The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1860-10-19
LOCAL MATTERS.

AIMING ths Sfaie.-The anxiety manifes ted
Dy tne various volunteer commanders in the
State to procure arms for their companies is a
very natural one, and therefore il is that Gov
Letcher is frequently applied to for pistols
and sabres for the Cavalry, and for iAusketa
1or the infantry. We have no doubt the Gov.
ernor, as well as the State Commissioners re.
gret their inability to supply the demands
upon them, but such is the difficulty of pro.
curing arms, that only portion can be sup.
piled at a time.
On Wednesday last, Capt Robinson, of Pc.
tersburg, applied to the Governor for seventy.
nine COLTS revolvers for his command, know.
Ing that there were now one thousand pistols
On hand, but his application was refused be-
cause OF the fact that there were thirty nine
commands, older than his, without arms.
by the present military division OF the
state, .here are five Cavalry Regiments, three
east OF the Blue Ridge, and two west-the
third and fifth being west, and the rst, second
and fourth being east
Inc first regiment is composed OF twenty
companies, twelve of which are older than
Capt Robinson's. OF this number fire are
fully armed with pistols and sabres, and siz
are armed with sabres only
Ioe second regiment is composed Of seven
teea companies, sersn of which are older than
capt. Robinson's In this regiment tpo COM
panies only are armed with pistols and sa-
bres, and fire are armed with sabres
Iae fourth regiment is composed of seven
teeh companies, six of whom are older than
capt. Robinson's. Of this number sir are
sabres
In the third regiment (west of the Blue
htoge,) tnere are sixteen companies, four of
whom are older than Capt. Robinson's, and
not one OF them has pis tol or a sabre
The fifth regiment (wsst of the Blue Ridge J
is composed of eighteen companies ten OF
whom are older than Capt Robinson's. Ttco
Oh these companies only are armed with sabres,
ana not one with pistols.
Thus it will be- seen that Of the cavalry COM
panies east OF the Blue Ridge thirteen are fully
armed with pistols and sab abres and fifteen with
saDres only While out of the thirty four com =
inanos ~est OF the Blue Ridge. only l,co OF them
nave been supplied with sabres, and n ot one OF
them has yet received a pistol from the State
authorities.
The pistols now on hand will be distributed
west OF tne Blue Ridge, as an act of Justice to
the military of that section of Virginia and
we nave no doubt that every military man
east and west will say the Governor is acting
rignt In thus disposing of the arms of the
State
We nave heretofore stated that contract
mad Teen made with Mr.. JOS. r. Anderson 10
put the present State Armory in proper order
1or manufacturing arms, and that il is to be
ready Tor operations by December 1861. At
tnis time Mr.. Anderson has an agent at the
North engaging hands and examining i'm.
proNemehts, preparatory to commencing his
contract. When the Commissioners closed
win MIN, they sold the old flint muskets for
81 90 each-thereby saving TO the State what
ever they Will bring at that price tor expert
ments nave proved that they could not be RI
heo, because OF the unevenness of their b. res
without endangering the life of every soldier
who might have to fire them
Inc State Commissioners are exerting them
selves In every proper manner to procure suit
able arms for all the military of Virginia and
as fast as they can be had they will be properly
distributed In the meantime, let the unarmed
volunteers perfect themselves in drill and dis
cipllne, so that when proper weapons are mt
into their hands, they may be prepared to use
them AS becomes the duty of every loyal SOL
dler of the glorious Old Dominion. Let none
of them think of dsbanding because weapons
are not at hand, but rather increase their NUM-
bers and their education as soldiers so thai
should the hour ever come when Virginia re-
qulres the pro otection of their n uskets swords
and pistols, and she is ready to put them in
their hands, they may be able TO grasp them
firmly and WELD them skillfully in the de-
fence of her honor and her rights.