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Title: Letter from John Henderson to his mother, Mary Ferrand Henderson, November 7, 1864 (In Which the Board of Trustees is Protesting Against the Conscription of the Seniors) : Electronic Edition.
Author: Henderson, John, fl. 1863
Funding from the University Library, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill supported the electronic publication of this title.
Text transcribed by Bari Helms
Images scanned by Caitlin R. Donnelly
Text encoded by Caitlin R. Donnelly
First Edition, 2007
Size of electronic edition: ca. 16K
Publisher: The University Library, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, North Carolina
2007

No Copyright in US

The electronic edition is a part of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill digital library, Documenting the American South.
Languages used in the text: English
Revision history:
2007-05-26, Caitlin R. Donnelly finished TEI/XML encoding.
Source(s):
Title of collection: John Steele Henderson Papers (#327), Southern Historical Collection, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Title of document: Letter from John Henderson to his mother, Mary Ferrand Henderson, November 7, 1864 (In Which the Board of Trustees is Protesting Against the Conscription of the Seniors)
Author: John
Description: 2 pages, 3 page images
Note: Call number 327 (Southern Historical Collection, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill)
Editorial practices
The text has been encoded using the recommendations for Level 5 of the TEI in Libraries Guidelines.
Originals are in the Southern Historical Collection, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Original grammar, punctuation, and spelling have been preserved.
Page images can be viewed and compared in parallel with the text.
Any hyphens occurring in line breaks have been removed, and the trailing part of a word has been joined to the preceding line.
All quotation marks, em dashes and ampersand have been transcribed as entity references.
All double right and left quotation marks are encoded as ".
All single right and left quotation marks are encoded as '.
All em dashes are encoded as —.
Indentation in lines has not been preserved.

For more information about transcription and other editorial decisions, see the section Editorial Practices.
Letter from John Henderson to his mother, Mary Ferrand Henderson, November 7, 1864 (In Which the Board of Trustees is Protesting Against the Conscription of the Seniors)
Henderson, John, fl. 1863



Page [1]
Chapel Hill N. C. Nov 7th 1864

My Dear Mother

As soon as governor Swain heard of the order of Colonel Preston which had for its object the conscription of the Seniors — the lower classes are not to be disturbed — he immediately repaired to Raleigh where a meeting of the trustees was hastily called together. Gov. Graham was appointed to wait upon president Davis with the request that he would suffer the Seniors to remain until the conclusion of their academic term. A series of resolutions was drawn up by the board of trustees in which the president was informed that the people of North Carolina would greatly regret to see the exercises of the institution either suspended or discontinued. A committee of which governor was the chairman was then requested to wait upon general Holmes and to ask him to postpone all action in the premises until the pleasure of the president was made known and this he very kindly consented to do.

Page [2]
It is not known yet what has been the result of Governor Graham's mission; but no one not even governor Swain seems to think that it will be crowned with success. The governor promises to communicate promptly to the class the earliest information that he may receive on the subject; so that at the least we will be a few days in advance of the enrolling officer. I may be taken away from here any day however you speak to me of joining the Rowan Artillery and yet again of going to Tim Guion. If I had gone down to Raleigh last week I should have made application to join the Artillery (Rowan) though I dont believe I would have been permitted to select my own company. I wish you would write me word immediately where you desire me to go. I certainly do not wish to enter infantry; I thought of entering the cavalry; the want of a horse is a serious impediment. If however I am refused permission to join the artillery branch and granted leave to go to the cavalry I shall certainly not enter the infantry; for I doubt not father would sell one of his trifling negroes to be able to properly accoutre his son for the war Stephen has no intention of going to the army. I received the money after a reasonable delay. I am not only willing but anxious to serve my country on the tented field and you may rest assured that your son will not falter in

Page [3]
the presence of the foe. I hate to say it but do you know I believe Ed. Shaver has gone over to the Yankees. I have little need of candles. I visit the ladies every night; but even they do not light candles to entertain their guests. A brilliant fire repeatedly replenished with light-wood serves every purpose. My shyness has worn off a great deal and I can sometimes carry on very long conversations without the least flagging. The ladies generally are afraid to talk with me. They say my phraseology is too refined and pompous for their narrow understandings and I have been advised to carry a pocket dictionary and I fortunately have one in my possession. This is all very well if the ladies cant understand me it is none of my look out. I am accounted a sage whereas I am entitled to no such high honour. Love to all.

John