Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-07-15
Roll Of Virginia Troops.

IL ~ remarkabie tnat virginia mar hot
collected and published the rolls Of the
troops which she furnished to the Con-
federate army.
SO far from having done this she has
not even had any approximate estimate
made OF the number OF such troops.
1t is unfortunately true that many OF
the States papers bearing on this subject
were lost at the evacuation OF Richmond
by the Confederate army. but the war
Records once at Washington has piles
OF documents In its possession, which, IL
searched, might go far towards supply
ing the place of our own missing records
II Is almost certain that there Is vaiuaoie
material TO be had there for the asking.
And there are rolls in the possession OF
ex-oflicers Of our army. and we believe
that the late Adjutant- General Mcdonald
some years before his death collected
number Of regimental and company roils'
The list Of those who surrendered at APP
pomattox Courthouse was, we think, pub
lshed by one OF the historical societies
some years ago.
II ever we are TO secure this materiai
now is the time TO commence to do H.
Postponement but makes the work more
difficult
In the collection of such rolls North caro-
lima is far ahead Of all the other Southern
States. Virginia, we believe, is behind all
But recently the Acknowledgement OF
Louisiana announced the result of the emu
meration Of the officers and men that
that State furnished to the Confederate
army and navy. There is no man In Nir-
ginia who can give plausible guess as
TO how many troops Virginia furnished.
The announcement coming from Louisi-
ana. Joined with the fact that
meeting OF the citizens of Hanover has
been called to complete a roll Of the
soldiers OF that county. has led us to think
about this matter. And the more we
think about it the more we are con-
WINGED that we Virginians ought to bestir
ourselves 10 secure and preserve our
records.
Our camps of Confederate veterans
should petition the General Assembly for
small annual appropriation to have this
work Systematically begun and diligently
prosecuted.
II we mistake not. North Carolina
though she had very complete records OF
her own, was able to gather deal or
valuable Information from the unpublished
papers in the War Records Office at
Washington, and If so, why may we not
do likewise? We should like to see our
rolls made up as far as possible from
original records, because memory Is not
to be relied upon after the lapse OF thirty
wears. and because there are some men
who have enormously exalted impressions
as to the rank that they held In the
Confederate army.
II the Confederate camps OF Virginia
would take action in this matter We feel
sure that they could rouse our General
Assembly TO satisfactory action. II such
a movement were made by the veterans
supported by the ladies' memorial and
literary societies, we know that II would
not fail Of success AS things now stand
we have no documentary evidence to show
how many troops Virginia furnished our
army and navy. AS to how many we fur
nished each branch of the Confederate
service we are, of course, all at sea-in-
formation as to which Louisiana, for her
part, has very readily collected and re-
Gently published.
Let us give this matter earnest conside-
ration. With one active, industrious. and
intelligent man employed at Washington
and in this State, and wherever else he
may be able to find material, In the course
OF few years we ought to be able TO
make up something like complete roster
of the troops that Virginia sent to the
Confederate army. Ii is, at least, our
duty to try. Let US make the effort If
we cannot make up more than half of the
roster that will be better than nothing.