Tag Archives: First Wednesdays

First Wednesdays – “Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude … shall exist…”

Posted on December 2, 2015 by WilliamH

As described in an earlier blog post, Provisional Governor William W. Holden had convened a convention composed of “properly pardoned” delegates to fulfill a number of obligations necessary to complete President Andrew Johnson’s requirements for reentry into the United States. … Continue reading →

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First Wednesdays – “…to surrender the ship…”

Posted on November 4, 2015 by WilliamH

Many North Carolinians saw the repeal of the Ordinance of Secession and repudiation of slavery as the final steps to be completed for their re-entry into the United States. Now, the voting population of North Carolina had to select a … Continue reading →

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First Wednesdays – “…the institution of slavery having been destroyed…”

Posted on October 7, 2015 by WilliamH

As noted in a previous post, Provisional Governor William W. Holden had called for a statewide convention in October 1865 to complete North Carolina’s restoration to the Union. That convention had a very simple, but critical, charge to vote to … Continue reading →

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First Wednesdays – Challenges for a Provisional Government 1865

Posted on September 2, 2015 by Chris

In post-war 1865, Provisional Governor William Woods Holden went about the business of mending a state rent in every facet by the recent struggle.  Infrastructure such as the railroad system not only had to be repaired but also the governing … Continue reading →

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First Wednesdays – Cohabitation Certificates

Posted on July 1, 2015 by WilliamH

[This blog post was written by Debbi Blake, Collection Services Section Manager for the State Archives of North Carolina.] With the abolition of slavery came many questions about the rights of freedmen, one of which was how to validate marriages. … Continue reading →

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First Wednesdays – “…doing anything whatsoever calculated to cause excitement…”

Posted on May 6, 2015 by WilliamH

Toward the end of April 1865, North Carolina Governor Zebulon Vance was becoming increasing irrelevant in the rapidly unfolding events in North Carolina. He was unable to participate in the surrender negotiations between Confederate General Joseph E. Johnston and Union … Continue reading →

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First Wednesdays – “…we took it a foot for fayetteville NC…”

Posted on March 4, 2015 by WilliamH

By March 1865, the Southern experiment as a separate nation on the North America continent was quickly coming to a close. In Virginia, Union Lieutenant General Ulysses S. Grant was preparing his two field armies for a spring offensive to … Continue reading →

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First Wednesdays – “…keep my luck for I have lost everything…

Posted on February 4, 2015 by WilliamH

The hurrahs over the initial defense of Fort Fisher soon came to an end with the arrival of a new Union task force to take the fort and close off the Cape Fear River to the Confederacy. This new expedition … Continue reading →

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First Wednesdays – “…hoping you will not leave us to the mercy of the tories much longer…”

Posted on January 7, 2015 by WilliamH

The first week of January 1865 heralded the beginning of a new year in North Carolina, but also marked the fifth year of the struggle define a new country within the boundaries of North America. This struggle for independence by … Continue reading →

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First Wednesdays – “Your Governor will meet you at the front and will share with you the worse”

Posted on December 3, 2014 by WilliamH

By December 1864, the Confederacy was slowing disappearing from the face of the planet. Invading federal armies were now piercing its borders at will, and the current Confederate government was losing the ability to protect its citizens and institutions from … Continue reading →

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