| State of North Carolina |
| Executive Department |
| Raleigh, Nov. 19th 1862 |
| |
| G. W. Smith {Acting
Secretary of War} |
| |
| His Excellency Gov Vance
received a communication from your immediate predecessor the Hon Geo.
W. Randolph in which he states, that "in consequence of the
threatened attacks upon the Rail Road connections in the Eastern
portion of No. Ca. & Va. & our inability at present to
withdraw from the Army of Northern Va. reinforcements sufficiently
large to secure those connections it is considered very important to
complete the Danville and Greensboro connection as speedily as
possible and asking him to aid in procuring hands to work upon that
improvement. |
| His Excellency instructs me
to say that he will most cheerfully give whatever assistance he can
consistently with his dense of duty to further the speedy completion
of this work -- but at the same time he hopes it will not be improper
to remark that the Government should at all hazards and at all times
defend our present Rail Road connections at Weldon. That section of
the country is of the utmost importance to the Government abounding in
abundant supplies for the Army. |
| His
Excellency must decline authorizing or recommending the Legislature to
authorize the drafting slaves for this purpose. Vast numbers of slaves
are leaving our Eastern Counties, threatened with invasion and their
owners are anxiously seeking employment. |
| The
Contractors upon the work can without the intervention of the public
authorities obtain the most abundant supply of hands if they will
offer fair and remunerating prices. |
| {No signature on the
printed version.} |