When North Carolina seceded from the Union, Wilmington resident John L. Cantwell, a Mexican War veteran, was commanding the 30th North Carolina Militia. Cantwell resigned from the militia and attempted to be elected colonel of two different regiments. He failed both times. Finally, on April 30, 1862, he was elected colonel of the 51st North… Continue reading The Real Reason Colonel Cantwell Resigned?
Tag: Zebulon Vance
General Clingman Sounds Off: Why the South Must Never Surrender
In March 1864, William Holden and Zebulon Vance were engaged in a hotly contested gubernatorial race. Holden wanted North Carolina to make a separate peace with the North. Vance, on the other hand, demanded that independence for the other Southern states be a condition for North Carolina reentering the Union. The election hinged mostly on… Continue reading General Clingman Sounds Off: Why the South Must Never Surrender