬ 
 tended to carry them out of the Union. 
 
 “ Justice awaits the leaders at the hands of an outraged 
 people. The cries of innocent women and children have 
 ascended. The sacrifice of the blood of the youth of the 
 honest poor of the country will soon make its appeal in 
 despite of Jeff. Davis and cabinet. Our brothers and sons 
 are being forced against their wills and consciences into a 
 a cause against the best interests of mankind, to be shot on 
 the field of civil strife. 
 
 ‘ To the unhappy that unjustly bleed, 
 
 Heaven gives posterity to avenge the deed.’ 
 
 “AYe advise you to take warning and put a stop to this 
 wholesale murder. 4 There is a point beyond which for¬ 
 bearance ceases to be a virtue.’ Those whom you brand as 
 cowards are being inspired with a courage that will put your 
 rebel chivalry and boasting to shame. You who are clamor¬ 
 ing for war will soon realize what war means. Though the 
 writer of this, with thousands of others, may fall with the 
 wreck, the spirit of our forefathers and the old Government 
 will live and be maintained. This spirit, notwithstanding 
 all that has been done and said, is in the hearts of the people 
 of western Carolina, and it is impossible for us to remain 
 neutral. The leaders have made laws that excuse none but 
 the large slaveholder and a few favorites in office. I know 
 that it is claimed as a military necessity. Just so ; no ty¬ 
 rannical act was ever palmed off on a people without a pre¬ 
 text. The chains have been forged for some time, and now 
 they are being fastened upon us inch by inch, step by step. 
 Freemen of the blue mountains of western North Carolina 
 are you willing to hold on and support a government that 
 you never wanted, and cannot maintain itself without mak¬ 
 ing worse than slaves of you ? Has ever a people lost their 
 liberties without just such pretexts, stratagems, and decep¬ 
 tions first having been palmed oft* upon them? Just think 
 of a government which, if successful, will have a border to 
 defend that will keep all the young men of the common 
 class of society in arms from one generation to another, and 
 their parents paying government rent from their own farms 
 to feed them on. Think of the condition that your wives, 
 daughters, and sisters would be placed under. 0, my country- 
 
 
16 
 
 men, let ns ponder well the admonitions and warnings of 
 Washington, Webster, Clay, and others of our fathers. Have 
 we not seen enough to convince us where we are being 
 driven to ? Have the people realized any of the promises 
 made to them if they would secede and rebel against the 
 best government on earth ? Hot one single item in the 
 whole catalogue of promises has been realized, and never 
 f will. Then shall we pursue further the certain destruction 
 of all hope of future happiness and liberty for ourselves and 
 our posterity, for the aggrandizement of rotten and corrupt 
 leaders? Arouse! Arouse! my countrymen. Where there 
 is a will there is a way. 
 
 u “ A SOUTHERN CITIZEN. 
 
 “ April, 1863 .” 
 
 This address found its way into the hands of many of the 
 leading Union men throughout the western counties, and 
 into some portions of East Tennessee. The Union men 
 throughout the mountain district formed themselves into 
 companies, squads and bands, in order to protect themselves 
 from conscription; and many who had been forced into the 
 army found their way back and joined them. 
 
 A crisis had now arrived among the Union men. The 
 details and militia were hunting them down, though the 
 great body of the militia were Union men, and often aided 
 the party; but the details—as a general thing, the worst men 
 in or out of the army—were scouring the country, and often 
 shooting their prisoners without a trial. Something had to 
 be done. The Union men looked upon me as their leader 
 in that section, and of this I was strongly suspected by the 
 rebels. My movements were closely watched. 
 
 A kind of council among the Union men was called; a 
 time appointed to meet at some point in my county. The 
 day arrived, and the sheriff, for a blind, made some business 
 with me and conducted me to the appointed place, in the 
 woods of course. Here I was met by many of the best citi¬ 
 zens of the country and some eighty conscripts, partly 
 armed. 
 
 I was informed that a speech and my counsel in this great 
 emergency were desired by the assemblage. I proceeded 
 with much caution to give them a talk, and advised them to 
 be very careful how they conducted themselves ; that it was 
 impossible to remain neutral, and without arms and ammu¬ 
 nition we could not defend ourselves in the country, but 
 that I would suffer my tongue to be torn out by the roots, 
 
 ' 
 
IT 
 
 sooner than advise them to fight against the Union, &c.; to 
 keep out of the way and advise with their friends. I im¬ 
 plored them not to commit any depredations on the com¬ 
 munity; that it would injure the cause and endanger their 
 friends. An arrangement was made for a subsequent meet¬ 
 ing of the most trusty Union men in the country. We were 
 waiting and watching for East Tennessee to be relieved. 
 The indications through the underground railroad of this 
 event were now quite favorable, according to report. 
 
 The reports that had now got into circulation in regard to 
 my written address, and the meeting in the woods, gave my 
 family much uneasiness. My life was daily threatened. The 
 time for the special meeting had now arrived, and it was 
 composed of some of the best citizens of the country. I 
 was delegated to Tennessee. This met the approbation of 
 my be3t friends and was sanctioned by my family, believing 
 that my life was in great peril. 
 
 I left my home and family (Hendersonville, N. C.) the last 
 day of August, 1863; made my way on horse back through 
 the mountains to East Tennessee without much difficulty. 
 On the way I received a letter informing me that my brother 
 with others had gone to Kentucky. After remaining with 
 Union friends and connections in Cocke county, Tennessee, 
 a few days, and learning all that I could pertaining to my 
 object—the Federal troops were now taking possession of 
 East Tennessee—on my way to Knoxville I met with Judge 
 Patterson of Greenville, Tennessee, who introduced me to 
 Colonel Foster. Arrived at Knoxville about the 10th Sep¬ 
 tember; reported to Generals Carter and Burnside, and was 
 surprised to learn from them that they knew all about my 
 I principles. I gave them all the points and information, so 
 far as I could, in regard to western North Carolina. Here 
 I learned from a soldier (a relative) that my brother was 
 quite unwell, but expected to return to East Tennessee im¬ 
 mediately ; and I determined to return to Cocke county and 
 await my brother. Before leaving I was presented with au¬ 
 thority, signed by Generals Samuel Carter and A. E. Burn¬ 
 side, to raise a regiment of loyal North Carolina volunteers. 
 This, no doubt, was done at the instance of my friends, and 
 I knew that I could raise the men. 
 
