The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1866-11-27

Mr.. President,-Your committee ap..
pointed to learn the names and number OF
the maimed and mutilated soldiers Of the
Confederate States army In the State OF
Virginia beg leave to report that, after due
thought and inquiry as to the most feasible
mode of obtaining the desired information,
they determined to invoke the kind offices
of His Excellency Governor Peirpoint,
hoping by his influence they might reach
all the officials Of the cities and counties,
and through them be put in the way OF
learning the names of those for whose bene-
at and relief this benevolent movement
was conceived and inaugurated.
It is due to his Excellency to say that
the committee found him very prompt to
render all necessary aid and cordially to
co2perate with them in this good work.
By his instructions, the Secretary of the
Commonwealth addressed circular letter
to the clerks of all the cities and counties
in the State, invoking their active co6pe-
ration with the committee By forwarding
the names of the MANNED and mutllated,
with the nature ofthe amputation. This cir
cular letter was promptly forwarded in June
last, and now, after the lapse of five months,
your committee report that while fifty
four clerks have responded to the requests
of the committee, forty-nine clerks have
failed to do so, although the whole work OF
the commission was for the behoof and re-
lief of their afflicted fellow-citi5ens.
Your committee will not refrain from
the expression Of surprise, modification,
and regret, that Of the whole number OF
cities and counties in the State-one hum
dred and three-nearly one-half Qorty-
nine) of the clerks should have failed to
express even that small sympathy for their
unfortunate countrymen which a compli..
ance with the committees request would
have indicated. While it is a pleasurable
duty to record the names of the counties
and cities whose clerks responded, the
committee will not shrink from the dis
charge of less agreeable duty of publish
ing the names of the counties whose clerks
have withheld this slight aid; and II in the
distribution of whatever benefits may
crown the labors of the Commission" the
unfortunate and afflicted in those counties
shall fail to participate in those benefits,
your committee can only say that they
claim absolution from all censure, and that
it is their clerks they must hold to account,
since all due diligence was exercised to
bring them into the same conditions
of help and relief which their FELLOWSHIP
ferers of other counties whose clerks did
sympathize with this benevolent movement
may enjoy.
The counties and cities whose clerks re-
sponded to the circular letter and request
of the committee are with the number OF
disabled in each county, Allegheny, Sc
ven amputations Amherst, twelve Bath,
three; Botetourt, seven: Bland, four /;
Brunswick, two; Carroll, nine Charlotte,
seven; Craig, six Chesterfield, ten; Cum
berland, seven; Elizabeth City, one; Floyd,
six Fluvanna, seven; Franklin, ten; FIRE.
derrick, seven; Giles, eight; Gloucester,
six; Grayson, twelve Greene, one; Han
over, fourteen; Henry, seven; Highland,
six; Isle of Wight, five; King George, one !;
King William, one Lee, eleven; Louisa,
seven; Lynchburg, eight; Madison, live !;
Mecklenburg, seventeen; Mlddiesex, SIX !;
Nansemond, four; Northumberland, tve
New Kent, three; Nelson, eleven; Nor
folk city, ten; Norfolk county, seven
Northampton, two Patrick, ten; Peters
burg, nine; Pittsylvania, thirteen; Powha-
tan, five; Pulaski, ten; Rappahannock,
three Roanoke, eleven; Scott, ten; She
nandoah, eight Smythe, ten Southamp-
ton, three Westmoreland, four; Warren,
three; Warwick, none; Washington, six
teen.
The cities and counties whose clerks
have not responded to the request of the
committee are Accomac, Albemarle, Alex
andria, Amelia, Appomattox, Augusta,
Bedford, Buckingham, Campbell, Caroline,
Charles City, Clarke, Culpeper, Dinwiddie,
Essex, Fairfax, Fauquier, Goochland,
Greensville, Halifax, Henrico, James City,
King and Queen, Lancaster, Lunenburg,
Loudoun, Mathews, Montgomery, MOTTO
way, Orange, Princess Anne, Page, Prince
Edward, Prince George, Prince William,
Richmond city, Richmond county, Rock
bridge, Rockingham, Russell, Spotsylvania,
Stafford, Surry, Sussex, Tazewell, Wise,
williamsburg, Wythe, and York.
The returns from the fifty-seven cities
and counties show that there are Ampu-
tations below the knee, l09; above the
knee, Ga; below the elbow, 35; above the
elbow, 1872 making total of $50 amputa-
tions, with one amputation of both feet
and one amputation of both arms.
BY approximation it is supposed that the
forty-nine non-reporting counties and
cities-among them the city of Richmond
and county of Henrico, besides several
large and populous counties-would bring
up the number Of the manned and mutt
lated soldiers to the aggregate of $50.
Your committee would suggest that in.
asmuch as the reparation of the loss of the
legs is of vastly more Importance than the
repair of the loss Of the arms Except per-
haps the forearms), and the ratio of the
loss of legs to arms being as 1886 to 1875
in the fifty-four reports-a little more
than half-the Legislature be memorialized
to make an appropriation-frst, for those
who have lost legs and forearms. Among
these (say $50 in the whole State) there
would be probably 1915 loss of legs and
S6-75 loss Of arms. Of the 800 who have
lost legs there is reason to suppose that
there is at least one-third whose mean,
place them beyond the necessity for pub.
lie aid, leaving 260 legs to be supplied
Approximatipg them, it is thought that ar
appropriation of 100000, with margin o
$4,000, would supply to the necessitous al
artificial limbs needed.
Your committee respectfully submit the
following preamble and resolutions as en-
bodying the result Of their conclusions
viz:
Whereas the "Richmond Medical Jour
nal Commission" after q laborious ant
pains-taking investigation, continued
through nearly three weeks, for the study
and examination Of the various contri
i vances and appliances for the artificial sub
stitution of lost limbs, have published theil
verdict as to the merits Of these inventions