Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1878-07-31
THE WARrRECORDS.a
The War Records of the C6nfpderacy
and the Plan of Secretary McCrary to
Collect Them.

The Var Records of the C6nfederacy
and the Plan Of Secretary McCrary to
Collect Them,
- '''''@'i Washington Post" ''z - ~
rs $50 you're engaged in collecting con,
foderate war records" said the Post to
Gen. Marcus J. Wright, of Tennessee,
yesterday. '''
81" Yes" was the reply; I've been ap-
pointed an agent by the secretary of
war tor that purpose" ....... 49,,
''",What is the object of the work, gen
eral?" .Iig5} ra1la" 20 >1a..rs4. 1i'7'd
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
the 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 % .nfr.HuU
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.
You 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 headuuar-
tiers and the War, departm ent was often
cut otf, 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 off GERS
and their families Many of these doc
uments are held ais sacred relics by
the families Of our southern military
leaders" -. '..'H''' - .'..''
81" How do you propose to get them ?"
i"l have begun my work by very
extensive correspondence. [ have
written TO ex-confederate officers all
through the south, requesting them to
collect such .dOcu,l ents 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 sent
by subordinate commanders to their
chiefs during engagements. Where
persons wish to preserve the orig inals,
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 !" ,t".-a 5.'" $3.50. Il. .'1'
There will be issued series of re-
ports both federal aud confederate, in
printed volumes" '..'' - -
g Federal and confederate together?'
1.-The volumes will be printed alike.
but the title will indicate the difference.
But the confederate records will be
printed in volumes by themselves"
g Do you print them immediately
:" Yes; in pamphlet form for preser-
walton. AS soon as we get possession of
, the documents they are printed in this
form, and stored away until the work
shall be complete and in shape to pub
lisE. 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 2" --r.d alt .a. -'.....a0 FL
Really, [ can't form any idea. 1t is
a matter Of great deal of labor, which
has to be performed with care, and /
should think it would require several
years yet" .at.......r,. ..........
" And after the work shall have been
| OY1,,N 1nfo Cd L L Il
up III the war departments"
81 suppose not. Z 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 docum ents 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 APP
pointed" r,;,,... III. -, !:
Gen. Wright was major j general rain in
the confederate army, and made a most
excellent record. He never. made APP
plication for this appointment, and
when it was decided that an -ex-con-
federate could facilitate the work he
was agreed upoh as theVery man for the
place. He, was then in Philadelphia,
and upon being notified of the appoint
ment he'accepted0 it, and immediately
entered upon the discharge Of his
duties. ssod1 ug9hno1 eli ..aea afH
aao7na -7rt------------ condo q.