 On my return to Cocke county, which joins North Caro¬ 
 lina, I found several of my neighbors, who had followed me 
 according to previous arrangement. I dispatched several 
 of them with authority to recruit and carry out the plans 
 now set on foot. My object was to get out as many men as 
 3 
 
18 
 
 possible and get them organized; and induce the authorities, 
 if possible, to let us return with a sufficient force to hold 
 the country, and thereby give the down-trodden people of 
 my section relief; but my zeal was too great; I was too ven¬ 
 turesome. Desirous to give my family information of my 
 movements, and to get my clothes and a lot of bank bills, 
 in order to liquidate some debts in Baltimore, a brave lad, 
 Bussell Jones, volunteered his services at my suggestion to 
 make the trip some seventy miles through the mountains. 
 He was mounted, set out with proper instructions, &c., and 
 succeeded in getting through all right; but was arrested on 
 his return with about two thousand dollars bank bills and 
 my best clothes. While this was going on I went to Green¬ 
 ville, Tennessee, and pretty well completed my arrange¬ 
 ments in getting the men out; then returned to Cocke 
 county, where I learned, from a party of my men who had 
 come through, the circumstances just related in regard to 
 the arrest of the lad, &c. I at once proceeded to Mr. Camp¬ 
 bell’s, where I had left a squad of men to guard, or rather 
 watch, a pass in the mountain, and had they discharged their 
 duty, all would have been well. This was on the Tennessee 
 side, within the Federal lines. An infamous scoundrel had 
 betrayed the men. Here I met with Mr. Vol. Jackson, who 
 had fled from Tennessee on the approach of the Federal 
 army. My suspicions were aroused; but knowing that I had 
 charged the men to keep out a watch and give the alarm 
 should anything occur, I felt secure. Mr. Jackson claimed 
 to be my friend; said he came to see me in regard to get¬ 
 ting the lad out of jail. I asked what his instructions were. 
 He said he had no particular instructions ; that I had better 
 write. I addressed a letter to the authorities at Asheville, 
 stating that my business was legitimate; that I had no de¬ 
 sire to hurt any North Carolinian, and to release the boy 
 and send my property. If you will not send my money, as 
 it is but trash in comparison, release the boy; he is but a 
 child and his friends much excited in regard to him, &c. 
 Mr. Jackson took the letter and left immediately. I inquired 
 if the pickets were at their posts on the mountains. “0, yes! 
 all right!” and in a moment the report of fire-arms came 
 from every direction. Mr. Campbell, Charles Jones and 
 myself, ran out of the house, but were completely sur¬ 
 rounded. Every man was captured but one, and he made 
 his escape through a shower of lead—one man severely 
 wounded in the head. How they succeeded in getting there 
 without alarm I have yet to learn—rather suspect, from what 
 
19 
 
 I have heard, a woman or two decoyed the pickets. I man¬ 
 aged to throw my commission under a log; whether they 
 found it or not I have never been able to learn. 
 
 I surrendered as a prisoner of war and asked to he treated 
 as such, and appealed to some of the party who knew me 
 well, but to no purpose. After divesting me of every cent 
 of money, and even my pocket knife, we were then drawn 
 up in a line, and Mr. Campbell and myself bound together 
 with a cord made of split wood. Soon after Mr. Campbell 
 was released from the cord, and I alone bore the fetter to 
 Asheville jail. Here I was incarcerated, within six miles of 
 where I was born and brought up. I could see the hills 
 through the grates of the window on which I was reared 
 and played in my youth; on which rest the remains of my 
 aged parents; and I thought, could they appear and hail to 
 me, and ask “ What are you doing there?” it consoles me 
 to know that I could have answered, “I am here for the 
 love of that which you taught me to reverence next to my 
 God—the Union.” 
 
 At Ashevilfe I was bound with iron fetters and sent to 
 Camp Vance, where I had to lay under heavy frosts without 
 covering, until one bright evening, just when the trees were 
 casting their longest shades, the move of a large bay horse 
 quickened my pulse. In a moment my wife and little son 
 were in full view. I came very near springing out of the lot. 
 ‘•Halt! halt!” fell harshly on my ear. I was permitted to see 
 my wife only in the presence of the officer of the day, and 
 was forbid any private conversation whatever; but I managed 
 to learn from her that the papers that I had sent by the lad 
 were all safe, and that they had no positive evidence against 
 me. 
 
 Some weeks after I, with a lot of other Tories , were jammed 
 into a box car, without lire or water, and sent to the prison 
 pens at Camp Holmes, near Haleigh ; and soon after two 
 of my boys who had been captured were sent in, and I 
 learned from them that many had succeeded in getting 
 through, some captured, some shot, and some fell back into 
 the mountains. I counseled these two men, as I did all 
 others who I knew were safe, to make their escape the first 
 opportunity and go to the Yankees; and the best way to effect 
 this object was to appear as cheerful as possible until a good 
 opportunity offered itself; to die rather than fight against 
 the United States. 
 
 From the prison pens at Camp Holmes I was sent to 
 prison at Richmond, Va. Soon after the conscript law 
 
20 
 
 \ 
 
 v 
 
 covered my age, and they being “hard up” for soldiers, 
 concluded to make one of me. Of this I was informed, and 
 received the intelligence in a spirit of conformity ; not that 
 I intended to raise my hand against the United States, but 
 it gave me hope of escape. I was sent directly to Lee’s 
 army under guard, and arrived at Brandy Station just at the 
 time the Yankees took in the majority of General Hoke’s 
 brigade; in this my heart rejoiced. Lee immediately fell 
 back on the Rapid an. 
 
 I was now being allowed a little liberty in camp, but from 
 continued exposure and confinement, my health was quite 
 feeble; and my whole study was how I should make my 
 escape. I wrote to my wife to cut from the book a map of 
 the State of Virginia, and send it in a letter to me ; to have 
 „ the letter mailed at some distant post office, and to address 
 
 the letter to-, a confidential friend. It came 
 
 to hand all right. My wife remarked to me, after I got 
 home, that she knew what I wanted with that map. This 
 letter brought the sad intelligence of the death of my 
 brother, who fled to Kentucky. 
 
 The regiment to which I was assigned was ordered on 
 picket near Moton’s Ford. I was placed in charge of a 
 corporal, with my mess-mates—two conscripts, with whom I 
 had become quite intimate, and an old soldier. I found 
 from sounding with poles, that the water was too deep to 
 wade, and both sides lined with ice. The early part of the 
 night was very dark, and a drizzling rain was falling. I 
 suggested to my two friends the idea of lashing some rails 
 together as a kind of life-boat. At each of their stated two 
 hours on post, the other was to assist me in fixing the raft. 
 When the corporal and old soldier became weary and slept, 
 we were busily engaged under a bank a few rods from a 
 sink in which they slept. Just as I began to make sure of 
 success, a storm of wind and hail came up and awakened 
 the corporal, who called out, “ What are you doing ? you 
 have let the fire burn down.” “We have been sheltering 
 under some trees,” replied one of my comrades. Thus we 
 were disappointed, and the work of demolishing the raft 
 was performed by one, whilst the others made a fire with the 
 rails, in order to conceal our object. • The reader will bear 
 in mind that I was still held as a prisoner, but with extended 
 privileges. This night’s work and exposure and disappoint¬ 
 ment prostrated me, and I was sent to hospital at Orange 
 Court House ; thence to Richmond, where I remained from 
 January until July following. It was thought at one time 
 
21 
 
 that I would not recover, but in April I got on foot. Here 
 (at Jackson and Winder hospitals) I saw many old acquaint¬ 
 ances, and had every facility of corresponding with my 
 friends, without the use of the mails, through furloughed 
 soldiers. The hospitals were frequently over-run with 
 patients. During my six months in these hospitals, I have 
 no doubt that I did the confederate cause more injury than 
 I could have done at the head of my contemplated regiment. 
 Hundreds are now living, many of whom went through the 
 lines, and can testify to the fact that I gave them the points 
 and advised them tg go through the lines. Of course I used 
 a great deal of caution in this. 
 
