11 April 1865: “your favor to its defenseless inhabitants generally”

Item Description: Letter dated 11 April 1865 from Zebulon B. Vance to General William T. Sherman authorizing the surrender of Raleigh. He requests protection for many vulnerable entities of the city.

18650411_01

Item Citation: Folder 2, Cornelia Phillips Spencer Papers, #683, Southern Historical Collection, Wilson Library, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Item Transcription:

State of North Carolina,
Executive Department,
Raleigh, April 11th, 1865

Genl Wm T. Sherman
Commanding U.S. Tenn

General

His Honor, Mayor Wm Harrison, is authorized to surrender to you the city of Raleigh. I have the honor to request the extension of your favor to its defenseless inhabitants generally; and especially to ask your protection for the charitable Institutions of the State located here, filled as they are with unfortunate inmates, most of whose natural protectors would be unable to take care of them, in the event of their destruction.
The Capitol of the State with its Libraries, Museum and most of the public records, is also left in your power. I can but entertain the hope that they may escape mutilation or destruction in as much as such evidences of learning and taste could advantage neither party in the prosecution of the war whether destroyed or preserved.

I am General
Very Respectfully

Z. B. Vance

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