Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-07-29
COMPLETE CONFEDERATE ROLLS.
a Plan In Operation by Which the WORK
Can BE Facilitated.
A
WILLIAM WATTS CAMP
CONFEDERATE VETERANS,
ROANOKE, VA, July ", 1881.

ROANOKE. VA, july ". lS'i'
TO the Editor Of the Dispatch:
Perceivng the interest you have taken
and the enthusiasm aroused thereby in
the proposition to obtain vor preservation
a complete roll OF all the men who entered
the Confederate army from Virginia, l
take the liberty Of sending you statement
OF what we have here as commencement
towards the accomplishment OF the same
end. with the hope that others may be en-
Outraged to go and do likewise. At a
meeting Of our camp in June "A member
present moved that a committee be APP
pointed 10 obtain the names Of all who
composed the Twenty eighth Virginia
Regiment of Infantry which regiment was
raised In the counties Of Bedford, Bote-
tourt. Craig, and Roanoke. and this COM
mittee was further instructed to obtain
also the names Of all the men who en-
listed from those counties In other COM
mands than the Twenty-eighth Regiment
In accordance with these instructions the
writer at once set to work and obtained
the consent Of an active surviving Con-
tolerate at the courthouse OF each OF
the counties named TO act as chairman
for his county, and he was furnished
with a number Of circulars. as follows:
WILLIAM WATTS CAMP,
CONFEDERATE VETERANS.
ROANOKE. VA. July -. 1891.
at is our desire 10 obtain the name OF
every man who enlisted In the Confede-
rate army from the counties Of Bedford,
I;Otetourt. Craig. and Roanoke, with
view to pres rYing them in a permanent
record: and If the interest Of the COME
derates I'm other parts of the state can
be enlisted. we hope 10 publish in book
form complete roster OF every regiment
Of Virginia troops. with such histories OF
its commanders and of the engagements IN
which II participated, as may De oDthlha-
BILE the same to be embclliShcd with steel
engraVinCs thus constituting most valu-
able contribution to the history or the
war. and To be a book which. In years 10
come, the descendants OF the men VINO
wore the gray" will be proud TO possess
as a precious heirloom.
"Will you kindly FIJI up the blank on
the reverse side Of this sheet. first with
your own name. and then the names OF
AN YOU can recall who entered the army
from your ncighbOrhood, especially those
who were killed in battle. or have dled
since the war. asking your neighbors Tor
information which you do not have, that
We may make the record as complete as
possible. and return the same To-
al
by so doing you will very much 0nlise
~ II. JOHNSTON,
"Commandcr Of William Watts camp.
This is the blank form:
Rank --------------
Company --------------
tiiind or Wounded. When and Where?-
These circulars were distributed to per-
sons throughout the counties. who were
thought likely TO take an interest in the
matter and from their replies rolls are
being filled up of the separate companies
showing the letter Of the company. the
number of the regiment the branch OF the
service the original name OF the company,
and where organized. on the heading.
These company rolls, when completed
thus. and then consolidated into regi-
mental rolls. and accompanied with a
brief history of each regiment from some
one of the surviving hed-ofiicers pub
nshed in a well-bound book, embelishei
with steel engravings Of the principal
officers, and also with those of the rank
and file where obtainable will make
volume well worth preserving.
THE ADVANTAGE.
Now the preference. or advantage. Of this
method of obtaining the lists over that
of obtaining them from the Confederate
archives Office. is that here We have
complete history of each company, giving
many Interesting items, which are ne
cessarily left out of the ar-Department
records, which only show the men pres
ent for duty at each muster making no
mention of how or where the command
WAS recruited; who was promoted. or OF
those who had in the mean time gone
to answer the roll-call at the final grand
muster at which We shall all have to APP
pear. While we Of Watts Camp would not
wish TO obtrude ourselves upon those who
have undertaken the work, or who Will
undertake il, as in any way wishing 10
interfere with their plans, We thought it
well TO call attention 10 plan which
has already been put in operation, and
which Is now working very successfully
i'm four counties of the State. We think 1t
would work well in every county. If Cen
eial Anderson viii call upon the surViv-
ing Confederates Of each county 10 meet
at the court house, at the August or Sep
TENDER court, and appoint a chairman
who viii enter earnestly upon the work
to whom proper blanks for filling out the
rolls could be sent; and there is no rea-
son why. within the next six months. the
work may not all be done and the entire
record published within "A year
Respectfully, y. u. JOHNSON.