 A plan was set on foot by some of my friends, by which 
 they supposed I could be released and sent home. An elec¬ 
 tion was coming off in August for State legislators. I was 
 informed that the Union party of my county was going to 
 run my name secretly, and if they succeeded I was bound 
 to be released and sent home. In order that the reader may 
 fully understand, I will state that at this time there was a 
 regular secret line of communication between Knoxville, 
 Tennessee, and the mountains of western North Carolina, 
 and some portions of my section were being held by the 
 Union men, all about which I was fully apprised. About 
 this time a letter addressed to me by a friend was violated 
 and divulged the plans in regard to the election. In order 
 to relieve my friends from further suspicion of a secret de¬ 
 sign, I wrote a card stating that “I had not .changed my 
 principles in the least; that I was in favor of an election in 
 order to get the voice of the people in regard to a State con¬ 
 vention in favor of restoration and peace, and that I was a 
 candidate on these grounds.” Instead of appeasing it ex¬ 
 asperated. 
 
 I had written and sent home a package of letters by a 
 furloughed soldier, (a cousin,) several of which were extorted 
 from my friends, and extracts published in the Henderson 
 Times, with comments. I will quote from that paper and 
 italicise the extracts taken from my letters. He commences 
 thus : 
 
 “ A. H. Jones. —* * * We have felt it to be our duty to 
 notice Mr. Jones before this, but from private personal con¬ 
 siderations and former personal intimacy we have foreborne 
 to do so. But we are in a crisis, in peril, in jeopardy. * * 
 American liberty is now an outcast at home and abroad ; 
 she seeks an abiding-place in the South. And that liberty 
 may abide with us our army is battling with the minions of 
 
the tyrant, with the hordes of vagabonds gathered from half 
 the nations under heaven. * * * At first led away by his 
 prejudices he formed bad associations, and attempted to or¬ 
 ganize disloyal men for the invasion of this section under 
 his leadership. * * * He says, if men could witness what he 
 has they would favor 'peace on almost any terms, unless they are 
 very demons . * * * We hope to see more of these letters 
 in time for next week. * * * Let us have the facts. The 
 recipients are known, and may well be suspected of smug¬ 
 gling and concealing disloyal sentiments. * * * Two more 
 of Mr. A. H. Jones’ letters have been handed to us. They 
 are as corrupt as it is possible to make them. * * * He says 
 that he has never yet raised his hand against the government of 
 his choice , and it seems to him that he would sooner die than do 
 so. * * * He says that he knows that General Grant has as¬ 
 sumed a very strong position , and that the fall of Richmond is 
 only a matter of time .” 
 
 The young man with whom I entrusted the package of 
 some twenty letters took a relapse, and did not deliver the 
 letters in person. This accounts for their exposure. Among 
 them was one addressed to my wife, which was referred to 
 in one of the others. This excited suspicion, and the letter 
 was demanded and refused. I had taken the precaution to 
 write two of the same date, and placed them in the same 
 envelope, for the reason that my children and friends read 
 my letters. One of these was written as an ordinary family 
 letter. The other was strictly forbidden ; it contained in¬ 
 structions in regard to my eldest son, whom, I had under¬ 
 stood, they were endeavoring to get into the rebel service. 
 I stated in this letter that I would sooner hear of his burial, 
 and gave my wife instructions in certain contingencies. An 
 order was issued at headquarters, Asheville, to arrest my 
 wife and take her to jail, unless she would produce the let¬ 
 ter. An officer entered her chamber, accompanied by her 
 51 * * with the order, in the presence of three grown daugh¬ 
 ters, the eldest of whom was insane, and now an inmate of 
 the lunatic asylum, caused, as I shall always believe, by the 
 effects of the hated rebellion. She surrendered the one, but 
 had burned the other. It did not correspond with the one 
 referred to, but there was the date, the handwriting and my 
 signature ; it was a puzzle for them. I had instructed my 
 wife, in case there was a raid made into the country, which 
 was expected soon, to apply to the commander and take the 
 family through the lines and let the property go ; that I was 
 gaining strength, and that I intended to go through or 
 
23 
 
 perish in the attempt. “ Be sure to send Thaddeus oh* 
 immediately.” 
 
 Just as I was getting fairly able to walk about, I had no¬ 
 tice to appear at hospital headquarters. Suspecting some¬ 
 thing, I at once destroyed all letters and apers in my pos¬ 
 session, except the map of Virginia, which I folded into as 
 small a compass as possible, with a ! i w dollars in gold, and 
 concealed them as near the centre o' gravity as possible. 
 
 In custody I was sent before the provost marshal, where 
 I was searched for papers, and wher he newspaper articles 
 from which I have quoted—having been cut out and pasted 
 together, with the letters that had been seized—were pre¬ 
 sented to me. I acknowledged to writing the letters, w T ith 
 the remark that they were private letters, and simply con¬ 
 tained my opinions. “I suppose then,” said he, “you are 
 a Union man; are you not ? ” I replied, “ I suppose you have 
 asked me for.the truth ?” “ Certainly, sir,” said he, rather 
 
 sharply. I told him that I had always been a constitutional 
 Union man. He hastily writes a committment. “ Here, take 
 this man to Castle Thunder; he is a dangerous character.” 
 I was then conducted to the prison door, where I was 
 researched, and I began to think my map and gold would 
 “go up,” but they did not. This was in July. I was 
 assigned to appartment Ho. 10—the disloyal room—where I 
 found about one hundred and twenty-five others, of all 
 grades of society. There were about one thousand in all in 
 the different apartments—male and female. I secured my 
 map and money by cutting a hole in the waistband of my 
 pants with a piece of glass I submitted to my fate with as 
 much fortitude as possible ; but starvation and the water 
 soon prostrated me again, and I soon became insensible, and 
 was removed to the hospital department of the prison, w r here 
 my memory, after so long, returned to me. The lice had 
 preyed upon me until the surface of my skin was a solid 
 sore, and the skin cut through on my hips. I must say from 
 this time, one of the surgeons acted with some humanity 
 towards me. Finally I got on foot, and was returned to 
 room No. 10, and, after remaining in Castle Thunder nearly 
 four months, I was sent to the barracks; thence to Peters¬ 
 burg the 8 th of November ; the 9th was returned to Kich- 
 mond, and the next morning to the provost marshal’s office, 
 where a large package of papers were handed to my special 
 guard, with orders to take special care of me. I was sent 
 to Staunton. Fresh air and exercise aboard the cars, with 
 better rations, had gained me considerable strength. 
 
