The Newberry herald. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1865-1884, 1866-12-12
REPORT
OF THE AGENT TO COLLECT AND RECORD
49,. - NAMES OF DECEASED SOLDIERS.

/ -.' . NAMES OF DECEASED SOLDIERS.
COLUMBIA, S. c. November 90, 1866.
To the Honorable the Senate and House
OF Representatives. As soon as post
Offices began to be re-eStablished in the
State, the collecting Of the names Of our
deceased soldiers was resumed. In
Qulries in Richmond and Washington
led to the conclusion that no Government
records, containing lists cf such names,
had been saved or captured, and that
the only source of information left was
at home.
Appeals through the newspapers for
the desired information have been but
partly successful, and | am engaged in
writing to company officers for lists of
the dead. The extensive loss Of papers
In the army occasions delay in obtaining
such lists, which, in many instances,
perhaps in most. have to be made up
from memory. But I look forward to
large results from the interest manifested
by the officers to whom appeals have
been made. Lists Of the dead, complete
or in part, have been received from ninety
three companies. From such sources,
and from letters from relatives and friends,
FIVE thousand five hundred and twenty
names have been recorded.
In consideration Of the loss of papers,
and lest the ,nanlc Of any soldier should
oe FORGOTTEN in the final record, I have
collected, in 4 separate volume, from
published reports Of Adjutants and other
officers, at the time Of the casualties, and
from lists from burial places in Virginia
and elsewhere, and from other sources,
about three thousand five hundred ad
ditional names. These are not entered
upon the record. | have thus, in all,
about nine thousand names.
1t is not the name only that is sought,
but the District to which each soldier
belonged, bis rank, company, regiment
and arm Of service, the date Of his death,
the cause aud place Of death and his age.
During the coming year, in addition to
correspondence with company officers,
blank forms will be furnished the Tax
Collectors, and 1t is huped that in this
way many names may he gathered that
would not otherwise be sent in. As
SiStance is also expected from the
Soldiers Memorial and Charitable ASso-
cations forming IN various parts of the
State. .-.....
1t is my duty to report that, Of the
large collection made for the State by
nv predecessor in this Agency, amount
ing to more than seven thousand names,
nothing has been delivered over to me.
1t is impossible to avoid errors in such
a work. Even parents and company
officers sometimes give very different
reports Of the same soldier. In order to
secure as great accuracy and complete
ness as practicable, it may be necessary
hereafter to verify the record by pubIica-
ton, so that in each District correc-
ti0nS may be made aud omissions sup
piled before the final manuscript copy
shall he prepared for the archives Of
the State. The plan. of doing this, and Of
the arrangement of names in the record,
and of the introduction and prefix Of
statistics that naturally belong to such a
record, it is unnecessary to report upon
at this time, as the collection of names
cannot be finished till the close Of fanother
year st least.
What has been done is ready for in
spection, and also the account of expen-
diture, which, from the recent date Of
the appropriation for this purpose, IS of
small amount, and is therefore not en-
bodied in this report.
+. Respectfully submitted. ..
90 -. WILLIAM j. RIVERS,
....--.'' 80 Recording Agent.