In late April 1864 Confederate forces commanded by General Richard Hoke seized Plymouth, on April 20 and by April 30 had occupied nearby Washington, North Carolina. In truth, few major engagements of the war occurred within North Carolina. However, North Carolina played a major role in the Civil War, providing more men for the Confederate cause than any other state of the Confederacy. While having only one-ninth of the white male population of the South, North Carolina contributed one-sixth of the manpower of the Confederate war effort. Of the 133, 905 North Carolinanians serving the South, an estimated 30 percent, or approximately 40,000, were killed, despite few major battles being fought within the state. And approximately 8000 North Carolinians, including just over 5000 Negroes, fought for the Union.
00000174-b11b-ddc3-a1fc-bfdbb1a20000The Schreiner University Department of History is honoring the sesquicentennial of the American Civil War with a series of short vignettes focusing on events from 1861 through 1865. The Civil War was the most destructive conflict in American history, but it was also one of our most defining moments as a people and as a nation. Let us know what you think about "This Week in the Civil War." E-mail your comments to Dr. John Huddleston at jhuddles@schreiner.edu.Airs: Weekdays at 5:19 a.m., 8:19 a.m., 4:19 p.m. on KTXI and 4:49 a.m., 9:29 p.m. on KSTX.