24 
 
 The regiment to which I had been assigned was at New 
 Market, in the Valley. I knew that a trial before a drum¬ 
 head court martial, was pending, and now I doubled my for¬ 
 mer resolve to make my escape or die, without being court 
 martialed. Preparatory to this end, I divested myself of 
 everything, except what I could wear and my blanket. 
 Between three and four hundred conscripts, deserters, and a 
 few special prisoners, were put on the march for ISTew 
 Market. Being fearful of my strength, and anxious to get as 
 far north as possible, I made an arrangement with one of 
 the guards to ride occasionally, by giving him all the con¬ 
 federate stuff that I had. 
 
 The morning of the 17th November found us in a little 
 
 less than a day’s march of New Market. Something had to 
 be done soon. No possible chance offering itself, I deter¬ 
 mined on a desperate attempt: that was to dash off on the 
 horse, get to the woods, and leave him ; but no sooner had I 
 made this resolve, than I found that Early’s army was 
 scattered all along on either side of the road. On reaching 
 New Market, the guards were immediately changed. I saw 
 that the officers whose business it was to detail the men 
 were drinking. Sheridan had been pitching in, and every¬ 
 thing was in confusion. I caught a chance, and as quick as 
 thought I was among the conscripts, and in a twinkling I 
 applied to one of the conscript guards for permission to step 
 to one side. “ All right,” said he, “just pass out beyond 
 that brick church.’’ My thoughts were like electricity. 
 Squads of men were being hurried off up the same road we 
 had gone down. This was a crisis with me. Looking round 
 I saw that I could return by way of an alley, and drop in 
 with a squad of men that were being sent off. Dropping in, 
 and keeping as near the centre of the squad as possible, I 
 could not avoid looking back, fearing detection. After 
 making two miles, said I: “ Well, boys, I leave you here.” 
 “ Halloo 1 ” says the officer of the squad, “ don’t you belong 
 here?” “No, sir'ee!” said I, “guess not.” Takes out his 
 list; finds his compliment without me. Said he, “All 
 right; I have nothing to do with you.” 
 
 On the west side, about four hundred yards, near the top 
 of a small mountain, I struck the woods. Just in front of 
 me I discovered an ordnance train. As quick as thought I 
 bore a little to the right, and passed on to the highest 
 point of the mountain. Here I brought my map into requi¬ 
 sition. The village on the right, Rhodes’ division to my left, 
 and the Little Shenandoah river running round in front. 
 
25 
 
 Very soon I got the position of the picket lines, concealed my¬ 
 self and retrospected until dark. The stars shining brightly 
 and everything under foot very dry, I had to move with 
 great caution, and soon found that it was next to impossible 
 to pass the lines under the circumstances, and retraced my 
 steps to the little mountain, made me a bed of leaves and 
 slept soundly until morning tattoo, the 18th November. 1 
 spent this day in making observations, and eat the only 
 cracker I had. The evening was cloud} 7 and drizzling rain. 
 This was a God-send to me. I had selected a mountain 
 across the valley for an object. Night came, and I set out a 
 second time; approached a shoal in the river, the noise of 
 which led me to a shallow place; about midway the river I 
 stumbled over some slick rock, which drew the fire of a 
 sentinel on the bank near where I had gone in at; the 
 Hash of the gun lighted the river all round for a moment; 
 but with double care I succeeded in crossing, and had to 
 pass another picket line at the base of the mountain, which 
 was so steep I had to pull up by my hands; some distance 
 up I accidentally started a stone, the noise of which drew 
 the fire of another picket, but I was half up, and soon gained 
 the summit. My course was northwest, in the direction of 
 a large ledge of mountains selected during the day. The 
 camp fires, now in my rear, served me as a guide all the 
 early part of the night. Weak and tired, I moved slowly 
 until about two or three o’clock, by which time it w T as snow¬ 
 ing and I had struck the mountains. My strength failing 
 me, I threw myself across some limbs of a fallen tree top; 
 almost instantly I fell into a kind of stupor, and immedi¬ 
 ately followed a shiver that brought every nerve into play; 
 my teeth began to rattle; a chill had seized upon me; a 
 thought and an effort to regain my feet, but failed for the 
 moment. “ Great God,” I involuntarily exclaimed, “ am I to 
 perish after all 1” After considerable effort, I succeeded in 
 moving off*. Dajdight, November 19th, found me near a 
 large gap in the mountain ; proceeded to it; heard a cavalry 
 horn a little to the right of where I had passed, which served 
 to caution me. To the left in a little valley, I discovered 
 some houses, and proceeded to reconnoiter; refreshments 
 being indispensable with me any longer. From among 
 several homesteads I selected one and ventured in, and to 
 my great comfort found myself in a room heated up by a 
 large stove, and a nice old dutch lady occupying the same. 
 A few words satisfied me that there was no immediate 
 danger, and told the lady that I wanted something to eat; 
 4 
 
26 
 
 pointing to my wet blanket and exhibiting a large worsted 
 haversack that was concealed under my coat, (one that my 
 wife had brought me at Camp Vance.) In a minute’s time 
 I was seated at the table, knife and fork in hand, the first 
 time now more than a year, to an excellent cold breakfast. 
 My haversack was filled to its utmost capacity, in payment 
 for which I left my blanket. Whilst eating, obtained all the 
 information that I could by asking as few r questions as possi¬ 
 ble. During my short stay here my feet swelled, and it was 
 all that I could do to make a start. The snow by this time 
 had covered the ground to the depth of two or three inches, 
 and I had not gone far until I crossed a road, the siepi in 
 which showed that a troop of mounted men had passed, no 
 doubt the same from whence came the sound of the horn 
 that I had heard. I at once struck into the south side of a 
 mountain, immediately in my front, which w T as very rugged 
 and rocky. For fear of being pursued I walked at least a 
 half mile, stepping from the point of one rock to another 
 that stuck above the snow, in order to evade being tracked. 
 By the time I gained the summit of the mountain the sky 
 was blue, with the exception of an occasional flying cloud. 
 On examing my map I found the road in the valley from 
 whence I had just emerged, and could see from where I 
 stood horsemen traveling the same to and fro. Thankful 
 for the narrow escape I turned my eyes and course north¬ 
 ward, and had not proceeded far until I espied a cabin away 
 in the distance. Many winds I was compelled to make be¬ 
 fore I reached it. After reconnoitering I went in and found 
 a dutch widow and children. “Good evening” said I. 
 “Good eveninct, thir, comt to de fire ant warmt yer thelf.” 
 I was not long in finding out their sentiments—Union to the 
 hub—she informed me that some Georgians had killed her 
 son Jake. 
 
 It was quite a cold night, and with her assurances I con¬ 
 cluded to risk myself by her log fire. Next morning, the 
 20th, I found that it was impossible for me to travel. The 
 old lady sent for her son-in-law, wdio kindly assisted me in 
 reaching a. log cabin about two miles distant, and provided 
 me with some matches. I spent the evening meditating 
 upon my physical condition. No medicine, nothing to rub 
 my swollen and stiffened limbs. Half reclining, with my 
 bod}^ upon the puncheon floor and my head upon a stool; 
 gazing round the walls, canceling these things in my mind, 
 my eyes caught upon some deer’s feet sticking in a crack. 
 It reminded me in a moment of a stock cabin, once my fath- 
 
A* 
 
 27 
 
 er‘s, in the mountains of western North Carolina. I thought, 
 0, if I was only like I used to be, how I could scale these 
 mountains. “ Necessity is the mother of invention.” I 
 broke the bones of the deer’s legs and bathed my joints with 
 the oil. Next morning, the 21st, found me improved a 
 little, and concluded to remain ; I washed, eat, and bathed 
 my limbs with the deer’s oil, and made myself as comforta¬ 
 ble as possible. 
 
