Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-07-22
OUR ROLL OF HONOR.
ne Virginia Troops IN tho Armies Of
The Conltdtracy.
SECURING THE ROSTER
luch Keedcd Material In Existence and
Easy Of Access.
THE MOVEMENT ENDORSED
Gov II Can re Carried Out-Intsresting
Interview with Veterans On
tho Subject.

Tho movement, which has been revived
ed IL being pressed by the Dispatch. 10
get the Legislature to make an appropria-
ton for securing and printing a complete
roster of the Virginia troops in the Con-
fcderate armies, meets with universal and
hearty appreciation Not only that, but
little investigation has encouraged the be-
lief that the task will not be as diffi-
cult as many suppose. II Will require
care. patience and an eye for accuracy,
but there already exists In accessible FORM
n GOOD lot of material TO start upon.
In March, 1854. the General Assembly.
at the instance Of the late General James
Mcdonald. made an appropriation OF N.SOo
for this work. General Mcdonald pre-
pared a circular. urging that all persons
In possession Of muster-rolls or virginia
troops send them, or copies OF them. to
him. -
This circular was distributed broadcast
through the State. and in response to IL
General Mcdonald received q number OF
rolls. which are now on file In the AcJu-
tant-Generars Office. In the publications
of the Southern Historical Society. In the
archives Of the Society OF the Army or
Northern Virginia, and in the possession
OF some Of the veteran camps there are
other rolls: and last but perhaps the
most valuable Of all. are the rosters In
the War Records Office In Washington
There is no information at hand to show
whore the rolls now in Washington were
captured, but II Is probable that they feii
into the hands OF the Federal forces ut
Danvile or Greensboro. while the de-
partments OF the Confederate government
were being moved south after the evacua-
ton OF Richmond.
THE ROLLS OF 1864.
In 1854 Virginia caused to be made and
forwarded to the office Of her Adjutant-
General d complete roster and descriptive
list OF all the Eirginians In the armies OF
the Confederacy. The impression pre-
walls that these papers were consumed In
the evacuation fire. as the Office of Cen
eial Richardson, who was then Adjutant-
General OF Virginia, was In the old court
house on the Capitol Square. fronting
Twelfth and Franklin streets. That build
ing was burned and with II many valua-
bic records 1t is not absolutely certain.
however. that the Virginia muster-rolls
were destroyed, and the Dispatch has
received letter from General Marcus j..
Wright which suggests the possibility
that they may be among those In the
War Records office. This suggestion IL
somewhat strengthened by n letter from
Colonel Ainsworth to Adjutant-General
Anderson, seeing that Colonel Ainsworth
mentions the rolls Of more commands
than IT would have been possible for Nir-
ginia 10 put in the field
GENERAL WRIGHT'S LETTER.
General Wright's letter is as follows
WAR-KECORDS OFFICE,
WAR DEPARTMENT.
WASHINGTON, July 49, 1894
TO the Editor of the Dispatch:
have your letter asking me ito what
extent an agent OF Virginia, If appointed.
could make up the rolls Of the Virginia
troops, I'm the Confederate States army
from the records in the Confederate
archives Of the War Department?
think that the Virginia rolls are nearer
complete than those Of any Of the other
Southern States. / have had copied all
OF the rolls collected by the late General