Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1864-10-28
OEloe Recorder Virginia Forces, I
RICHMOND July Is, 1864. :
me WorshiWm Justices Of the County
Court of augusta


Will explain the prominent object for which tbis
once was established Another duty has been COM
mltted to 1t. aud TO that ask YOUR attention
fof some tline past he newspapers of the county
nave oeen niied with accounts from every rart Of
the ContedeIa cy penetrated by Tire ;nvodar ord
especially from the different sections Of the STATE
of Virginia, charging that the enemv,s snIdierg
and particularly their raidng re,t;s
war upon the unarmed and defenceess Of tb;s co,r
munity, ravaging t3e country and M c,; 80.
the people every species of insult ard - upo',
Among the offences thus charged are so dsvss.
ting the country as to render it unfit for the ~:
tation sustenance OF its resident ponnI.ton
abducting our negro slaves, and arminq tba,
against US; burning dwellings, mills. factor;as
records, Summaries. printing Offices libraries and
works of art breaking up fences roads and 49,
es; desecrating churches; taking sucb nri a,a s
erty can be carried Off ard destIcv;ng pihop
cannot be; stripping families of the neessssr;as %
life; imprisoning and infcting personal in;ur.l
upon unarmed citizens-and worse than an ~
ing insult, outrage and violence to defencalass II
men.
These accounts have recently aboryss 90 nnnI
Gus, come from so.manv dife - Sfets snd
offences charged are fla IA n $50 - - Govsr
of Virginia, considering SO essahf<ao hsvo III
fully investiga ed has 1nsnvxssAet ~ ar 90 20
fully ascertain what wrong s>rssss ~ ~,
to the rules of war; have Rtn 80
people OF Virginia, prepare a proserIvs var,t3
narrative thereof, and preserve il anon, en- - ss
ords of this office. Wv %
This isa work which can be properly perform 81
only by tho people who are ;ssa aud each co
OF the wrongs committed within rs limits. prena4 y.
ing its narrative earefully, sussn>eAesAa 80
by proper and sufficient szi ssar ~ putting IL
.iAuspch shafe thatit can Be readily referred ,o
= kaiisstE authorities should see that this record
and properly made, end the people
&hould ascertain all the facts and obtainI
MaS# 4s@Aelce within their reach.
*s n f2 Ftourt is the custodian of the business
KY elfare of the county-the assertor Of
n fkn viz nf = no
e&##TUF1e. It's members, usually the best bnsi-
ness men of the county, come from Its every sec
tion-are familiarly acquainted with all the neo.
pie, are the friends and advisers of uosr of tba,,
In matters OF business and periods of trouble and
distress, and aggregate greater influence and
more general knowledge 81 ALL whether of GOOD ~
evil, which concerns the county people, than AN a
other equal number OF IT'S citizens. The CONT
court, then, is clearly the from which ~ 81
action should spring. *&
These views and the plan herein after set a.
are approved by Ills Lxc.llency Gov. SMITH, 49,
under his instructions lay them before Won. f
the request that you will cake such orders N<8
take such action will instruct the prompt pfetf-
alton fsuch record in your county. W
Should no better plan occur to you, Permit W&
10 suggest the following = BY the proper orde
court assign to the mag straes of each district AZ
duty OF preparing the record, and taking the ev u
q ence OF ali outrages committed by the euep
within that district. Let theia notify the peopIs
OF the district when and here 10 cooie before them
what IS 20 Bt peFpetuated, ano by what testimony
so that before the time appointeG facts NAV b..
collected citizens can write ont what thew know
nd c,r' prove and what is known to aud can be
proved bv their neig hbnrs. At each term of tie
court let egch district send in what as been pre-
pared, and directly liter each term let all so sent
in be so copied to admit OF being made into a
book here be certified by the clek under the seal
of the CONT and forwarded to this Office Ii YOU
will pursue this course, the work be rapidy
and surely done with ittle lab0r to any one person
tnl6 ali hat rel at pS q will ha
iito separate sock md preserved here, while the
originals viii remain 1muag your county records.
" Within Your limits many ,fugees from coun
ties in possession of he enemy and likely TO
said to be the victims OF wrong aud to know Of
many other cases. Let me request that these Dss-
ratives and their evia"ree he also taken AID cert
fed hy YOU and the 9fi, iaais forwarded to tl,s
Giliee.
~ reellnati71 may lereaFser be made for ii-ap-
erty TAKE destroyed by the enemy. it viii lie
for the interest OF the owner thst the taking des-
t,uetion Should, when possible, be also proven by
other persons chan the owner.
In leaking up these statements, wherever it c-,t
be dune, please state The company. regiment or
force Ly which these wrongs have been committed :,
and the officer commanding the trce. that they
NAV be liked uTnn thvil Inuedia c perpetrators.
In 5, caSes The crtuA has been GUIDED. aidS 1
encouraged bv persons WHO then previously
resided in the state. In sacn cases please ous
all the facts distinctly, with SUCH description of tho
=
In meeting these acts of be enemy many evil
deuces OF heroism, dreo ion aud courage have been
exhibited, especially by disabled soldiers clel gv
men, old men. women aud children and many
such have IN yarians ways, dprilg this war, OFTEN
at great personal hardship aad peril rendered Sig
u service to their country. and entitled them
soive To a Ugh niche III the tcmple of fame hese
are jewels in the rcral oil irgjhia's homer toe
bright to be lost and beg that you will carefully
ascertain and faithfully REGARD all the details of
these noble acts. Please send them to me separate
from the history betnre desired, fer such brig ~
record should net be b6und in the same book with
any thing dlsgraccful or nuworthy,
work has been commenced. and III he happy t..
see any Interested in ibe subject at the keco~i
Office, and furnish all the aid in the matter which
it can render.
Very respectfully,
-FOUR most Gt'dt serv't.
JOS. JACKSON. JRs
heoorder Va. Forces