 About twelve o’clock a strange-looking man entered the 
 cabin and handed me a flask of brandy, which I used exter¬ 
 nally and internally. He informed me all about the country 
 through which I had to pass, &c. It rained all day. At 
 night I bathed as usual, and found myself much better next 
 morning, the 22d, and set out according to directions, and 
 made several miles, taking my time, knowing my strength, 
 and passed the night in a school house, where I eat the last 
 of my provisions. A considerable snow fell during the 
 night. 
 
 The morning of the 23d of November I set out and had to 
 pass a settlement and some picket posts in the gaps of the 
 mountains, in order to gain the waters of Lost river. Very 
 heavy mountains to encounter, and the snow stuck fast to 
 the bushes, which gave me much difficulty; but succeeded 
 in gaining the north side, and late in the evening I was 
 passing a defile, between two very rugged mountains, along 
 a small stream. The columns of rock on either side made 
 it impossible to get round. I was cautiously moving down 
 this defile, when just ahead I saw an opening to a sort of 
 valley; a few steps further and I was within thirty paces of 
 a mill, a distillery, and some six or eight cavalry horses 
 hitched; five steps back, and I was out of sight of these. 
 But hold! I heard horses approaching in the direction that 
 I had come; my thoughts were like electricity; it was a life 
 and death case ; no possible chance to go forward nor back¬ 
 ward; to stand still was to go up certain. To my right 
 stood a laurel, and a cedar bush immediately on the brink of 
 the creek bank, about three feet above the water. In a 
 thought I was in the creek, under the roots of the bushes, 
 which concealed me. In a moment more, and the approach¬ 
 ing horses passed almost immediately over me. The jar of 
 their feet caused lumps of dirt to fall on me. I remained in 
 that position until I heard the party leave, by which time it 
 was quite dark and cold. Cold and stiff, I struggled some 
 time before I gained the road. I passed down as quickly as 
 possible, and after going about a mile I saw a light oft* to 
 
28 
 
 my right, and approached near enough to see a woman and 
 two children in a neat cahin. I hailed at the door and 
 asked permission to warm, which was granted. A few 
 words, and I readily learned all about the scouts. “They 
 greMosby’s devils, hunting brandy, conscripts and deserters,” 
 said she, in atone that I never mistook in a woman. I 
 learned many valuable things from her by asking as few 
 questions as possible. She gave me supper, and it being 
 very cold I remained by the fire until the moon rose the 
 morning of the 24th. iVfy object was to pass some springs, 
 formerly a summer resort, before daylight, and make the 
 waters of the South Potomac, near Moorfield C. H., during 
 the day. Late in the evening passed a dead man in blue 
 clothes. I had been in sight of Moorfield from the time I 
 topped the mountain. Notwithstanding I was born and 
 brought up in the valley of the French Broad river, imme¬ 
 diately between two of the highest mountains, from actual 
 measurement from the level of the sea, anywhere east of the 
 Rocky mountains, to wit: Mount Pisgahand Mount Mitchel, 
 where, in exploring the latter, Professor Mitchel lost his 
 life by losing his foothold on a bluff—I repeat, notwith¬ 
 standing all this, I have never seen heavier or more rugged 
 mountains than those about the head-waters of the Little 
 Shenandoah, Lost and South Potomac rivers. 
 
 Finding it impossible to pass without goingnear Moorfield, 
 headquarters for a portion of Mosby’s command at that time. 
 
 This evening was bitter cold, and I had made a heavy 
 day’s travel through the snow without anything to eat. I 
 made for a double cabin within two miles of the village. 
 Dark found me at bey by a very fierce dog, by which I 
 learned there was no one about but some women. Very soon 
 I was at the fire, depending upon the faithful dog to give 
 the alarm should any one approach the house. In less than 
 one minute’s time, “bow, wow, wow,” the dog went. I 
 stepped out to wait the result. “ It’s nobody but dad,” said 
 a girl. He was quite an old gentleman—a shoemaker. The 
 old lady and three or four strapping girls were sewing, and 
 the old gentleman plying his vocation. The house was reg¬ 
 ularly visited b} r the soldiers, as I learned from the follow¬ 
 ing: “Dad, is Bill coming for his shoes to-night? Nance, 
 is Henry coming for his pants to-night? Molly, have you 
 got Jake’s shirt done? he said he would be sure to come to¬ 
 night.” “Bow, wow, bow, wow, wow,” went the faithful 
 dog again. Everybody at the front door but me, and I out 
 at the back one. A large torchlight approaching soon re- 
 
29 
 
 vealed the mystery. Two women who lived in a cabin hard 
 by, coming from town, came into the house to warm, and 
 the following conversation ensued : “ Any soldiers in town 
 to-night, Mrs.?” “ No, bless you, they are afraid to stay in 
 town since the Feds, run them out the other day. They go 
 out and camp in the coves at night, and go into town in the 
 daytime.” “Wonder if anybody has buried that Swamp the 
 boys killed upon the mountain the other day !” “ No, they 
 
 say not.” I asked what they called a Swamp. “Law, don’t 
 you know what a Swamp is? Why, it’s a home-made Yankee. 
 The boys wounded one and started off with him, the other 
 day, and got him up into the mountain and killed him.” 
 This explained all about the dead man that I had seen. At 
 a late hour the two women left. I turned to the old lady 
 and, exhibiting a gold dollar, told her I wanted something 
 to eat. The bargain was made, and before daylight, the 
 morning of the 25th, my breakfast was eaten, and I was in 
 the act of starting, when to my great regret the old man was 
 ready to accompany me to town. I had told them I was 
 going to the village. We started, and had not proceeded far 
 until I frankly told the old fellow that I was not going to 
 town, and he must not say anything about me. I turned to 
 the right, and had not gone far until I came to a small pas¬ 
 ture field. He had beaten me there, and had bridled a horse. 
 “What,” said I, “going to ride?” “Yes.” I again begged 
 him to say nothing about me ; that he saw what a condition 
 I was in, and that I was after no harm, and was only trying 
 to save my life, and it was in his hands if he chose to use it. 
 Said he, “I understand you now; you are trying to get 
 north, and you are right. I was fearful you were trying to 
 get my horse, or I should not have started with you. But,” 
 continued he, “you must not go so much to the right; go 
 lower down ; Mosby’s men are camped up in them coves, 
 and will catch you.” Daylight was just making its appear¬ 
 ance. “See,” said he, “that road over there; I would 
 advise you to go quick,” pointing the direction for me. I 
 was off, and crossing the road and passing up a steep bluff* 
 barely out of sight, when I heard cavalry coming down the 
 road. Concealing myself, I could see them plain, and it was 
 now light enough for me to see the smoke rising from the 
 coves to my right and in front of me, and could hear voices 
 and the tramp of horses all round. Here I remained all 
 day; at night made a little headway. Next morning, the 
 26th, I found myself on a mountain nearly opposite Moor- 
 field, and bearing a little to the right, to avoid roads and 
 
