Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1879-04-16
h. pm and Publication OF the Rec
B-Interest and Importance of the
WOrk-Valuable Cooperation Of
the Southern Historical So
neutrality-suspicious.
Required.
What has so far been Accomplished
The Work done by General Mar
Gus j. Wright-COngress should
help Until the Record
is all In Print.

tant and interesting work which has foe some
years been in progress, under the auspices of
the war department-the collection and the
publication of the Union and the Confederate
records OF the late war. Soon after the close
of the war, General E. ID. Townsend, adju-
tant-general of the army, seeing the great
Importance of collecting at Washington the
official records, commenced that work at
once. The work being fairly set on foot, in
1873 congress appropriated fifteen thousand
dollars to enable the secretary of war to begin
the publication of the official records of the
war, both OF the Union and Confederate
armies. In 1874 and 1875, I'M
der recommendation of the secretary
of war, additional appropriations were
made. In 1876 Secretary Cameron, in his
annual report to congress, showed that
twenty-slx volumes of Federal reports had
been printed, for preservation only, including
seven volumes OF battle reports, three of
adJutant-general CORES pondence, ten of
war department letters and telegrems sent
and received, three of general-in- chiefs tele-
81 ans, and one summary OF military opera
tons. OF Confederate volumes, he reported
one of military opera lions, four Of war de-
partment letters and kilograms sent and re-
ceived, one of miscellaneous, general and
special orders, one of adjutant and inspector
generals kilograms sent, and one OF troops
rendered to confederate war department.
He stated in his report that 'voluminous
and private societies and individuals, to OBJ
tain which repeated efforts have been made
He said: They are of great Importance, and
attention is invited to the necessity of legis-
lation that will enable the government to
obtain possession of the originals or of duly
authenticated copies. Congress, by reason
of the recommendations of the secretary Of
war, made further appropriations, though
not SO liberal as was desirable. Provls-
ion was also made for the obtaining of
the valuable Confederate records. which, up
to that time, had not been procured. The
war department continued, with the means
which congress had placed at its disposal, to
prosecute the work as actively as possible. In
July, 1873, Secretary M'Crary appointed
General Marcus J. Wright as an agent OF the
war department for the collection of Confed-
crate records. His first Ina portant official act
was to make an arrangement with the South
ern Historical society at Richmond, which
had collected a very large mass of original
official and other historical matter, for an ex-
change of copies between it and the war de-
partment. This arrangement gives the war
department copies of everything which the
society has or may acquire, and the society
gets copies OF any documents 1t desires In the
war department archives. General Wright
has also collected from various sources very
large amount of most valuable matter, and
is continually adding to the archives of the
department. Ia this connection it will be of
interest to give brief account of the origin
and proceedings of the Southern Historical
society, as it is, to all intents and purposes,
a valuable coadjutor of the war de-
partment. The Southern Historical society
owes its origin to General Dabney FL. Maury
The general made his wife his first confdant
IN this matter, and she entering warmly into
his views and wishes, he called on General
Braxton Bragg, in New Orleans, and SUBJ
mitted his views to him, but General Bragg
did not at first regard the matter as practical
bic. The next day he approached General
Richard Taylor on the subject, who at once
entered into his views and promised hearty
cooperation. In day or two General Bragg
called OF General Maury and expressed very
great interest In the success of the enterprise.
A meeting was called by General Maury In
the office OF Messrs. Stuart, Norton & Co., in
New Orleans, on the evening of the fifteenth
of April, 1869, at which we're present Gen.
erals Braxton Bragg, Dabney FL. Maury and
S. B. Buckner, and Colonel A. L. Stuart,
Major ]. E. Austin, Major 3. Nj. Harrod,
Captain S. H. Buck, Captain George Norton
and Mr.. c.. L. c. Dupuy. General Bragg
tary of the meeting. General Maury stated
the object Of the meeting to be to form an
organization for the collection and pres
ervation of such papers and records
as might be valuable in preserving
and illustrating true history of
the causes, events and results of the
late war between the States. An organiza-
ton was effected, and the society continued
Its domicil at New Orleans until August,
1873, when it was removed to Richmond.
where it has continued ever since. General
Maury was made chairman of the executive
committee, position which he has filed with
great usefulness up to the present time.
General Jubal A. Early is president of the
society, and Rev. J. William Jones, q dis
tinguished minister of the Baptist church, of
Richmond, the personal friend and chaplain
of General Lee, is the secretary. The ar
rangement made by General Wright for
free exchange of records between the society
and the war department was eminently sat
isfaetory to General Maury, as he felt that by
this the object of his struggle had been ac-
complished. There are now in print, for pre-
servatIon only, ffty-one volumes, as follows:
United States-Reports of operations, four
teen volumes; military correspondence, three
volumes; war department, letters received,
one volume; war department, letters sent,
one volume; war department., kilograms re-
ceiVed, six volumes; war department, tele-
grams sent, four volumes; Halleck's tele-
grams received, FIVE volumes; Halleck's tele-
grams sent, four Volumes; summary
OF military operations, one volume
total, thirty-nIne volumes. Confeder-
ate States-Reports OF operations, four vol
umes; war department letters received, one
volume; war department letters sent one vol
ume; war department kilograms received,
one volume; war department kilograms sent,
one volume; adiutant and inspector generals
kilograms sent, one volume; miscellaneous,
general and special orders, one volume; mil
itary correspondence and general and SPECIAL
orders, 1851, one volume; troops rendered
Confederate war department, one volume
total Confederate, twelve volumes. Colonel
Robert n. Scott of the Second artillery, is
In charge of the compilation OF the war rec
ords. He is an officer of high standing IN
the army, of thorough culture, and is admir-
ably fitted for the work. He is the author
of a valuable work on military law. Mr. A.
2. Tasker, of the adjutant- generals depart
ment, has charge of the Confederate archives.
Mr.. II. u. Ellerbrook has charge of the Union
archives. Both of these gentlemen are thor
oughly familiar with the records, and are
admirably suited for the responsible places
they fill. The present work Is confined
only to preparing for a perma nent pub
LEGATION, although the secretary of war
has urged upon congress the necessity
of an additional appropriation to begin
the permanent publication (for the year
1851 No action has yet been taken. 1t is
sincerely to be hoped that this congress will |
not fail to make the necessary appropriation |
for tie publication for public distribution OF |
this immense collection of valuable matter. |
The idea of Secretary NJ Crary is that pro-
vision should be made for the printing of so |
many copies for the President, the war de- |
partment, and so many copies for each sena-
tor and representative. and that the public |
printer should be authorised to dispose of |
copies to all who nay desire them at the cost |
price of publication. 1t can be readily under
stood what valuable acquisition to public |
and private libraries would be the immense |
mass of papers and documents as is set forth |
above by reason of the opportunity to form
correct opinions and judgments of the vary
ing phases of the greatest civil war of all
times. Briefly it may be summed up that
this publication will give to the country and
the world all of tho confidential correspond
ence of the war on either side, will dis
close the strength of the Union and Con-
federate armies in all Of the great battles,
with the field orders given and acted on at
the time, which explain movements, defeats
and victories much better than formal ac-
counts written at leisure; the real causes, with
all the correspondence which led to the re-
moval of Mcclellan, Hooker and Burnside,