Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1861-1862, 1861-12-03

Of January las, consulted with gentleman whose po
stion enabled him know the strength Of that fortress
and whose experience 10 military matters enabled bin
TO form an opinion to the number Of men that would
be required 70 capture It. BE represented It TO DO one
Of the strongest for6caonsn the world and expressed
his doub whether it could be taken, unless ssssiled BY
water a. we'll rs BY lard, and simultaneously. He stated
atcsy end distinctly that with the force then In the
fortress il would b. useless 10 attempt Its capture without
large orcs Thoroughly equirps and well appointed A.
time previou to m" secession oVirgina, had We mil
itary orgapirs ion sufficient 70 y attempt to take
IT. and events snce that occurrncs demonstrate very
clearly that with our military organic alton since and
nov existing, il has not been deemed prudent to make
| the attempt
Prior to the secession Of the STATE indeed from the
Commencement Of my gubernatoria term used all pro-
pr means within my REACH aided and supported BY the
nfhry commission TO prepare the State for defence
In the nrst communication which l had the honor to
present 70 the General Assembly, used this language
wnether the Unto, shall survive perish, it IL, new
ertoeess, your duy TO place the State in such cond-
uon that she will b. prepared at all times and upon the
shortest notice. to proec. her honor defend her rights
ana maintain her institutions AGAINST all assaults of her
enemies. With this view, recommend q careful rey-
sion OF the militia laxs; aud 10 ths connection suO
gest that mu ors Of war be procured and provision
made for the orgaLz ton Of GU efficient military staff
1t would be wel $50 70 specify in the Law the number
of aids to which tue Governor entitled aud designste
their rank cordial approve the bill herewith sent
for the orga'i1 .ion OF brigade Of minute men, pre
pared by gentleman remarkable for his intelligence
military Knowledge and experience. And faaly com.
mend the Virginia Military Institute to your favorable
consideration and urge tina. liberal appropriations be
| made for enlargng the buildings and extending the
sphere Of its usefulness"
In this Recommendation the general assem-
bly, appropriated hundred and eighty thousand dol.
bonds to be expended in the purchase Of arms
quipnents and munitions Of II could then have
purchased all the which desired to Obtain our
/ have hear in a haffa
assaults OF the federal executive. At the time made
the purchase Of Eve thousand mukets from the federal
glvernmen desired to purchase ten thousand add
ti,ns but authorities declined to sell them u.s. al
though i've lines the then In the arsenal
| at Washington.
| The appropriations for the purchase Of arms we're
made as before ated, IN bonds al Of which, under the
law of the STATE had to Be negotiated at par, before
dollar could he real zAd purchases. This
| o. serious enbaira snd nothing but the untiring
z al and indomit b. Of the military commission
| enable va 20 ova-on' fhs difficulties, and TO make
many purcuas,. VII Oh p ved Of immense value In the
struggle 10 which We have b IN aud nov engaged.
The thirteen P'rrott rhsd co. and the FIVE thousand
muskets and the powder tber released furnish examples
in point IL Is Q memorable in connection with the
purchase of the POWDER that the military commission
aud the executive were charged with wasting the public
money 10 the purchase Of powder than the State
wss likely TO consume In many years.
Toe record which Virginia presents in her contribu
tons to this war Is proud one Her look upon
Il with satisfaction and pleasure. It demonstrates her
performance Of duty She has been true to herself
her Gent fame and 10 her sisters Of the Southern Con-
{ d racy With FULL knowledge when she passed her
iinspce Of secession that her soil to be the
bue ED between he contendpg parties that she in
king .her position pl,ced herself between the enemy
and her southern isters and would receive the blows
that might otherwise fall npsn them she yet boldly
Died the post On eteppd forward and received the
shock Hew gall unity her have maintained that po
sion history wi! attest Her patriotism, her devotion
to the common cuse, will be fully recognized and ad
mitted by all
It impossible a. this time to state the precise num-
Der of volunteers and militia that Virginia hiss In the
isd, owing to the fact that the mastering officers q:
Norfolk Lynchburg. Abi-g doc Staunton Winchester,
Harpers FeIrv, tn Poomac division, and other places
have not made th5r returns tie Inspector Generals
Office In this city From b Ii hts before me- estimate
| the number at not les. ira seventy thousand. We
have In service fifty Dine iments Of infantry and
considerable number Of bats ions and companies in this
Of the service that have not been organized into
regiments. We hsve eight org,nzsd regiments OF cav
airy aud number Of companies attached to different
commands, which, If consolidated would make probably
three regiments more. We have issued three hundred
and fifteen pieces Of artillery nearly all of which In
the field 0ne artillery regiment only has been organ
z,d and that organized at tie instance OF General
| Nagruder. When the war commeuced, we.were com.
PEELED put artillery panes 10 the field fast
they could be raised and srmei The necessity which
required the adoption Of this the origin of this
war, has continued to exist aud have felt Ii to be a
duty to transfer the pinies to Confederate control
they mustered toto service Il Ia pro-
ba5le, therefore, that additional artillery regiments will
| be orgauiz at this time.
By agreement with the Confederate authorities the
ate of Virginia raid Of her volunteers 10 the I'D TO
| the S0;h day OF me. rre Paymsster Generals re-
port shows he has paid s~venty eight companies OF
cavslry, ittv'wo companies Of artillery four hundred
and companies Of infantry, company Of cadets
and seysu comp mica If militia There remain to be
paid siI companies Of infantry and one Of cavalry We
had, therefore, In service, the a0h day Of uns last
FIVE hundred and fortyseven companies OF all Of
the service comprising forty thousand eight hundred
and eighty Ave an then in the fell. The Paymaser
General states IN his report h. force which report
havug been In the field and paid the 30th Of Juns
has been greatly increased by recruiting tire companies
reported TO me by the psymsslers In many Gases
they had increased frsnty fvs per csnt-in some 6fy
pr cent" Since the date mentioned, have added
largely to our volunteer force and fer monthspa the
militia in the u y some portions Of the Wes, In the
Piedmont region aud Tders'er, have rendered more or
less service, under c from the officers In command in
those section Of The State.
The alscriry and promp rde With which our volun-
and niltia have responded the call Of the Ex
ecutive, MI les them TO the thanks Of the country
Tney have Inhibited noble spirit Of patriotism aod the
courage GOODNESS aud heroism which they have display
ed the field Of battle under the trying circun.
stances, are worthy Of all praise. No eIhib
tied higher traits OF gaanry, more heartfelt and
whole soued devotion to righteous cause, than they
have done.
The expenditures OF the State for purposes siuce
the 18th day Of April last amount 10 than six mil
ions Of dollars Her contributions of and money
for the common cause, have been chcerfuly furnished
aud her past gives of her determination
spare effort insure She feels and knows
and therefore upon the principle that nothing short
Of the full and free recognition Of the Independence Of
the Southern Confederscy can give ASSURANCE of pro-
lection to persons and properysnd happiness and pros
perity to Der people. Every consideration therefore,
that should influence people, prompts 70 repud.ie
all oomprcm'ses, to rice. oil sAvances towards recon-
strrc,ion We mus utph this struggle. In that
alone conss our sasy for the present and for the TO-
ture.
Some egss ion Is necessary for filing the places Of
our volunteer fore 10 ire fsd when their psesent
terms OF service sh rire l. is not improbable that
many Of them W to '-enlist after the erpira.
ton Of their term :, vice t least for time:) ard
this eontir an u ny all be adsquatey pro-