Private
Lumberton Oct 27th 1862
This is entirely a private letter upon private business which I trust you will excuse, notwithstanding the claims upon your attention & time of higher and more important duties. I have been just informed by a letter from a friend that Col Cantwell of the 51st Regt. N. C. T. Stationed at Kinston has resigned, — Owing to the following circumstances It is said that for five consecutive days he was unfit for duty by reason of drunkenness and that of the most beastly character, And being about to be cashiered for the offence his resignation being tendered it was accepted and he is no longer in the service, It is alledged that even if Seniority was allowed to prevail in filling the vacancy in a Regt. so recently formed as the 51st the qualities of the next officers in rank, so far as excessive indulgence in ardent spirits is concerned utterly unfits him for the position, not to mention the fact that he is totally unacquainted with military matters, The next field officer is the Major, a young man of the name of McKethan, a son of the carriage maker at Fayetteville of that name. Now I am burning to be in the service once more, will you not permit me to lift my arm, one more time, in defence of “the Old North State.” Gov if you have not the power directly a word from you would secure my appointment at Richmond. I am aware that this may seem to be asking too much, and so it is in one respect, and there was a man living who knew the circumstances of my case, from beginning to end as you do, God is my witness that I would never have troubled you, But I have not, therefore I appeal to you as a man whom God in his providence has placed in your present elevation to do justice and vindicate the rights of the innocent and the oppressed, You know how I have been dealt with I ask you to assist me, not for anything I have done or may do for you, but for the sake of truth and right.
If I cannot get the command of the 51st will you give me authority to raise a body of state troops for the defence of our own glorious North Carolina, I can do it, if you will but give me the authority Your obedient
servant & friend
Source: The Papers of Zebulon Baird Vance, Frontis W. Johnston, ed. Volume One, 1843-1862, Raleigh, State Department of Archives and History, 1963, 282-283
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