By LEE BALLARD

The 62nd North Carolina Infantry was formed in Waynesville in the summer of 1862.

They were given “a few old-fashioned muskets, and a small amount of ammunition” and sent to put down “an uprising of disloyal citizens” and to guard bridges and railroads.

In their first engagement, in the defense of the Cumberland Gap, they were surrendered very quickly by their officers to Union forces.  Foot soldiers of the 62nd were ready to fight, but they were betrayed by their leaders ─ who went to prison camps for officers while the foot soldiers went to the infamous Camp Douglas in Chicago.  About half died there.

The 62nd North Carolina is a metaphor for North Carolina Democrats in 2012.  And a lot of us Democratic foot soldiers identify with the foot soldiers of the 62nd North Carolina.  We feel our leaders in the North Carolina Democratic Party gave up without a fight and left us prisoners of radical Republicans in Raleigh. 

This column serves as a worksheet for letters I plan to write to the four newly elected officers of the North Carolina Democratic Party).

Why write letters to NCDP officers?  Well, because North Carolina Democrats got thrashed, bashed, smashed and trashed in the 2012 elections ─ exactly like 2010.  And in both years the NCDP watched from the sidelines ─ no, they watched from the expensive seats ─ while our candidates got slaughtered.    

I worked somewhat closely with the two General Assembly campaigns that affect our county.  Neither had funds to compete.  Neither was plugged into a statewide Democratic strategy or state organizational resources.  Both were out there on their own, for better or worse.  It turned out to be worse.

In 2010, everybody was surprised by the sudden gush of GOP cash that swamped our candidates with vicious mailbox flyers late in the campaign.  In 2012, Republicans openly listed Democrats they were targeting.  Which they did ─ with the same tactic and with the same success as 2010.  The NCDP certainly knew what was coming, didn’t they?  We knew. 

I read a losing Democratic candidate’s reasons for the 2012 GOP win:  “highly effective gerrymandering; cash from in-state and out-of-state conservative contributors; the collapse of the State Democratic Party leadership; and a well-coordinated and well-financed ‘ground game’ by GOP leaders.”

“Collapse” is a strong word.  I’ll take that candidate’s word for its proper use here.  But I do know one thing:  The foot soldiers are restless.  We believe in the people-oriented principles of the Democratic Party, and we hate what Republicans are doing in Raleigh. 

We want to fight.  A Democrat in our county wrote this month:  “A number of you have told me that there is nothing that we can do to stop this legislature from the things they are doing.”  Then she outlines what she’s going to do herself and asks for ideas on organizing for 2014. 

I wrote her I’m ready for pitchforks and torches, and I’ll sign up for whatever is planned.  But we really can’t overcome Republican gerrymandering and money advantages ourselves.  We need the NCDP to lead. 

So what should they do? 

First, clean house.  Let your new broom sweep decisively. 

Second, go to the national Democratic Party and the Obama campaign and get tough, battle-savvy professionals with expertise in strategy and organization.  

Give our candidates infrastructure.  Make them part of a statewide juggernaut.  And get pros with expertise in messaging.  We of course want no part of slime like what Republicans stuffed in our mailboxes.  There’s plenty of damning truth about Raleigh Republicans. 

And get pros with expertise in getting money, more money than Republicans will have.  It can come from billionaires in New York for all I care.

Last, use conventions to educate, train, organize and fire up the troops.  They shouldn’t be social club gatherings where active Democrats guffaw and hug and pass resolutions that everybody knows are going nowhere. 

After a century of Democratic dominance, we’re fat and happy. 

If we don’t change, we’ll watch Republicans experiment with their anti-people theories for years to come. We’ve got to get ready for battle.   

And START NOW!

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Lee Ballard lives in Mars Hill.