Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-07-11
Preservation of the Roll of Honor.
Q4ynchburg News.y

tLynCnDufB NeWS.t
The Richmond Dispatch makes an ear
nest. n patriotic plea, FOR the preservation
of Vircinia's roll of honor in the Confed-
crate war-namely. the roster Of the sol
diers who served so faithfully from
Big Bethel to Appomattox." BY this ex-
preston it does not mean the soldiers
only who served faithfully from the first
shot at Big Bethel TO the last at Apo
mattox but all who faithfully served
and did their full part in the dread
drama, for on every ensanguined field,
from the first 10 the last, many a gallant
son OF Virginia yielded up his life in the
service OF his State and of the cause he
believed 10 be just and righteous-perhaps
we might better say the cause he knew
10 be just and righteous.
There is no complete, or even approx
mately complete. roster Of the soldiers
put into the field by Virginia The Dis
patch points out that whereas we might
once have procured copies OF all the cap
tured records and rolls of Virginia COM
panies and regiments at a trivial expense,
II will now cost not less than $4,000, at
the extravagant rates charged by the gov
eminent employees, who alone have at
the present time the privilege Of making
these copies. The Dispatch urges the inn
portance of entering at once upon this
pous task, even at the great expense
now required for it's accomplishment. We
are I'm the habit OF calling North Carolina
somewhat staid and slow-going State.
But IN. this she is ahead Of Virginia; for
she has procured to be copied full roster
OF the troops she contributed to the Con-
Tolerate armies. And we may, in this
connection. mention that the record of
the "Old North State IN respect 10 the
numbers she sent 10 the front and the
number Of these patriots who found a
soldiers grave on the field of fame is
not second. If IL is not superior, to that
Of any other Confederate State. And we
can never forget that In her "Mecklen-
burg Declaration" she was nearly n year
ahead Of our famous national Declaration
and Fourth of July. Tut IT," says the
Dispatch, "the State will not, or cannot,
act, is there any reason why Richmond
should not do her duty I'm the matter?
Where is the record of the many COM
mands that went forth 10 war from Rich
mond? Who remembers the names of the
companies? Who can recall the names OF
their FIRST and last captains? Besides the
First Regiment, the Howitzers, the Blues,
and the Grays," continues the Dispatch,
there were dozens Of commands re-
cruited here. some Of whose names have
been altogether forgotten, or are only
recalled upon occasions when reunions
are held. But, alas. so widely scattered
are the men of several Of these COM
mands, there has never been, and never
will be. a reunion of them"
These very just observations upon the
privilege Of making a local roster tGf we
cannot as yet procure a fun one Of the
entire State lead us to remark that cur
late fellow-townsman, DR.. Charles NJ
Biackford-our late townsman I'm the sense
OF having been transferred to an inviting
field of professional work as professor
IN a medical college at Atlanta-prepared
and published a complete roster of that
'crack company" the Lynchburg Home
Guard, which went out from this city at
the first signal of Virginia's secession
from the Union. and which from the first
to the last day Of the war slgnalized
the zeal and the devotion unto death Of
the gallant sons Of the Hill City. This
booklet of DR.. Blackford's will be in all
the future an inestimable benefaction.
The Dispatch says:
when we see how eagerly many Of our
men and women are searching out their
Revolutionary ancestry, we are remind
ed that future generations OF Virginians
may likewise search out their Confede-
rate ancestry-but, alasl where viii they
find the rolls OF honor? Not here, TN
less we provide them now.
This hiatus, which the Dispatch laments,
has been, in the case OF Lynchburg,
measureably supplied by the opportune
publication of DR.. Blackford's.
In this connection, we may mention
that upon recently glancing over 1.-THE
Campaigns of Stuart's Cavalry" by Cap
tain ii. Il. McClelland, the intelligent
ard gallant adjutant Of Stuart, we read
with much qualification, the contribution
of General u. II. Munford. OF this city,
10 the statistics OF that book. In a
modest note, General Munford uses these
words:
II determined to collect the annals Of
my old regiment, then so fresh in men,
ory, and by constant correspondence and
with the assistance OF men and officers
so well known TO me personally, / be-
lieve have completed it. 1t has been a
labor of love in worthy cause. Every
feeling is gratifed when I see reflected
the scenes where precious drops of blood
were shed on many well-fought fields"
II every regiment OF Virginia, in the
several arms of service, had possessed
a comrade like General Munford. in
tent upon perpetuatlng upon the en-
during rolls of history, and unfading
renown, the names OF his associates in
the sacred cause. We should now pos
sess what we so much lack COM
plete roster Of the devoted heroes who
ventured all-home, family. friends.
comfort. abundance; yes. ventured
these, and even life itself-upon the
altar and shrine of their convictions.
and their undying love Of liberty.
We have quoted above the words OF
the Dispatch: I'VE are reminded that
future generations OF Virginians may
search out their Confederate ancestry"
How true Is this? Have we not seen
IN the past six weeks an enduring monu-
ment erected In beautiful Hollywood
Cemetery, at Richmond. to the North
Carolina patriot who was the first Con-
federate soldier to lay down his life at
Big Bethel. In the cause OF his honest
and therefore the cause OF
his country and his God?
The suggestions OF the Dispatch are
altogether worthv nj Communications 1nasl