The New York herald., 1861-12-07

had for some time been making ylch preparations as
her means enabled hS 10 make; Pad although she was
not well prepared desr able still she was bet
ter prepared than most Of he Southern sistershetor
perhaps than any one OF them. Fbr time dneor 70
the secession she had been gagged in he purchase of arms g
different kinds, dfanuhvo and other necessary drfictes
a'a ~ m@na.ng aruery IN anticipation q ne ssM eae" ,a
partment OF tho xac which have been laid before the
convention fraza time to time, will show what she had
tlory FOR the neld and what rambler Of small arms,
ammuntoa and other articles necessary for nttng Out
Charles an chs have pssa
the largely indebted for what has been done before
and snco the war commenced Ho ID not only an accom-
plished and well educated military officer but he s sys-
tematc business remarkable for energy and perse
verance. His services 10 the State have been and arc
now invaluable in the position he occupies.
large portion Of the ammunition which has been used
In the captured At Norfolk and the heavy guns
supplied to Southern sister States for coast river ana
land defence werc captured with the Navy YARD a. tne
same time The capture OF the Navy Yard and OF Har
psr's Ferry accomplished without tho loss Of life,
or casualty Of any description All the field artillery
which we have issued belonged exclusively tho State
Of Virginia. and much the larger part OF had been IN
our possession for half century The small arms were
all OF her exclusive property save seven thousand
vc hundred altered percussion muskets kindly furnished
by tho late Governor Ellis Of North Carolina who felt
and manifested the deepest interest in all that concerned
the people in this Commonwealth. Death has removed
him from the theatre OF action. but his memory will bc
cherished his manly virtues honored and his name held
In grateful remembrance by the Executive and people OF
Virginia.
On the 2sth day Of February, 1916, tho Legislature
directed the Superintendent of the Armoy 70 SELL under
the direction OF the Executive, all such and
tremens then in the armory not worth repairing
from r ss nouds [ at s sroy and a a % oy & ~
february e. I849, the Superintendent was directed to
sell them at not less than twenty ve dollars each For
unaely for us, there were bidders at that price,
the guns remained In tho possession of the
State, and now each Of those pieces in the neld
bre now in service How small circumstance controls
the greatest events. What embarrassment would have
attended our operations in this important struggle
transportation to the field.
be regretted that Fortress Monroe is no. in our po,
,ssS that II was mot as easily captured as the Navy
ary last consuled Nth gentleman Dhose position e,.a
bled him to ko the strength of that fortress and ,uhose e.
as TO the number Of that scould be required 10 capure Il
He represented to be Of the strongest forcatons
In the world and expressed his doubts whether could
be taken unless assaed by water well by land and
simultaneously He stated, emphaticaly and distinctly
that with the force then in the fortress it would be
less to attempt its capture without q large force
thoroughly equipped and well appointed AT no time pre-
vious to the secession Of Virginia had military orga
nization sufficient to justify an attempt to take
events since that occurrence demonstrate very clearly
that with military organization since and now exist.
ing, II has not been deemed prudent to make tho at.
tempt.
Prior 10 the secession OF the State indeed from the
Of my Gubernatoral term Iused all pro-
per means within my reach aided and SUPPORTED by the
military commssion to prepare the State for defence
the first communication which had the honor present
TO the General Assembly, used this language
onca % Ss s:
@ &c a. and e
Al 6 her With this
and p1oyisiq1 made for the 0rgani1siOn Of
number Of aids to which the entitled and desS
s
gentleman ns remsasee for his military
Virginia Military Institute to your favorable
the buildings and extending he sphere Of M tGu
In answer TO this recommendation, the General Assem-
bly, appropriated one hundred and eighty thousand dol
lars in bonds to be expended the purchase Of arms
equipments and munitions Of war; If we could then have
purchased oil the arms which we desired to obtain, our
State would have been In better condition to repei the
assaults Of the federal executive. At the time uv made
the purchase Of five thousand muskes from De federal
government desired to purchase ten thousand addnI
but the authorities declined to sell them to u.s. although
five times the number were then in tho Arsenal ut
Washington.
