Enemy in Eastern NC

I recently came across this screed from the Charlotte Democrat - Jan. 20, 1863:

"The Enemy in Eastern N.C. – We learn from northern papers that the yankees in and about Newbern in this State, held an election on the 1st inst. for a member of the Lincoln Congress. There were two candidates, a man named Piggot, and Foster, a Maine yankee who was driven off from Murfreesboro at the commencement of the war. It is reported that Piggot was elected. The election was held under the direction of the traitor Stanly, and of course was conducted by thieving yankees and a few mean, low-life, unworthy natives. No respectable native North Carolinian participated in the bogus election.

"The Wilmington Journal has information from Hyde county, showing that the people of that county are being oppressed and plundered by Stanly and his minions in a terrible manner. A mean hireling of Stanley’s, named Bannister Midyett, has a company of low characters under his command, and the people are forced to take an oath of allegiance to Lincoln or have their property destroyed. Those who refuse to obey Stanley’s orders are sent to Newbern and imprisoned. Edward Stanly is a meaner man than beast Butler [Benjamin F. Butler]."

Such harsh words call for more research! However, I have already written about Union sympathizers on Hatteras Island. As I wrote in 2014, Foster (Charles Henry Foster) was even repudiated by members of President Lincoln's inner circle, being labeled an "unprincipled scamp and cheat."

 (You can read more about Charles Henry Foster here: http://chab-belgium.com/pdf/english/Charles%20Foster.pdf.)

Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is a history of the Ocracoke Lighthouse, with information (and an artist's sketch) about the earliest lantern room. You can read the Newsletter here: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/ocracoke-lighthouse/.