The National Republican., 1885-11-17
THE STORY or THE WAR.

Progress of the Collection OF Confeder-
ate Records-The Coinage of the Iss-
bellion,
On June 90, 1874, Congress passed an act
ITO enable the Secretary Of War to begin
the publication OF the 'Olllcial Records Of
the War of the Rebellion, both Of the Union
and of the confederate armies" The Sec
retary Of War was directed by the act to
have copied for the public printer all reports,
letters, kilograms, and general orders not
Heretofore copied or printed and properly
arranged N chronological order. June o,
1880, Congress passed an act authorizing
and providing for the publication of 10000
copies OF a compilation of the "onlcial War
Records" both Union and confederate.
Acts for continuing the publication were
passed Aug. Z, 1889, March 3, 1888, aud
July, 1884. The last act continues In force
the act of Aug. z, 1882, as far as II relates TO
number Of volumes to be printed and man
ner Of distribution.
In January, 1873, Col. Robert ". Scott,
3d artillery, U. $. A., was assigned to duty
In charge OF the compilation Of the records,
both Union aud confederate, with view to
their publication. That this duty has been
most faithfully and satisfactorily performed
is evidenced by thirteen volumes already
published.
In July, 1873, Marcus j. Wright, who
had served as brigadier general In the con-
federate army, was appointed by the Secrc-
tary of War an agent for the purpose Of
collecting for the use Of the government
such records Of the war. ION the confederate
side) as could be obtained by gift or loan.
He has succeeded in obtaining copies Of the
large and valuable collection OF confederate
records collected by the Southern Historical
Society, at Richmond, including papers and
records OF field operations during the war,
and many Of the most valuable records of
the heads Of departments and bureaus at
Richmond.
Among others who have contributed by
gift or loan valuable records to the depart
ment are the following named: Gems.
Wade Hampton, Jubal Early, G. I. Beaure-
gard, Albert Pike, Daniel Ruggles, A. p.
Stewart, Kirby Smith, j. G. Tappan, Fitz-
hugh Lee, and Joseph f. Johnston, Col.
William Allan, Capt. j. q. Brecknridge,
Hon. jefferson Davis, Bishop Peterkin, of
West Virginia, the Southern Historical So
ciety, the Tennessee Historical Society,
Gov. 7. j. Jarvis, of North Carolina, Mrs.
John G.. Pemberton, Jennie Perkins, Il. Z.
Trabue, Pattie Guild, and Miss A. NJ. Zolli-
Golfer, and many Others.
From these papers and large number of
Others previously in the possession of the
department thirteen volumes have up to
this date been published by authority of
Congress, and Others will soon be issued,
and the compilation and publication will
continue until all are published. 1t is there
fore important that the War Department
should be placed In possession of all con-
federate military papers, books, and records
which are eXtant, and which may be valua-
BILE in illustrating the nature of the great
struggle from which the country has
emerged, so as to put them In print, In order
to preserve them precisely as they are for
the use of the historion, or such other dis
position as Congress may direct. 1t will,
of course, be impossible to make this publi-
cation complete If any Of the records are
withheld from the government besides,
such action would be unjust to the actors
in this great struggle by depriving them OF
their proper place in history.
While the most important large collec-
tions of confederate papers have been OBJ
tanned, 1t Is known that many very valuable
papers are still in the hands Of persons who
have not yet been reached, and as these are
important to n full and complete history of
the confederate armies, it is hoped that
parties having custody Of such papers will
submit them for the examination. There
are, doubtless, many valuable documents
scattered over the country, and only pre-
served by the owners as souvenirs OF their
own parts in the war. These being in per-
ishable form and liable to be destroyed at
any time, no delay should be allowed In
placing them in the possession of the
government, where they will be put In
print and preserved from the chances of
destruction.
Gen. Wright has succeeded In making q
very valuable collection of pictures, photo
graphs, &C., Of the leading officers of both
armies. There is in his room a copy of the
confederate seal. In 1864 the confederate
government adopted seal and ordered one
made in England of pure silver The order
was executed but the seal was never used,
the party having charge of 1t finding it
necessary to conceal 1t to escape capture.
He has also q restrike of
THE CONFEDERATE SILVER HALF DOLLAR.