Conclusion

To conclude, 1862 was a particularly interesting year of the Civil War, especially in North Carolina. Newspapers from the era provide a particularly valuable look at life on the home front, the most pressing topics of the day, and the opinions of the people. Two of the best examples of such North Carolina newspapers can be found in the Weekly Raleigh Register, a Democratic paper, and the Raleigh Weekly Standard, a Conservative paper. Despite their political affiliations one can find many similarities in these two papers in 1862, especially in their presentation of the North and the glorification in the Confederate army aimed at drawing new volunteers. However, major points of contention can be found between the two papers, especially over conscription laws and the desertion of soldiers. Ultimately, though, evidence seems to show that the Standard held more influence among North Carolinians, and better represented popular opinion in the Old North State.