The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1900-11-08
A RELIC or FORMER DAYS.
An Old Militia order written ny
Mirnbeau u. Lamar in 1924.


A military order issued from heaiquar-
ters al the state capital az MilledgeviIe
more than seventy years ago and direct
Cd 60 the aids OF the commander-in-chief
throughout the state. IS now IN posses
sion % Mr.. J. +. Campos. sr Some time
since Mr.. Peter Fox. the upholsterer. pur-
chased a lot OF old furniture which had
been originally brought 10 Savannah from
Milcdgevine In one OF the drawers OF a
bureau was found a letter or evident age.
u was addressed Col John W A. San
ford aid-de-camp to the Commander IN
Chief Present
The letter was folded in the old style.
this being before the days OF envelopes
aud had been sealed with wax. Mr..
Campos happened 90 see the letter In Mr..
Fox shop and thinking il might be OF
some value as "A curio. took possession OF
% with Mr. Fox's permission.
The letter Is % interest as showing
something Of the military conditions
which existed in the state three-quartefs
Of a century ago and also Tor the histofi,
signature attached The name OF the
Governor does not appear in the communi-
cation. which reads follows.
headquarters. Mleigcville. pa March.
1924
Orders Special and CONFIDENTIAL
THE aids OF the Commander in CHIEF
are requested 10 attend the Reviews ana
assist al the Inspections Of the Regiments
and Battalions Of the Divisions within
which they reside. The Inconvenience and
expense 10 which they will be subjected
have been overlooked. They are causes q
regret. but the laws having made no pro-
vision for compensation, none can be eN-
pected. save that which may be found IN
the reflection OF honorable minds. that
some little service may have been done
the state To make the service as little
/ exceptions bic IN those respects as possible
the Commander IN Chief suggests 10 his
aids such prcconcert ana unierst aniing
az to the division OF duty that one AID
+ viii De present certainly "a every lnspec-
/ ton. and that more than one need not be.
! The primary objects are 60 ascertain.
first the actual numerical force OF the
I Militia OF the state: secondly, the general
+ military appearance. including the OH
coriug. the armiug ana equipment, and
tho discipline OF each corps. Ills Aids-de-
Camp therefore have only 20 take care
thnt the returns are correctly made &C
cordiug 20 the printed form with which
they shall be furnished. ana the con
duct OF officers "a the di-charse
81 their duty closely scruunized
ana inspected. The reports made
90 Headquarters Will be intended
Tor the eve OF the Commander In CHEF
only. ana will therefore be considered
+ strictly confidential. with the exception
OF the official return, which correspond
ing With that OF the Brigade Inspector
will be placed on nle in the Executive
ofict"
zone or two OF the printed forms viii
be placed In the hands OF the Brigade Ma
I for
"Aids-de-Camp when called into ser
! vice may be ordered TO perform duty IN
/ Divisions or Brigades other than those In
4 which they reside. the object being 20
eouaIlze the service rs much az possible.
BY the Commander In Chiet lslsnedl
| Mlrabeau b. Lamar, Secretary"
A. the time this order was written and
for many years thereafter the state had
| a romplete militia system 60 which u
| able-bodied white males were required 90
I belong The present division OF the couh'
lies into militia districts is a relic OF TINS
sys.em The state was divided into diF-
/ slons. with a major general at the heao
81 each these divisions being sub-dlNlaed
into smaller divisions with hrgadier gen
erals ia command. and the subdividlnS
e,,s continued down 10 the militia dis
trlet. she unit OF the system. each DIS
trict being expected 10 furnish az least
,ue eompany There were muster days
an which the companies and regiments
turned out for drill and inspection. TINS
old mllisia system Is generally held "a
account for the fondness for military utles
in the South.
Nirabeau b. Lamar. whose signature Is
attached 20 the order as secretary. was
, member Of the wcil-known Georgia fam
Iv OF chat name After acquiring some
promfnence IN this state he removed &C
Texas when that country was sim dis
puted territory and acquired distinction
in thu conflict with Mexico by which
Texas acquired her Independence and set
pp "a republic Of It's own. When the TeNa'
government was organized Lamar was
made vice president In 1855 he was elect
IA president OF the republic and held thl'
onire untn 1871 he served IN the McNi
ean war in 1886 with distinguished gallan
,rv and In 1876 was made United statc'
minister 70 Central America. He died u
1889 Resides being gallant solder. Gen
Lamar possessed literary ability OF higl
order aud left number Of poems ans
other productions.
The letter is written 90 clear. firm
hand and is remarkably wei preserved
both ink aud paper being SIN unfadei
, ar Campos via probably present the let
Ter to some OF the military companies o
the city