Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1864-08-12
.0mce Recorder Virginia Forces,
RICHMOND July Is, 1864.

The Iturshipjae Justices ofsfhe County
Courtef 4,gass
GENTIEM EN- Tho accompanying. circuiar
will explain the prominent object fer Witeh TINS
office was estab.ised. Another duty has been CON-
lnttcd ta.is. and to that ask voer attention.
For soma time past he newspapers ol the county
have been filled with accounts from every cart OF
the Confcderacy penetrated by the invader ana
especially from he different sections OF tue State
Of Firgiaia charging that the enenly's soiaiefy,
and particularly their raiding par tics. making
war upon the unarned and defenceiess OF this COM
munity, ravaging tae country and ihhctng upon
the people every species of insult ara INJURY
A nlenQ the offences thu3 charged are, 60 deyasta-
ting tbs country az to render it unfit for the haoi
tation or sustenauce o. It's resident population
abducting negro slaves, and hrmiDg them
against Us; burning dwellings, mills, factories,
records selnnnries. printing offices. libraries aud
works OF art; breaking up fences, roads and hrids
es; Decorating churches; taking such private prop
erty as can b. carried of and rrying @hs,
canno he: stripping families 81 tao necessares OF
life; iirprsonng and inf citing personal injury
upon unarined ciszens-an worse than all, o1or-
ing insult, outrage aad violence TO deteucsess
men.
These ascounts have recently become go numer-
oms come from so many different quarters and the
offences charged are aagran. shat the Governor
Of Yirginia considering IL necessary to have them
fully investiga ed, las instructed ths Office TO care
Tally ascertain MIA. ~ ongs and injuries contrary
to the rules Of war. hay been committed upon The
narrative thereof, and preserve it among tho
ords OIL this office.
Ti1lsis a work which can be properly performed
only Nv ti> people WAC ave III ured; aud each con
ty should make Up and send to this Office record
Of the wrongs committed within is limits. prepar-
ing is narrative carefully, sustaining each item
by proper and sufficient eri9ence. and putting j;
into sucil safC taa:is csn be readily referred TO.
Ihe county authorities should sec that this RECORD
is promptly and properly made, end the people
generally shouId ascertain al! the facts and obtaia
all the evidence within their reach.
The county court ia the custodian OF tho business
interest and welfare ri the coantgthe assertur of
it's rights ana the vint.icator OF TIL wrongs done
to its people. Its members usually the best bust
ness men of tie county, come from IT'S every
tan-afe faniiiiiarly acquainted with asi TIE peo-
pie, are the friends and advisers OF ost at them
in matters or business and periods of trouble and
distress, and aggregate II greater influence and
moro genersi knowledge OF all. whether Of good
evil, which concerns the county people, than anY
other equal number OF is citizens. The county
It, then, is clearly the from which THIS
action should spring.
These views and the plan laTcia a:tsr set out,
are approved by Ills ExceheGcy Gov. SMITH ami
under his inatruc;ioal las them before YOU, vi II
the request that you will make such ORDERS and
take such action silriast.act The prompt pgepai-
ati"n ofsucf a record in your county.
saaatd no better PLAZA occur 10 you, permit me
70 suggest the following iiy the proper order OF
ceurt assign 10 the ~ stf6es oI each district the
duty q preparing tile reeuFd. aad aking the cvi-
4 e..h4 Il 4li,L2cs Committed b. tha eoeay
Witl3ia shat i;stte,. Lst shen notify tbs people
OF the district yseatud hereto Conn. b.to.e ta3ui
what is 80 be pei petuatgd. and BY what t4-mong,
So siat oefare the time appointed facts iaay BE-
collected, citizens can write ont a;ias IL tA2sv
ami c;:s prove. and wslat is As4v. n aut ean b.
; p. ovei BY their ntgtbarS. Al eacl, term of the
court iet el@h Iii Sti let send in whit aas BEEN pre-
pared aud directly after each scrsn let all
in be copied as to admit oi being made into IA
book here. be certified by The clerk under the seal
IF tsc court mas! forwarded q, this o.lcl II yoi
will pursue this course the work can be ,aiid!y
and surely done with litlc iai,or 70 any pctsn.
aud all that celites III ynat county wild Ga mad
into a separate book nj preserved here, While tho
originals wall reilain among your county rtc1ris.
Within your !i:rii,sara ,'i:inv ,fugecs tron
ties in possession, Of the cHea'y and likely tn
tcniaa s0 fer considerable s'ire. Many {! tn
arc said Il, he the sivsis OF wrong aud "a know III
mary other cascs ies me request tfiet ttssse ia.
latses and their evidence be ais, ta,n ald ccit
lied b. you, ald the orig iaaij forwarded to tbs
oiilcc
AZ recllmatian nav hereafter be made :or prep
crty tax destroyed rs .le cnemt. il viii b-
for the interest $he that the taking dSS
Traction stouii. @ft .osslble, &c ais. prtjvln by
other persons Than tic ownc..
In taking up these statea a,', wherever it eau
be done, i,fease state tbs Company, regiment nr
force by which taese wrongs have been committed,
ana the officer c1l;nandu. sh' force. iii they
may be fixed als'n t.ir nnnedia perpctra:or,.
In Ing eases HE enemy has been guided. ara =,
OF encouraged bT persi:f;s s'o then previous,
resided IL The state. III suyh eases please sct aut
all the Facts iii ,tc;ly. i'll, such ltsc ,tiuE OF the
person us Will tiureussilN identity hi.A.
In niee'ing these 3: Is Of tbs tnriNg many evi-
d.nees % .ruisln devotion AMI coErare saw D"eu
exhibited, especially By di.ated soldiers cic;yf
men, old ;Hr;i. women and children ind many
such have in vaijns WAYS, dufifey shis often
ut great personal hardsip md peril. ra;rl;re sig
nal service tothelr country, and entitled thrulzs
setvc 10 iii III niche 'he te.u ~ aie. ihe,e
jewels N she nal ri irg ina hul0. ;oa
hi. IA 10 be Lost, au b !, HAT pou v carefully
ascertain aud faithful record all the details of
these robie acts. Please scr.d than ne st;I BE-
sfUn tha history beiafe es;, d for such bsicta
Fee3d shauii ACT !:a boar! IL The sanJ book wl
auy ;i3inG, s.,sglacs'fGi ar uilwort'iY,
SHAH pleased 10 hear !ou. you that this
work has been nlmeneoa. AMI vii! De haPpy t..
see any Interested in tile sut q st tl, iteGr
Office. and arnlrl ali c aid il the laAttae wbicil
it render.
Very respectfully,