The appropriations for the purchase OF arms were
made as before stated In bonds all Of which, under the
laws Of the State had 10 be negotiated at par before
dollar could be realized for purchases. This was a
source Of serious and nothing but the
untring zeal and ndomitabe energy OF the military
commission enabled to the difficulties and 10
make many purchases which proved OF immense in
the struggle in which have been and engaged
The thirteen Parrot red cannon and the five thousand
muskets and the powder then purchased, furnish OK
amples in point II is memorable fact in connection
with the purchase OF the powder, that the Military Com.
mission and the Executive were charged with wasting the
State was likely to consume in many years.
The record which Virginia presents in her contribu-
tions TO this war "a proud Her look upon
with satisfaction and pleasure 1t demonstrates her
performance Of duty She has beon true TO herself to
her ancient fame and to her sisters of the Southern con-
federacy. With full knowledge when she passed hor
ordinance OF secession that her soil was to be the
battle field between tho contending parties that she in
taking her position placed herself between the enemy and
her Southern sisters and would receive the blows that
might otherwise fall upon them she yet boldly occupied
the position stepped forward and received the shock
IJCl hnr tnfa ira
history will attest Her patriotism her devotion to the
common cause will be fully recognized and admitted by
all.
II il impossible at this time to state the precise number
Of volunteers and militia that Virginia now has in tho
hed owing TO tho fact that the mastering Norfolk
Lynchburg, Abingdon Staunton, Winchester Harper's
Ferry the Potomac dvsOn and other places have not
made their returns to the Inspector Generals Office ia
this city From the light before me estimate the num-
Der not less than seventy thousand. We have in SER
vice fifty nine regiments Of infantry and considerable
number OF battaons and companies in this arm OF the
service that have not bcen organized into regiments We
have eight organized regiments of cavalry number
Of companies attached to different commands which il
more We have issued three hundred and fifteen pieces
Of artillery, nearly all Of which ice in the field
One artillery regiment only has been organized and that
organized at the instance Of General Nagrudcr When
the war commenced we compelled to put
out artillery companies in the field fast as they
could be raised and armed The necessity which re-
qured the adoption of this course at the origin Of this
wsr has continued 70 exist and have felt 1t to be duty
to transfer the companies to Confederate control
- they were mustered into service 1t s not probable
therefore, that additional artillery regiments will be or
ganized at this time.
BY agreement with the Confederate authorities the
State Of Virginia paid of her volunteers In the field to the
30h day Of June Th6 Paymaser Generals report shows
that he has paid seventy eight companies OF cavalry
fftytwo companies Of artillery, four hundred and two
companies Of infantry, company Of cadets and
companies Of militia. There romain 10 be paid six com
panies Of infantry and of cavalry We had there
service the Both day Of June last five hundred
and forty companies Of all of the service
comprising thousand eight hundred eighty
five then in the field The Paymaster General states
in his report-"The force which report having been
in the field and paid TO the 30h Of June has been greatly
increased by recruiting the companies reported
by the Paymasers. In many cases they had increased
twenty Ave por cent; in some fifty per cent? Since the
date mentioned we have added largely to volunteer
force and for months past the militia in the Valley come
portions Of the west in the Piedmont region and In Tide
Water have rendered less service under calls
from the officers In command in those sections Of the
State
The alacrity and promptitude with which volun-
teers and militia have responded TO the call OF the Ex
ecuve entities them TO the thanks Of the country They
have exhibited noble spirit Of patriotism, and the
courage cooness and herosm which they have displayed
on the field Of battle, under the trying crcurn
stances, worthy Of all praise. No ever exhibited
souled devotion 10 righteous than they DONE
the 18th Of April last than six millions Of
dollars Her contributions Of men and money for the
common have been cheerfully furnished and her
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