CHAP.XIII.] CORRESPONDENCE, ETC.-CONFEDERATE.
United States. The rights of property and persons will be protected and respected, and any Federal soldier infringing upon them will be most severely punished. It is no part of our intention to war against women and children; on the contrary, they shall be protected with all the power under our control. Loyal citizens can enjoy their homes and property without fear of molestation. No law will be abrogated or interfered with unless it comes in conflict with some law of the United States or the Constitution; all others will be obeyed and respected. It is with traitors and rebels in arms who are destroying peace and order and inciting rebellion that the Federal forces are to deal with. We come to give you back law, order, the Constitution, and your rights under it, and to restore peace. We call upon traitors and rebels in arms to lay them down, and upon good citizens, who respect the law, to aid us in our undertaking.
RUSH C. HAWKINS, Colonel Ninth New York Volunteers, Commanding the Post.
[Inclosure Numbers 2.]
Be it ordained by this Convection and it is hereby ordained by the authority of the same as follows: Treason against the State of North Carolina shall consist only in levying war against her or in adhering to her enemies, giving them aid and comfort. No person be convicted of treason unless on the testimony of two witnesses to the same overt act or confession in open court.
Read three times and passed, 18th June, 1861.
HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF NORTH CAROLINA, September 26, 1861.
General B. HUGER, Commanding Forces in Norfolk Harbor, Norfolk, Va.:
GENERAL: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 24th instant.* We are under many obligations to you for promptly sending forward and occupying Roanoke Island. In doing so you but anticipated my wishes, as it was entirely out of my power to send a single soldier to that section. Since the fall of Hatteras I have been compelled to send the few re-enforcements which have reached me to protect the coast of Pamlico Sound, and to strengthen Fort Macon, which has been repeatedly threatened with attack. When I shall be able to send a regiment to relieve Colonel Wright I am unable to say, but until I do I hope you will continue to extend authority over the troops in that section. I should have written more fully, but my health will not permit.
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
R. C. GATLIN, Brigadier-General, Commanding.
EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT, Raleigh, N. C., September 27, 1861.
HonorableJ. P. BENJAMIN, Acting Secretary of War:
SIR: I have just seen an order from General Gatlin, announcing the decision of you Department that our troops should only be paid from
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*Not found.
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