Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-07-29
Our Tdusfer Rolls.

on page 2 Of this issue we print a
specimen copy OF the Virginia rolls now
| In the archives Of the Federal Govern
ment. at Washington. with other cap
tured papers OF the Confederacy.
This roll Is Of the Richmond Grays'
Company a, Twelfth Virginia Infantry
and is OF date June %, 1851. when the
company was stationed near Norfolk.
There are over hundred names on this
roll. ana two surviving officers of the
company have done the Dispatch the KIND
ness TO add the additional enlistments'
and 10 make annotations. with reference
TO promotions, transfers, deaths &c.
So. here We have at once quite com
plete roll Of the Grays. What has been
done for the Grays may be done for
every other command which Virginia
furnished to the Confederate army.
The right way TO start is to get an official
roll. or several rolls Of different dates,
from the War-Records ONCE and have
them revised by survive. There are at
Washington no less than lGj rolls Of the
companies Of the First Regiment. These,
we take it. are pay-rolls-rolls upon
which these troops were paid off at differ
ent dates, and we guess were captured
with other records of the Confederate
pavmaster's Office If a committee Of "the
old First could get copies of all these
rolls they could make up a well-Digh
perfect roster Of the officers and men
who served in that command during the
war.
The thing for our State to do is 10 Sc
cure copies Of all of these rolls and bring
them 10 Richmond. Half dozen expert
Typewriter girls would make quick work
with the copying.
We have the suggestion from more than
one quarter that the best way 10 collect
the names Of our soldiers is 10 pay our
Commissioners of the Revenue 10 list
them as they so about the counties in
their official rounds. That plan does not
recommend itself TO US. Why trust TO
mems memories when the rolls themselves
are on file at Washington, and are OF
easy access TO any agent of Virginia?
\ Commissioner Of the Revenue would
have TO take the statement Of each per-
son as to that persons army service. and
in this way We should run the risk Of list,
ing on the roll Of honor men who stand
actually recorded as deserters. Besides,
no matter how honest man may be,
after nearly thirty years time has elapsed
his memory is not 10 be implicitly relied
upon. We have more than once in
stanced in proof Of this assertion the
fact that some distinguished officers
think that they held HIGHER rank in the
Confederate army than the paroles which
they sipucd at AppomattoX show that
they did. Don't let rs think of trusting
TO memory, when there are written re-
cords accessible TO us. 70 be sure. we
must trust to memory when We come to
make annotations. but. II our advice is
followed. these annotations will he made
10y committees Of wen-known veterans.
The Dispatch IS gratinel 20 aad that
this movement meets with general ap-
prevail. From every quarter OF the state
we are receiving letters of advice and
announcement The time seems ripe to
secure from The Legislature an apprO-
priation to pay FOR copying the rolls. The
only wonder is that this work was not
begun years and years ago. No effort
appears 10 have been made in years past
to ascertain what rolls were at Washing
ton. and thus valuable time has becn
lost. Not only this. but many men are
now dead who could islve rendered price
less service In annotating IN, rolls
And SIN the ranks Of our veterans aye
thinning out. whereby we are admonishcd
that II We hope to do this work with
crrditahe accuracy We must proceed with
IL at once.
The present duty of our veterans and
sons of veterans IS TO talk with their
senators and delegates. and impress upon
their minds the necessity for an APP
Precipitation for this purpose. SO that when
the Legislature meets again-this winter.
probably there viii be no delay on the
part Of the two houses in voting the
money needed TO have copies made Of
the rolls OH file at Washington.