The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1896-01-30

mont of tho survivors, which I know
will be almost as gratifying to your
Excellency as II has been to me; and
although 1t will entail some additional
work upon the historian, shail receive
my best and closest attention.
Your Excellcncy will discover from
tho memorial Of the U. G. ", and
from this report, that the work OF
collecting the records has been going
on for many years and has been grad
that the rolls are as nearly complete
now (only a small number being still
out) as they are likely to be until the
survivors realize that the publication
is actually taking place, when those
who have been so hard to arouse will
rush forward to see that their CON-
mands are properly included. A de-
tailed account Of the commands whose
rolls are unfinished will be published
again soon, rs it has been from time to
time in the progress of the work.
These have been looked after, as fre-
quent and persistent visits have been
made from time to time, but they can
be secured during the progress of pub
lication.
In the examination of tho actual
condition of the rolls, | have found
that many of them are made out with
great care and accuracy, but there are
great many that are but imperfectly
finished. Your Excellecy will see from
our memorial that it is the opinion Of
the United Confederate Veterans that
an experimental copy Of these rolls
should be made and placed in tho
hands Of the survivors for correction
and revision before they be considered
as ready or in proper shape for final
publication. This, at my suggestion,
was recommended by his Excellency
Governor Tillman several years ago,
and would haze been done but for the
stringency of the money market and
tho great expense devolving upon the
State in the building Of educational
the exigencies of the times. Now it
can be done without serious inconven-
ience, and [ am satisfied that as tho
sum necessary will hardly be folt by
the State the Legislature will readily
respond to any call from your Excel
lency in this direction.
Until this is done, as is evident to
your Excellency, no final or complete
publication Of the work can be made,
with tho addition Of the valuable his
toric manuscript which has been and
is now boing collected to go with the
publication OF the rolls when they are
completed.
Under the plan of this work as sub
mitted to your EXcellency, to Cover
nor Illlman, and to the various officers
commanding or representing brieades
from this State, it will be an interest
ing volume, showing:
First. The record mado by our State
as State in tho war, the sacrifices
made by our people in general, and the
heroic record made by our men and
women in the war, bringing out the
moro prominent events and salient
points OF our history as q State and
people.
Second. AS the history of our troops
runs SO largely by brigadcs, each of
which has q separate, distinct and in
teresting history of its own, and
which, at one time or another, com
prised every regiment in service with
but one or two exceptions, Ito which
must be added our separate batteries
Of artillery, the record Of the most of
our troops can be written by brigados
the brigade historian doing. full JUS,
tice to regiment and battalion, and
thus saving unnecessary multiplication
OF history, the artillery and separate
independent commands being provided
for by separate sketches.
In this way we can do full Justice to
all of our troops and people in work
within the reach Of our legislative
appropriations, and which, not being
too cumbersome, will be eargerly read
and fondly treasured by our people
because it will go with the rolls con-
tanning the names and records of each
soldier.
This work is already being pushed
towards completion, first by the State
historian and by selected representa-
tives from each brigade or separate
command, and will be ready for the
printer by the time tho rolls arc in
shape for publication after the expert
mental copies are sent out for revision
and correction. Some Of the sketches
are already complete.
In tho meantime your historian,
under the appointment conferred upon
him by the survivors, as we'll as that
by yourself, will be engaged in collect
ing tho missing rolls and the various
regimental and battalion sketches
called for by the resolution of the u.
G. ", and and If practicable or posi-
bic at the time of publication might
be included, though it will be moro
difficult to secure good sketches of
each regiment and battalion in time
for publication. At any rate this work
can be pushed forward, and will at
least make q most valuable collection
OF historical data which can be pre-
served and published in tho future
even ii we can not include it in the
publication Of tho rolls, which should
be finished as soon as possible, in order
to mako thom perfectly safe.
My own historical work under your
Excellcncy's appointments, though it
involved moro extensive reading ana
thorough research than [ had antici-
pated at first, Is satisfactorily under
way, and will be submitted for rows
ion and publication in due timo.
Parts OF it showing tho recapitulation
Of tho numbers Of our troops engaged
in tho war, tho deaths, losses, etc,
can not be filed out until our rolls are
all in with all the data they contain to
correspond with my general statement
Besides my own manuscript, | have
on hand q valuable collection of manu-
script by Professor Rivers, which,
though not complete and ready for
publication, are Invaluable to those
in uniting ,l>ofnho, of