New-York tribune., 1901-03-31
REBELLION RECORDS.
PLETED WITH EXCEPTION OF THE
INDEX FILLS ONE HUNDRED
AND THIRTY VOLUMES.
GBY TELEGRAPH TO THE rRIBUNE.I

ing the official records of the Rebellion. includ-
ing both the Union and Confederate collections,
is practically completed with the publication
of Volume III Series 4. which has recently been
distributed benefciaries by Captain r. W.
Kerr, in charge of the War Department docu-
ment room. It is true there is still volume Of
statistical matter follow, and two volumes
of a general index. covering the entire TT vol
umes of text or records. One chief indexer at
$500 year, with number of assistants, has
been engaged upon this general index for nearly
ten years. The statistical volume yet to be
I issued is supplemental, added by former Secre-
tary Alger to the scope of the compilation as
originally planned twenty five years ago. This
with the two index volumes. will the total
number of books up to a round 130.
1t is true that the last volume is numbered
/ serially 129 which would seem to indicate that
there would be aggregate of 132 books. but it
is not so. In the serial numbering there is a
hiatus of two books following the final volume
of the first series which was No. III. 1t has
been determined that. when issued. the two
general index volumes shall he numbered 112
and l13 to fill this hiatus in regular order
though the index itself will thus be grotesquely
out of place, sandwiched in the very midst of the
series. 1t was not so intended, but this
| tonshing hiatus occurred through freak OF
one who at one time had feeting direction OF
the publication. though having little or no prac-
teal knowledge of such work
When the first series numbering III Volumes
was completed it hastily assumed that the
whole job finished in so far as the pro-
posed index was concerned. which it there
upon directed should be prepared to cover only
that series. Afterward it was seen that gem
eral index Of the three remaining series
just as important to the historian engaged in
! researches as one of the first series alone. and.
besides it pointed out that in fact the law
specifically provided for general index TO the
whole set. Meanwhile volumes of the school
ries had appeared. beginning with the serial No.
III leaving the hiatus permanent one.
HOW DIVIDED INTO SERIES
The first series was completed nearly three
years ago. and the atlas of battlefield maps.
charts, drawings. etc, were completed some six
years ago Both the foregoing deal with the
military campaigns and analogous subjects but
the series includes much valuable miscellaneous
matter emanating from persons of consequence,
relating to the progress Of events. The second
series consists of only eight volumes, and re-
| lates exclusively to prisoners OF war and state
and the general policy OF political arrests on
both sides under the direction of their executive
authorities. The third series, of five books. en-
bodies the official calls for troops. orders re-
ports. etc, relating to the drafts, organization
OF armies, ana SucD miscellaneous matters on
the Union side not covered in the two
preceding series. The fourth series, of three
books only. embodies similar matters on the
Confederate side.
The first steps in this work We're taken over
thirty years ago 1t has been tremendous
and costly undertaking. At one period. exclu-
sive Of printers. more than one hundred persons
were engaged in the compilation OF the work.
The 127 books completed will average 1000
octave pages each. Of solid long primer type. or
an aggregate of 127O00 pages. Each book has
its own copious index. 1t is estimated by ex-
perts that at the least calculation there are go
900 official reports. orders, returns. letters and
telegraphic dispatches printed in these volumes.
Some of them are dated on the battlefield. and
Doubtless We're written amid the very clash OF
arms. In some of the great campaigns. like
that of Gettysburg. Chckamauga, Atlanta and
Petersburg, where in the field telegraphing to
the various military headquarters freely
used, the dispatches between the generals are
short and numerous and many of the printed
pages contain four or five of them. The formal
reports of all kinds are Of course. much more
extended, and perhaps occupy about one-third
of the superficial space in the first series.
PAPERS WRITTEN ON SPUR OF MOMENT
1t is not however. in these carefully drawn
reports, made after all over when in
cool blood the bearings OF things had been some
what considered. that the historian will get at
the real drift OF things in struggling through
this enormous mass OF official data To know
the immediate result and ultimate effect Of any
given event, he must have recourse 10 the daily
! correspondence and utterances of the leaders
flung off in the heat of action These latter
oftentimes give the lie direct to the former and
the official records whole have placed many
a pretentious humbus in a ridiculous predica-
ment before the world. But, singularly enough,
they detract not iota from the laurels or
high personal character Of tho great stars of
Jackson, Sheridan, Johnston, Thomas, Beaure-
gard and several others. In fact, it is largely
by means of this vast government publication.
which has cost S3,tWO,UbO approximately, and
SO many years of painstaking work that the
true greatness and patriotism of some of the
chief actors in that drama the more fully
comprehended and appreciated.
After many years of preliminary work, some
of il wholly abOrtive, the first volume of these
War Records" called. issued in 1880.
The general plan upon which the records have
been compiled evolved by Lieutenant-C Colo
rel Robert n. Scott, intelligent and broad
minded Regular Army officer, himself child of
the Civil War, who died when only about one
quarter Of the books had gone through the
press In fact. the scope of tie work great
~ enlarged after Colonel Scott 6ied. and neCes-
sarily so because of the discovery Of vast guam
titles of official records, particularly Confederate
records, the work advanced. But in the ar
rangement of the documents Scott's original
method has been carried ont to the letter
SPEEDILY TO COMPLETE THE INDEX.
It is expected that the forthcoming general
index and the statistical volume mentioned
above will be issued before the close Of the
present year. which will end this long drawn
out Job of government work. BY law edition
printed. or 1897 600 books in the aggregate
thesa rere distrhuted FREQ m the Duh1ic