30 
 
 plantations, I traveled slowly all day, crossing several roads. 
 At nightfall I struck the main road leading to Romney, as 
 I learned from my map. There was no sign of travel except 
 a strange-looking, to me, foot-print, made by a very broad 
 square-toed shoe, going in the same direction of myself. I 
 ventured to travel this road until a late hour at night, when, 
 from fatigue, hunger and weakness, I was compelled to stop, 
 and after succeeding in raising a fire and making me a bed 
 of split rails to keep me off the wet ground, and not having 
 slept any for three nights, I immediately fell asleep, and 
 when I awoke was in the act of eating a sweet morsel. Sad 
 disappointment; it was a dream. ‘Daylight of the 27th 
 made its appearance, and I fell into the road and traveled 
 about a mile, when all at once large farms were spread out 
 before me, with excellent improvements, situated on the 
 river. I turned to the right and encircled these, winding 
 my way across sharp ridges, now and then comiug upon two 
 or three fine horses haltered in the thickets. Continuing to 
 reconnoitre, I hoped to find a safe place to get something to 
 eat. The snow had now quite gone off in the valleys, and 
 it was now about noon, and whilst sitting upon a log on the 
 sunny side of a sharp ridge, near the top, I heard a pack of 
 hounds away in the distance from whence I had come. This 
 reminded me of the chase that I had so often enjoyed in my 
 native mountains. On they sped, sometimes apparently on 
 a trail, at others in full chase. As they came nearer the 
 thought struck me like magic that they were on my trail. 
 I instantly moved to the highest point on the spur of the 
 mountain, from which I could see everything that was going 
 on, and survey the ground over which I had come. I deter¬ 
 mined to satisfy myself before resorting to any measure to 
 evade them, and in case they made a certain gap of a ridge 
 through which I had passed, which was now in plain view, 
 I would put one of my plans into immediate execution. 
 The suspense was awful, but it did not last long, for in less 
 than a minute’s time they were coming through the gap full 
 drive. I was now very much excited, and hurried to a spot 
 where I had passed three fine horses hitched. I loosed the 
 best looking one and mounted him, with a good brush in my 
 hand. On I sped over logs, through the brushwood, until 
 I reached the head of the cove ; then turning to the left 
 through a gap in the direction which I was traveling. On I 
 went until I was hemmed in on my right and in front by 
 bluffs. I released the horse and made my way to a spur of 
 a riuge overlooking the road, river, and everything in the 
 
31 
 
 vicinity. Seeing some shocks of corn in a field just below 
 me I remained here until night, and 'pressed four or five ears 
 of corn, which I ate. I had not eaten anything for three 
 days except sassafras buds and roots. Excitement will some¬ 
 times cause one to forget their suffering. I never knew 
 what became of the hounds. I shall always believe a man 
 who was hauling wood saw and reported me. 
 
 1 don’t know which party the citizens were hiding their 
 horses from ; perhaps both. I traveled all night; passed 
 Romney about three o’clock; took the wrong road; trav¬ 
 eled some five miles; saw a light in a house; called in and 
 got a good breakfast. Here I found that my feet were frost¬ 
 bitten. After receiving instructions, the morning of the 
 28th; I spent the day in making five miles to the residence 
 of a Mr. Haynes. I could not refrain from tears ; from the 
 kind treatment of this gentleman and his lady I received 
 all the attention possible. On drawing my old socks the 
 skin cleaved from the flesh. They were anointed and dressed 
 by the good lady. A nice supper, bed and breakfast. With 
 full directions I hobbled off; struck the river at the wire 
 bridge, (destroyed;) found a man in blue ready to set me 
 over, and he informed me that I was entirely out of danger. 
 Passing through Springfield I reached Green Springs, Md., 
 in the evening. I immediately reported to the comman¬ 
 der of the post, and requested him to send me to Cumber¬ 
 land, Maryland. “ All right,” said he ; “ the cars will be here 
 in a few minutes, and I will send you.” The cars arrived in 
 due time, and I soon found myself at the provost marshal’s 
 office at Cumberland, the evening of the 29th November, 
 1864. 
 
 I related all the circumstances in my case, at the same 
 time giving good references as to the facts. I remained here 
 three days, and was very kindly treated, especially by Acting 
 Post Adjutant J. H. Rhind. Here I received railroad trans¬ 
 portation to Wheeling, Virginia, with instructions to that 
 department, where I was kindly received, and furnished first- 
 class passage, on board the steamer Peerless, to Cincinnati, 
 Ohio. Arrived at Cincinnati December 4th, and reported to 
 Provost Marshal A. C. Jones, who sent me to the Relief 
 Commission. Here I was taken sick, and is it to be won¬ 
 dered at, having been exposed for fifteen months under con¬ 
 tinual excitement; yea, for nearly four years ? The change, 
 so sudden; the liability of eating too much immediately 
 after the next thing to starvation. I was a perfect wreck of 
 humanity; but medical attention and kind treatment, with 
 
32 
 
 clean clothes and good diet, I was soon transposed, as it 
 .were, and made anew. Here, among strangers, with my 
 liberties restored, amidst plenty and prosperity, the reflec¬ 
 tions of these things had a tendency to a redoubled hatred 
 of those black and murderous hearts and treacherous hands 
 which smote the flag of my country—the eaiblem of lib¬ 
 erty—and drove me from my native section and family. 
 
 Looking over the Daily Cincinnati Commercial early one 
 morning, I read an editorial account of Captain Albert 
 Grant’s making his escape from prison, (Columbia, South 
 Carolina;) the thrilling account of his kind treatment the 
 moment he struck the mountains of western North Carolina; 
 getting his shoes mended in a cave; furnished with pro¬ 
 visions and pilots through the lines, &c. On investigation 
 I found that he had passed within a few miles of my native 
 village. A few evenings after Mr. Davis, correspondent of 
 the New York Herald , addressed a very large assemblage at 
 Mozart Hall, giving an account of his escape from Salisbury 
 prison, North Carolina. In that part of his discourse rela¬ 
 tive to his kind treatment the moment he struck the moun¬ 
 tain counties ; the faithfulness of the Union men ; their do¬ 
 ings ; the treatment that their families were receiving from 
 the hands of the rebel details, &c., elated and excited me to 
 such an extent that I could scarcely restrain the emotions of 
 my mind. 
 
 From here (Cincinnati) I addressed a letter to the Secre¬ 
 tary of War, Edwin M. Stanton, which was referred to Gen¬ 
 eral Palmer. Also one, through my friend Dr. W. R. Sevier 
 of East Tennessee, to General Samuel Milligan, giving un¬ 
 doubted reference as to the statements contained in the let¬ 
 ter; by which means I obtained a passport and transporta¬ 
 tion to Knoxville, Tennessee. 
 
