Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1878-08-01
THE WAR RECORDS.
The War Records of the COnfederacy
and the Plan of Secretary MeCrary to
Collect Them.

The War Records of the COnfederac,
and the Plan of Secretary MeCrary to
Collect Them.
Washington Post
:" So you're engaged in collecting con-
federate war records" said the Post to
Gen. Marcus ]. Wright, of Tennessee,
i yesterday.
+" Yes" was the reply; "I've been ap-
pointed an agent by the secretary of
war for that purpose" J"
What is the object of the work, gem
erai?"
" The object is to preserve the re-
cords of the late war in complete form
for the benefit of history. History can
not be made complete and just unless
5he story of both sides is told, and the
war department recognizes that fact" :"
Why, didn't the government get
possession of the confederate ar
| chiyes ~ ... -....-..,..., ~ .-......-
g" Yes, a part of them, and Col. Pick
EFT also turned over a portion of the
records to the United States. But there
are thousands of valuable documents
yet in the hands of private individuals.
Yon see, in the federal army, all the
reports of battles, orders issued, plans.
etc., were sent right up to Headquarters,
and thence forwarded to the war de-
| partment; but on the confederate side.
where communication with headquar-
ters and the war department was often
cut Oft, and where armies and COM
mands were separated, many of those
reports and orders and records were
retained by the military officers. The
object is to collect all these papers now
in possession of the confederate officers
and their families. Many of these doc
uments are held as sacred relics by
the families of our southern military
leaders,"
: How do you propose to get them %
" L have begun my work by very
extensive correspondence. / have
written TO ex-confederate officers all
through the south, requesting them to
collect such documents or information
about them. You would be surprised
to see how many replies have been re-
received to those letters. Well, before
a great while intend to travel through
the south and collect these records.
The idea Is to get every paper bearing
upon the war and its conduct. We
want the field Orders-dispatches sent
by subordinate commanders to their
chiefs during engagements. Where
persons wish to preserve the originals,
department binds itself to return them
as soon as copies can be made"
Now, general, what are you going
to do with these papers when you get
them Y'
"There will be issued series of re-
ports both federal aud confederate, in
printed volumes"
Federal and confederate tOgether?"
=" The volumes will be printed alike,
but the title will indicate the difference.
But the confederate records will be
printed In volumes by themselves"
" Do you print them Immediately ?"
" Yes; III pamphlet form for preser-
vation. AS soon as we get possession of
the documents they are printed in this |
form, and stored away until the work i
shall be complete and in shape to pub !
llsE. We store these prints in nineteen
different houses, in order to insure their
preservation. In cases of fire, ten or a |
dozen, or even eighteen houses being |
destroyed, we would still have some |
copies. The houses are scattered |
about, of course, in different localities"
How long will it take to complete
the work?"
Really, l can't form any idea. 1t is
a matter of a great deal of labor, which |
has to be performed with care, and | |
should think it would require several
years yet" ......l 3a-.-
And after the work shall have been |
completed, will these volumes be shut
up in the war Department."
" suppose not. The records are to
be published for the use of the govern
ment, and no doubt congress will make
provision for the printing of the COM
plete work for public libraries, and for
sale among the people. About eight |
years ago Mr.. Maynard, of Tennessee,
introduced in congress resolution pro-
viding for collecting confederate re-
cords. The resolution was adopted. as
it was apparent that these records must |
be had, in order to afford a true history |
of the war. The war department has |
collected the documents as rapidly as
possible, but recently the secretary and
the adjutant general agreed that they
could be obtained much more rapidly
by a confederate officer, and | was ap-
pointed, y
Gen. Wright was major general in
the confederate army, and made most
excellent record. He never made ap-
plication for this appointment, and
when it was decided that an ex-con-
Federate could facilitate the work he
was agreed upon as the very man for the
place. He was then in Philadelphia,
and upon being notified of the appoint
nent he accepted it, and Immediately
entered upon the discharge of his
luties. r-- e
Switched Off for Heaven.
d.