Ladies Association for the Defence of North Carolina

To the Ladies of North Carolina:

Our sisters of Alabama, South Carolina and Louisiana, have set us a noble example, by largely subscribing for the building of Gun-boats. Shall we, the Ladies of North Carolina, remain insensible to the dangers of our beloved State? Already the enemy has invaded our coast. Our fathers, husbands, brothers and sons are withstanding them to the death. Let us at once arise and pour in our freewill offerings. As military authorities have expressed an opinion that under the circumstances, Gun-boats in our waters cannot be very efficient, and that Artillery would most effectually contribute to the defence [sic] of our State, let our contributions be for that purpose. Shall there by any hesitation? All that is most precious to us in this world is now endangered. Unanimity and promptitude can do much. Let the ladies of each county open a subscription list, and send forward the amount at the earliest moment to the Cashier of the nearest Branch of the Cape Fear Bank.

The above is from an unknown source. Perhaps the author was not advised, that the ladies are contributing towards building a gunboat at Wilmington. It is also thought by some that iron-clad boats might be built at Norfolk and sent through the Canal to operate in Albemarle and Pamlico Sounds. Our own idea however is that it is too late. Four good boats on the plan of the Merrimac, but smaller, if constructed early as they might have been, would have saved the expense of the fortifications at Hatteras, Beacon Island, Oregon, Roanoke Island, Washington and Newbern, and kept the enemy out of the sound entirely.

– Published in The North Carolina Weekly Standard, Raleigh, North Carolina, Wednesday, April 16, 1862, p. 1