New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-12-20
Printing War Records.

General v. H. Boynton, the Washington
correspondent of the Cincinnati Ga=ette,
writes % follows to that journal concerning
the printing OF the records OF the War De-
partment:
An interesting portion of the report of the
Secretary of the War ia that which treats
of publishing the Union and the Confed-
crate records Of the war. General Belknap
IL deeply interest ted in the matter, and if
Congress seconds him with such apprOpria-
tiOns Is the importance Of the subject
merits the country will have spread before
it during his administration the whole Off
cial history of the war.
Congress initiated the matter at the late
session under the lead Of General COburn
and Mr. Gunckol, of the Military Commit
tee, and General Garfield, of the Committee
on Appropriations. An item in the sundry
civil bill gave the Secretary of War $l5, 900
to begin the preparation for the public
printer of all orders, kilograms, reports and
other official papers not heretofore officially
published connected with the operations
both of the Union and Confederate armies
in the late war, which are in the possession
of the War Department. No sectional
feeling was aroused by this appropriation,
and the late officers of the Confederacy
upon tho Military Committee and those
upon the floor. together with their Demo.
cratic associates, joined heartily in support
ing the proposition. The general feeling
was that the time had some to make public
all the material in possession of the gov
eminent bearing upon the operations of the
war and for two reasons: First, that these
records, continually liable to destruction by
fire and inevitably exposed to occasional
mutilations and distractions, might be pre-.
served by the multiplication Of printing
from the possibility OF loss; and, secondly,
that the public might have access to all the
material needed for a complete and so truth
ful history of the war.
General Belknap has given much atten-
ton, during the late recess, to the matter
thus entrusted to him by Congress. With
Adjutan. General Townsend, Mr.. Crosby.
the chief clerk, and those especially in
charge of the records, he has had frequent
consultation as to the best method Ut be-
ginning the work. 1t was finally decided
to make use of the presses in the depart
ment and print dozen or fifteen copies of
each paper deemed to be within the scope |
of the work as designed BY Congress-, and
these approximately into sub |
iects and arranging them as nearly ~ pos |
siblc. in the first instance, in chronological |
order. BY thus executing the work in the |
large amount of the matter |
can be set directly from the original papers, |
and thus save copying, and at the same time |
the proof reading, to which great attention |
is paid, can be more accurately performed. |
The records, "a they now exist. are in the |
most perfect order, and 80 in excellent shape |
for commencing the work OF publication.
To this care and order of the records Cen
eral Belknap has devoted much attention.
Almost any paper, no matter nov lnegnn
cant, connected with tho smallest opera.
tons of the war, as well as the most impor-
fant ones. or those giving the military |
record Of the great generals, and the record
Of the humblest colder as we'll, can be |
found Immediately.
The Confederate archives, long under the
ARE of the late DR.. Francis Leiber, are in
ike order. An example Of the perfection
If this arrangement, though heretofore
printed, will be in point here. A gentle,
nan called at the department and asked
he Secretary whether he thought 1t possible
hat such papers as leaves OF absence,
yranted in the field, just in the confusion
ollow q great battle, wore ever pre-
erved. ana ii 90, whether there would be
possibility OF finding Q certain one OF that
lind. The Secretary surprised him with the
eply that it was altogether probable that the
PAPER could be found, ana that he would
end an order directing that it be sent from
he record room, and let the applicant know
n case it was found. The paper wanted wasa
cave of absence granted At Chattanooga
after the battle OF Chicka-
lnsettled - the conclusion Of Q battle and
he immediate presence Of the enemy could
make them. Tho paper contained an in
Orsemeut OF General George II. Thomas,
Ihich the gentleman, formerly regimeutal
fAosr serving under Thomas, wished to
reserve. He had not reached his Ohace.
hree blocks from the department, before .