 Left Cincinnati the first day of March for Knoxville, by 
 way of Seymore, Indiana, Louisville, Kentucky, Nashville 1 
 and Chattanooga, Tennessee. At the latter place met with j 
 Colonel Smoot, of Wilkes county, North Carolina, and near 
 which, in passing through Missionary Ridge, the tunnel fell 
 in on the train, smashing some cars, killing two and wound- j 
 ing several other soldiers. Arrived at Knoxville and met 
 many of my old friends and acquaintances, and from whom 
 I received many pleasing as well as painful accounts of 
 occurrences that had taken place during my absence. Here 
 I learned that the plans which I had set on foot resulted in 
 the organization of two full regiments and the third one 
 started. The third was stationed here, commanded by Col- r 
 
onel Kirk; the second at Cumberland Gap, commanded by 
 Colonel Bartlett of Ohio. Among these were the following 
 commissioned officers from my own county; Captain .Hamil¬ 
 ton, Captain Levi Jones, Lieutenant Anderson, Lieutenant 
 Bradley and Lieutenant Morrison. Besides these regiments 
 hundreds had joined Tennessee, Kentucky, Indiana and 
 Ohio regiments, and hundreds besides in other Government 
 employ. 
 
 Scarcely a day passed now without some intelligence from 
 western North Carolina. The details, alias horse-thieves, 
 were ravaging the country, distressing the citizens, women 
 and children; many of whom cared neither for king nor 
 country. I have no allusion to the militia. 
 
 That the rebellion was now about over was apparent to 
 every well-informed mind. General Thomas was now 
 making a move in the direction of Richmond, and I ad¬ 
 vanced with a portion of the army to Greenville, Tenn., to 
 await an advance into western North Carolina. Here I 
 came very near going up the “ spout ” again. The garrison 
 stationed here was ordered away ; the Fourth Tennessee 
 and others to take their place, which left a gap of only one 
 day, during w T hich time about a hundred of Vaughn’s men 
 pitched into the town with a savage yell, only for which they 
 might have got me; but having learned that “ eternal vigi¬ 
 lance was the price of liberty,” I made my escape with three 
 or four others, and fell back to Lick creek near Bull’s Gap, 
 and remained with the army until I got notice that Colonel 
 Kirby, of the Fourth army corps, was ordered to make a 
 feint movement with a brigade on Ashville, and was invited 
 to go along, which I did. I had been interrogated by the 
 officers and asked my opinion in regard to the place and the 
 men. I told them that I knew that many of the men, the 
 majority in my opinion, were Union men, and were held 
 there by force alone; and if they would make a feint 
 attack the Union men would disperse, and the place could 
 be taken without much loss of life on either side. While at 
 Knoxville I had received messages to this effect from reliable 
 men, &c. The arrangement was this: while Kirby feigned 
 an attack to allow all that would to disperse, General Gillum 
 was to come in the rear and capture the place ; all of which 
 was effectually accomplished without the loss of a half 
 dozen men on both sides. Just about this time, the news of 
 Lee’s surrender was hailed with much rejoicing in the army 
 and throughout the country. 
 
 I fell back to Greenville with Colonel Kirby’s command, 
 
 5 
 
arid after remaining a short time, the North Carolina regi¬ 
 ments with some cavalry took quiet possession of the 
 country; when finally, on the first day of May, i reached 
 my home and family after an absence of nearly two years, 
 ■where I was heartily greeted by all. What a mighty change. 
 Most of the desperate characters had fled from the country 
 on the approach of the Union army, and the refugees 
 returning home ; and a strong disposition on the part of 
 many to retaliate for the injuries they had received, and 
 summary punishment being inflicted in many instances, 
 against which I protested ; I advised peace and the restora¬ 
 tion of law and order in the country. A convention of the 
 Union party was held at a celebration of the Fourth of July 
 in Hendersonville, in which I received the nomination, 
 
 , unanimously, as the candidate to represent the people of 
 1 Henderson and Transylvania counties in the State conven¬ 
 tion. Before the people I received nearly eleven votes to 
 one over my opponent, notwithstanding I was pronounced 
 the negro equality candidate in a printed circular. This was 
 done because, in addressing the people on the Fourth, I told 
 them that slavery had played out; that there was no 
 longer a slave on the American continent; and that James 
 Buchanan, Jeff. Davis, Yancy, Rhett & Co. had destroyed 
 the institution under the title of secession, and did not 
 deserve any credit for it from either party; and that it was 
 our duty as a people to use the great lesson that the rebellion 
 had taught us to the best possible advantage in the future, 
 &c. 
 
 In the State convention ordinances were passed abrogat¬ 
 ing secession ; involuntary servitude forever abolished, and 
 to prohibit the rebel war debt or any part thereof from ever 
 being paid. Myself and colleagues from the mountain 
 counties, now comprising the seventh congressional district, 
 almost to a man voted for these measures. I prepared and 
 offered a proposition for the protection of and regulating 
 contracts with the freedmen, but it was ruled out by the 
 committee on business for the consideration of the con¬ 
 vention. 
 
 During the sitting of the convention printed notices were 
 laid upon the desks of the members, stating that there was 
 not the least hope or probability that the congressional test 
 oath would be removed or modified. In consideration of 
 these things, it was proposed by some of the “ straightest ” 
 Union members, that I announce my name as a candidate 
 for Congress, which I did; and the time being so short as to 
 
35 
 
 render it impossible to canvass the district, I issued a circu¬ 
 lar setting forth the course that I had pursued before the 
 war, during the war, and after the war ; and notwithstanding 
 a circular was issued at Ashville by one of my opponents, 
 J. R. Love, only a few days previous to the election, and 
 scattered throughout the district by his secession emissaries, 
 grossly misrepresenting me, knowing that I could not meet 
 and refute the slanders until the election was over, the 
 result of which stands thus: 
 
 A. H. Jones, uncompromising Union-3,486 votes. 
 
 Tod 11. Caldwell, Esq., claims to be Union-1,688 
 
 B. S. Gaither, Esq., Union in the outset of 
 the war, but did not stick; ex-member of 
 
 the rebel congress---2,316 
 
 J. R. Love, Esq., original secessionist, and a 
 
 rebel colonel— -1,619 
 
 Scattering- 300 
 
 u 
 
 u 
 
 u 
 
 Many Union men went to the polls, intending t<3 vote for 
 me, but declined casting a vote on account of the charge 
 made in Love’s circular. The charge, in short, was this: 
 that I had voted in the convention for a proposition to 
 punish all who had been in the rebel service, &c., after they 
 had been pardoned by the President. The object of this 
 was to keep that portion of the Union voters, who had been 
 forced in one way or another into the rebel service, from 
 supporting me, and succeeded to a considerable extent where 
 I was not well known. 
 
