Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1864-07-29
NEW ADVERTISEMENTS.
Office Recorder Virginia Forces, ]
RICHMOND July Is, 1864. {

Il
Office Recorder Virginia Forces,
RICHMOND July Is, 1864.
The WorsAayul Justices Of the County
Court Of augusta
GENTLEMEN THE accompanying circular
will explain the prominent object fer which this
office was established. Another duty las been COM
mitted TO it. and to that1 ask your attention.
For some time past he newspapers OF the county
have been filled with accounts from every rart OF
the Confederacy penetrated by the invader, and
especially from the different sections OF the State
of Virginia, charging that the enemy's soldiery.
| and particularly their faiding pa ties, are MAKING
upon the unarmeG and detenceiess OF TINS coia-
munty, ravaging tle country. and lnutcting upon
the people every species of insult and Injury
Among the offences thus charged are, so deyasta
TING the country as to render it unfit for the habi
! tation or sustenance of its resident population
! abduetin9 negro slaves, and armlng them
/ against US; burning dwellings,, mills factories
records, scnainaries printing Offices. libraries ana
works Of art; breaking up fences, roads and bfidg-
rs; Decorating churches; taking such private prop
erty as can be carried Oft and destrc wing what
be; stripping families OF the neeessaries OF
| life; imprisoning and ini ctng personal INJURY
upon unarned citizeus--and worse than all, offer
ing insult, outrage aud violence 70 deenceless wo
/ men.
/ These accounts have recently become so namer-
Gus. come from so many different quarters and the
j offences charged fragrant, that the Governor
of Virginia, considering it necessary to have them
fully investigated has instructed this office to
1 fully ascertain what wrongs and injuries contrary
to the rules Of war, have been committed upon the
1 people OF Virginia, prepare properly verified
narrative thereof, and preserve IT among the rec
ords OF this office.
This is work which can be properly performed
only by tho people who Injured; and each coun-
ty should make up and send to this office record
Of the wrongs committed within its limits. prepar-
ing its narrative carefully, sustaining each item
by proper and sufficient evidence, and putting il
into such shate thatit can be readily referred to-.
! The county authorities should see that this record
/ is promp.sy and properly made, end the people
generally should ascertain all the facts and obtain
all the evidence within thcir REACH
Tho county court is the todian of the business
interest and welfare of the county-thc asser.or Of
its rights, and the yndicator of the wrongs done
to its people. Its members, usually the best bust
ness men Of the county, come from its every
tion-are Familiarity acquainted with all the peo-
ple are the friends and advisers Of most of them
in matters Of business and periods of trouble and
distress, and aggregate q greater influence and
more general knowledge OF all, whether OF good or
/ evil which concerns the county people, than any
| other equal number OF its citizens The county
court then, is clearly the source from which this
action should spring.
These views and the plan herein after set out,
are approved by His Excellcncy Gov. SMITH. end
under his instructions lay them before YOU. with
the request that you will make such orders and
take such action will instructt the prompt prepar
alton OF such record IN your county.
Should no better plan occur to you, permit me
TO suggest the following by the proper order OF
court assign the mag strates Of each district the
duty of preparing the record, ana aking the evil
d ence OF all outragcs committed by the enemy
within that district. Let them notify the people
OF the district when and where to come before them
what is he perpetuated, and by what testimony,
so that before the time appointed iacts may be
collected, citizens can write out What they know
and can prove, and what IS }.nown to and can be
proved by their neiehbafs. Ateach term of the
court let each districtsena in what has been pre-
pared and directly after each term let all so sent
in be so copied as to admit of being made into a
boox here, be certified BY the clerk under the seal
of tile court. and warded &c CHS ollics. 1t you
will pursue this course, the work be rapidly
and surely done with little labor to any person,
and all that relates to your county will be made
into separate book and preserved here, while the
orig inais will remain among you, county records.
Within your limits many r.fugees from coun-
ties now in possession Of the enemy and likely to
remain SO for cons iderable time. Many OF the e
are said to be the yftfFss CT wrong and to Eno" OF
mary other Let me request that these mar
.a..,s ard their evidence be also taken and cert
fed - you and lle eri; isals forwarded to this
office.
AS exclamation may hereafter be made for prop
erty taken destroyed by the enemy, it will be
for the interest of the that the taking or des
traction should when possible, be also proven By
other persons than the oWlsr.
In laaking up these statements, wherever it eau
be done, please state the company, regiment or
force by which these wrongs have been committed,
and the officer commanding the force, 50 that they
may be fixed upon their Immediate perpetrators.
In the enemy has been guided, aided
or encoura2 ed by persons who then or previously
resided in the state In such cases please set out
all the facts distinctly with such description Of the
person as will thorough iF identify him.
in meeting these acts CT the enemy many evil
dcnces OF heHoisn, devotion and courage have been
exhibited, especially by disabled soldiers clergy
men, old men, women and children and many
such have il varions ways, during this war, often
at great personal hardship and peril, rendered sig
nal service to their country, and entitled them
seve to q high niche in the pie Of fame These
are jewels in the cor onal OF Virginias honor too
bright to be lost, and beg that you will carefully
ascertain and faithfully record Ali the details Of
these noble acts. Please send them to stpara tc
from the history before desired, for such bright
record should not be bound in the sa,aa book with
any thing dlsgraceful or unworthy.
/ shall be pleased to hear from YOU that .his
work has been ctmmcneed and ill be happy 10
see any interested in the subject at the Record
Office, and furnish all the aid IL the matter which
it render.
Very respectfully,
Your most oh lit scrv't.
JOS. JACKSON. in.
Recorder Va. Forces.
VIRGINIA Alta court held for the county Of
Augusta, at the Court house Monday, the
25tf day of July 1864.
The court having had read to it coinmunca-
ton from Jos. Jackson, Jr. Resorder OF the Viz
gina Forces IN respect to the perpetultlon 81 tes-
tinnnies proving outrages committed by the public
enemy and other matters, Ir ORDERED, that said
communication be published in the newspapers
printed in Staulton soc the aformaion Of the jus
tices ard the court appro ing tho suggestions
I. conta med in said communication it is further or
doreds that each justice be requestedsto take the
testimony and statements Indicated in said com
niunication and to report the same as promptly as
practicable to the Clark OF this court who is hereby
directed in such form as NAV be suggested by said
Recorder, to cypy have copied the evidence,
statements and matters 50 reported to him; and
the said clerk is authorized to purchase the paper
necessary for the purposes aforesaid on account Of
the county; and the court will hereafter appropri-
ate the money necessary TO paw the Clerk a rea-
sonable compensation for his labor and expenses
in executing this order.
A Copy. Testc
WILLIAAA. BURNETT Clerk
4 July 29--2m.
$40 REV a R D.