Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-07-07
The Men of 1s0I-'8J.

There Ii a great revival OF interest IN
war records and war-men. All over this
Stat, the Confederate veterans are or
ganizIng and preparing TO come TO kich-
mond next spring. Here they VIII withess
| ,hs having of the cornerstone OF the
monument to be erected In Monroe PARK
to the memory OF President Davis. here
they will meet thousands OF their old
comrades HIRE. in a big wigwam 10 De
erected for the purpose, they VIII near
speecfes from distinguished generals anu
| Others whose names are dear 10 all oid
! Confeds." Here they will be welcomed by
! a community which has been unfiagging
| and dnfailing in it's admiration OF SOUTH
| ern heroes from the day that virginia
seeded TO this hour. Here they VIII DE-
near well-remembered battle-ields ana
camp-grounds. Here they Will sse hnli
score Of monuments erected to the CON-
federate dead. Here they will then SEE
rebel flags flying and hear rebeI
music played Here every one will have
4 welcome: here every door will be open
TO friends, and strangers as weh' ana
every old soldier will b. considered
friend.
Well we know that many OF those VINO
were here at the Lce-monument unNeliihS
will not be here next year Wei we know
that many who will be present AT the
cornerstone laying next spring Will be
absent when the monument is unveiled.
Well ~e know that aga and disease are
cutting down the veterans whom shot and
shell spared Their ranks are thinning.
The rpened fruit is falling 10 the earth.
virginia owes II TO herself 10 preserve
the names Of the men who fprang 10
arms at her call in 1876 In our volum
nous records at the Capitol there is no
roster Of them. There are rolls OF W
scattered Notwithstanding more. We
have spent much money for books, pic
lures records. and documents OF various
sorts; but We have got few muster-rolIs
of the Virginia Confederates who bore
arms under Lee and Johnston Such rolls
as Virginia had in 1850 were destroyed OF
captured At the evacuation OF this city
April 8, 1866 The only complete roll. that
are in existence now are In the War-Re
cords Office. at Washington. They are
originals. Some are muster-rolls; some
pay-rolls-but they are genuine, original
Confederate official documents. under the
signatures of our own officers. For the
most part they came out OF the Con-
federate War Department. and were cap
tured at or near Canville. where they
had been removed when this city was
about TO be evacuated.
Not one effort has this State made TO
get copies of these rolls. Indeed. their
very existence was known to few men in
Virginia until publication of the fact was
made in the Dispatch last summer.
Virginia must procure copies Of these
rolls. Every Confederate camp that is
organized ought TO begin working TO en-
sure this end. 1t would be shameful If
Virginia, OF all the States that formed
the COnfederacy, were to be the only one
not to have roster OF her officers and
soldiers-a roll of honor OF her patriot sons
OF 1SGl-'6j. 1t cannot be that the services
OF our soldiers are held in such light
esteem. No; we believe that the subject,
long neglected and ignored, need now
but be pressed upon the attention of the
Legislature to cause 1t TO take the desired
action-that is to say. appropriate the ne
cessary money to have our rolls copied
and deposited in the Capitol, at Rich
mond.
These rolls Will show who were in the
Virginia commands and who were not;
who were fighters" and VINO were de-
tailed men: who were in the field, and |
who in the militia; who were in 'local-de-
fence" battalions and who at the front;
who enlisted early and who late. They will |
also show what rank this or that man |
held. In short. they will exalt the true |
soldier, and down" the counterfeit.