North Carolina Minute

After Sherman's march

Goldsboro at the end of the Civil War by Emily Weil

Those of you that love North Carolina history, this is a book that you need to read. It is so well written and tells the story of what happened in and around Goldsboro, North Carolina at the close of the Civil War. The information gathered for the book came from letters and personal interviews of relatives whose folks fought and lived in the time period.

Emily covers the news of Sherman's approach to Goldsboro following the worst battle in North Carolina history - Battle of Bentonville, March 19 through 21, 1865. She also covers the topics of Sherman's troops, citizens in and around Goldsboro and the Freedmen's Bureau and reconstruction. This book is a must.

Once I started reading I could not put the book down until I had read all 137 pages. Author Weil of Goldsboro spoke to the Sampson County Historical Society and gave details of how she researched the material for the book. The Weil family dates back to the mid 1800s when Henry Weil left Germany and joined his older brother and two older sisters in Baltimore and later moved to Goldsboro. Henry joined the Confederate service and returned home after surrender at Appomattox. Returning to Goldsboro Henry and his brother opened the famous H. Weil & Brothers Store on June 21, 1865. When anyone says the word "Weil" you immediately think of Goldsboro. Goldsboro owes a debt to the Weil family, which can never be paid.

The book After Sherman's March can be ordered from the Wayne County Historical Association, P. O. Box 665, Goldsboro, NC 27533-0665. Cost of the book is $25, plus tax and postage if shipped.

Note: Emily Weil is also the author of several other books; The Dunes Club; 1940-2000,

Temple Oheb Sholom, and co-authored, Postcards of Old Wayne County. All of these books deserve to be in your personal library. Thanks Emily!

General James G. Martin

Martin was born in Elizabeth City, North Carolina on February 14, 1819. He received his early education at St. Mary's School in Raleigh. He enrolled in the U. S. Military Academy in 1836 and graduated in 1840, with the rank of Second Lieutenant. His early military career was centered in the New England States. In 1846 he served in the Mexican War. In the Battle of Churubusco, his right arm was crushed with grapeshot, and it had to be amputated. After a brief time at home, he returned to service with the rank of Major.

During the Civil War, Martin resigned his commission in the U. S. Army and arrived in Raleigh to offer his services to his native state. On September 20, 1861, he was appointed adjutant general of North Carolina troops, a force of ten regiments. On September 28, Martin replaced General Hoke with the rank of major general of militia. In this command, Martin was charged with raising, training and outfitting men for service in the state. By January 1862, Martin had forty-one regiments ready for the field, which was 12,000 strong.

On May 17, 1862, Martin was given a field command, which he requested, with the rank of brig. General. His assignment was to command the District of North Carolina from Kinston, but before he could even get settled in, General Robert E. Lee ordered him to Virginia, where he was engaged in the Seven Days Battle. Later he returned to North Carolina for service in the Coastal Region, but by 1864, he was back in Virginia where his troops were engaged in the Battle of Drewry's Bluff. Because of his leadership in that battle, he won the nickname, "Old One Wing."

Continuing on in Virginia, Martin's troops saw action at Cold Harbor, Petersburg. After the war, Martin studied law, and was admitted to the bar in 1866, setting up his practice in Asheville. He died on October 4, 1878. General Lee said of General Martin; "General Martin is one to whom North Carolina owes a debt she can never pay."

Hiram Louis Grant

Hiram Louis Grant was born on January 26, 1843 in Woonsocket, R.I. He received his education in public schools and college in the area.

He enlisted in the Union Army in September 1861, and was assigned to the Sixth Connecticut Volunteer Infantry. For outstanding service by 1863 he had been promoted to Major. Grant was one of the 20 volunteers sent to silence the guns at Fort Wagner on Morris Island in Charleston Harbor. He was seriously wounded during this action and as a result was awarded the Medal of Honor. For eight months he was hospitalized at a hospital in Beaufort, North Carolina. When he was discharged from the hospital he was assigned to General Joseph R. Hawley's Tenth Army Corp. He stayed with this unit for the duration of the war, fighting in Virginia and leading the assault on Fort Fisher in January 1865, Following Fort Fisher's surrender Grant was made provost marshal of Wilmington and Goldsboro. He was discharged from the service at the end of 1865.

Grant returned to the service during the Spanish-American War, serving in Washington, D.C., and New York City as paymaster. Leaving the service once again, he moved to Goldsboro, where he resided the rest of his life. In Goldsboro, Grant became involved in local politics, was appointed Goldsboro's postmaster in 1869, and held that post for seventeen years.

Grant made his greatest contribution to Goldsboro and North Carolina in the field of education. He served as a trustee of the Colored Normal School and established the first public school in Goldsboro. In 1894, without his consent was elected to the North Carolina Senate, and was reelected in 1896, where he headed the Chairmanship of the Committee on Education. It was through his dedication on this committee that the legislature established graded school throughout Eastern North Carolina.

As a businessman in Wayne County, Grant purchased most of the property in the abandoned Town of Waynesborough, where he established a brick factory. His life was also devoted to the religious activities of Goldsboro.

Grant died on March 8, 1922, and was buried in the beautiful Willow Dale Cemetery in the heart of his beloved adopted city of Goldsboro. He truly did make a difference.

Lliam Turner Faircloth

(A great man from The Old North State)

William Turner Faircloth was born in Edgecombe County on January 8, 1829. We know little of his primary education, however, he was a student at Wake Forest College, graduating in 1854. During the summer months, Faircloth taught school. He studied law under Justice Richmond Pearson, and was licensed to practice in 1856. After receiving his license, he moved to Snow Hill in Greene County. He stayed only a short time, and then moved to Goldsboro where he established his law practice until 1861.

At the beginning of the War Between the States, he was appointed First Lt. and helped organize the Rip Van Winkle Company in Wayne County. This group later became a part of the Second Regiment, North Carolina Infantry; shortly thereafter they were transferred to the Second Corps, Army of the Potomac. On March 14, 1862, Faircloth was promoted to captain and assistant Quartermaster, the rank he held for the duration of the war.

In May 1862 his company was moved to Camp Wyatt in New Hanover County, as a part of the units to defend Fort Fisher on the Coast. He stayed only about 30 days at Camp Wyatt for by late May 1862 he had been sent to Virginia, where he fought in the battles at South Mountain, Antietam, Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, Winchester and Petersburg. Faircloth was assigned to Lee's Army of Northern Virginia up until the surrender of Lee to General Grant.

Following the war, Faircloth returned to Goldsboro and practiced law. In 1874 he applied for an appointment to a seat on the State Supreme Court. He was informed that he had to associate himself more closely with the Republican Party, which he did. Finally, a year later he was appointed to a seat on the high court. In 1884 he was an unsuccessful candidate for Lt. Governor. In 1894 the Republicans backed him for the seat of Chief Justice of the State Supreme Count, and was elected for a term of eight years. After serving five years, Faircloth became ill, had a stroke and died on December 29, 1900. He was buried in the Fairview Cemetery in LaGrange, North Carolina.

Thought for the day: Finish each day before you begin the next, and interpose a solid wall of sleep between the two. - Ralph Waldo Emerson

J.C. Knowles is a traveling speaker, historian and antique expert. For more interesting North Carolina stories, visit www.heathero.com/ssg.