 From actual calculation it is ascertained that from the 
 twenty counties composing the mountain or seventh con¬ 
 gressional 'district of Uorth Carolina, with the additional 
 county of Wilkes, no less than five thousand seven hundied 
 and ninety white males, from the age of seventeen years 
 and unwards, crossed the lines; three-fourths of which 
 number were in the Federal army, besides one hundred and 
 eighty-three who it is known lost their lives in the effort to 
 
 get through. T 1 
 
 According to the request of many friends, I have given a 
 
 faithful and simple statement of facts in regard to the course 
 that I have pursued ; and occupying the position that 1 now 
 do, I cannot, consistent with my feelings, close without a 
 
 word to my constituents. n 
 
 The war is over, and its results defined. Let all strike 
 
 hands in friendship, in mutual forbearauce. Let us torget 
 the gloomy past. Let the many wounds that have been in¬ 
 flicted be healed. Let us forgive and be forgiven, and once 
 
36 
 
 more unite our efforts in the pursuit ot prosperity and hap¬ 
 piness. This is due to ourselves, to our posterity, and to 
 our common country. 
 
 The great bone of contention is removed, to wit, slavery; 
 and, comparatively speaking, we feel it less than most any 
 other portion of the South, being but proportionally few of 
 the freedmen among us. Towards these it is our duty to 
 he charitable. They had no agency whatever within them¬ 
 selves in bringing on the war, while the very means used to 
 keep them in bondage has been instrumental in their free¬ 
 dom. We cannot reasonably blame them for wanting to be 
 free. It is a boon that all human beings desire, and the fiat 
 has gone forth ; the decree is passed and unalterably fixed 
 that the colored race is henceforward and forever free. Had 
 I the power I would not restore slavery. It would be an 
 incubus to the security of the Government, to the advance- 
 ment of the age, and to the interests of western Uorth 
 Carolina. It seems that the war had to come ; it is now 
 over; let us abide its results as one of the great events in 
 God’s providence. 
 
 I took the grounds in my circular in favor of colonization 
 at the earliest practicable period, but I now believe if coloni¬ 
 zation ever takes place it will he a voluntary thing on the 
 part of the colored race; and this is not a probable result 
 for years to come, if ever. Hence it is the duty of the State 
 to provide laws to secure them in person, property and law¬ 
 ful pursuits, and to encourage them to honesty, industry 
 
 and morality. 
 
 «/ 
 
 I have no doubt that in a few years the revolution, though 
 an awful shock, will prove beneficial individually and na¬ 
 tionally. It will develop a greater energy in our people, 
 unless, as is too often the case according to history, the vic¬ 
 torious party oppress the conquered to'too great an extent. 
 We hope and believe it will be otherwise with the United 
 States, especially those portions of the South which have 
 shown such a strong devotion to the Government. Speaking 
 the same language, professing the same religion, and asso¬ 
 ciated in the hallowed memories of the past, it would be 
 unmanly and unchristian to exhibit toward us any other 
 than a generous spirit and kind treatment. An unforgiving 
 disposition is an indication ol a low and brutal nature. 
 “To err, is human ; to forgive, divine.” 
 
 I>ut for those who have been leading the rebellion, occu¬ 
 pying high positions, military and civil, with all the vindic¬ 
 tiveness and ingenuity that could be brought to bear to 
 
37 
 
 break up the Union for four years, now to come in and oc- 
 cupy the most responsible positions in the Government, is 
 unreasonable and ought not to be expected ; especially those 
 who plied their vocations to this end while holding offices 
 in the Government of the United States previous to the 
 war. 
 
 Western Korth Carolina, in many respects, is a peculiar 
 and interesting section of country. It is bounded on the 
 north by East Tennessee and southwestern Virginia; on the 
 west by East Tennessee; on the south by northern Georgia 
 and South Carolina. Occupying the highest altitude of any 
 section east of the Rocky mountains—the blue ridge run¬ 
 ning through it from a southwest in a northeast direction— 
 it is noted as having the purest atmosphere and free-stone 
 water in the world. From its mountains spring the head¬ 
 waters of the Kanawha, Dan, Cape Fear, Great Pedee, Wa- 
 teree, Broad, Saluda, Savannah, Chattahoochee, Coosa and 
 Tennessee rivers. Through it pass too well-graded and ex¬ 
 cellent turnpike roads, one starting at Greenville, Tennes¬ 
 see, running south via Paint Rock, Warm Springs, Ashe¬ 
 ville and Hendersonville, branching and crossing Saluda and 
 Jones’ Gaps into South Carolina; the other, starting at the 
 head of the railroad at Morganton, passing west by Marion 
 through Swananoah Gap via Asheville, Waynesville, Webster, 
 Franklin, and Murphy, into Tennessee and Georgia. 
 
 In this section there is some of the most interesting nat¬ 
 ural scenery to be found on the continent; among which are 
 Paint Rock, Caesar’s Head, and Chimney Rock; near the 
 last named leaps, from near the summit of a mountain appa¬ 
 rently of solid rock, a clear stream of water, making at one 
 bound a distance of some two hundred feet perpendicular. 
 Cascades are quite numerous, and the water power in this 
 mountain section of country cannot be surpassed in the 
 world. Iron ore abounds in some localities, and other val¬ 
 uable minerals have been discovered. The soil, composed 
 of every variety, is adapted to the culture of corn, rye, oats, 
 buckwheat, grasses, and fruits, particularly apples. Irish 
 potatoes and cabbage are raised to great perfection. Fair 
 wheat is raised in some counties. 
 
 The principal source of income was from the raising of 
 stock. Previous to the war immense herds of cattle roamed 
 over the mountains, grazing upon the wild range, which 
 were driven to the markets of South Carolina, Georgia, and 
 Virginia, during the fall and winter. The terminus of no 
 less°than five railroads are pointing in the direction of this 
 
38 
 
 mountain country, to wit : from Morriston, Tennessee; 
 Morganton, North Carolina; Cherryville, North Carolina; 
 Spartanburg, South Carolina; and Greenville, South Caro¬ 
 lina ; the extension of some of which was under contract and 
 their construction under way previous to the war; all of which 
 now lie dormant. Here is a grand opening for capitalists, 
 which no doubt will be seized upon at an early day. The 
 freedman would be glad to get employment, even at low 
 wages, to work on these roads. It would at once circulate 
 money in the country, stimulate the farmer, the mechanic, 
 and infuse vigor into all departments and pursuits of life. 
 
 In view of these reasonable calculations, I implore my 
 fellow citizens to take courage and unite their efforts in 
 building up the country. Repair your farms; everything 
 that sustains life comes from the ground—the farm ; sow 
 your seed, be cheerful and charitable. Encourage the resto¬ 
 ration of your colleges, academies, and common schools, and 
 everything that tends to the promotion and happiness of our 
 common country, and all will be well. The pursuit of peace, 
 prosperity, and happiness, is the duty of man. May the 
 great God of nations, the King of kings, rest and abide with 
 us as a people and as a nation, is the earnest petition of 
 your humble servant, 
 
 ALEXANDER II. JONES. 
 
 December, 1865. 
 
 P* S.—January the 5th, 1866. In pursuance of my duty 
 to a loyal constituency, and in justice to myself, I am at 
 the capital of the nation “ knocking at the door.”