The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1903-03-18
CONFEDERATE ROLLS
TO BE- PUBLISHED.
Complete Roster Of Officers and
Men.
SECRETARY ROOT DESERVES CREDIT

The Roster Will Include the Sol
sdiers OF Both Federal and Con-
federate Armies.
Washington, March 16.-By direction
of Secretary Root the war department.
today embarked on the extensive
work of compiling and publishing a
complete roster of the officers and en-
listed men of the Union and Confeder-
ate armies. This is the secretary's
own project and he succeeded in i'm
pressing congress with the idea that it
would be just and fair to the south to
place on official lists the names OF Con-
federate soldiers in order that their
descendants may trace their family
histories with accuracy. The north,
through separate State publications,
has covered pretty well this ground
for it's own soldiers. But the southern
records and archives, never very COM
plete, were scattered and destroyed
owing to the outcome Of the war and
| it is known that many frauds are prac-
ticed on the benevolent and many fami-
lies lack important links in their his
tories because Of the loss Of these re-
cords. Secretary Root in calling this
matter to the attention of congress
said that the department was constant
| ly in receipt of appeals from State Off
Gals, historical societies. and patriotic
or memorial associations for transcripts
Of the military records of State troops,
to answer which would cost more than
million dollars, so that the most
economical way would be to publish
complete roster.
The publication will be enormous in
size, including no less than 80 volumes
as large as the rebellion records.
The northern names will be publish
ed with the southern because it is
desired to have all of these data in one
compilation instead of being scatter
ed through various State books.
Moreover, it is felt to be graceful
thing to bracket the names Of the men
who wore the blue and the gray. In
order to carry out this purpose Secre-
tary Root toady sent the following let
ter to the governors of all the States
which furnished troops for the Con-
federate armies:
War Department, Washington, March
16, 1903.
The Governor OF the State Of
Sir: There is very general desire
on the part of the surviving partici-
pants of the great struggle in which
the country was engaged from 1861 to
1865, and on the part of the descen-
dants of those who have passed away,
for a publication that shall be accessi-
BILE to the general public and shall
show the names of those who, either
as officers or enlisted men, bore arms
for the Union or for the Confederacy
during the great war. In the opinion
that this desire is one that should be
gratifed and that can be gratified, in
great measure at least, by compiling
and publishing, as continuation Of
the publication known as the ''ofticlal
records of the Union and COME ederate
armies a complete list or roster of the
officers and men who served in those
armies during the Civil war, this de-
partment recommended at the last ses-
sion of congress, the enactment of a
law authorizing the compilation and
preparation of such a roster for pub
lication. That recommendation was
followed by enactment OF provision
of law which is embodied in the legis-
latiye, executive and judicial appro-
priation act, approved Feb. 70, 1913,
and which is as follows:
'.That under the direction Of the
secretary of war the chief of the record
and pension Office shall compile, from
such official records as are in the pos
session of the United States, and from
such other records as may be obtained
by loan from the various States and
other official sources, complete roster
of the officers and enlisted men of the
Union and Confederate armies. +"
The department is prepared to enter
at once upon the work Of making the
compilation thus authorized and to
push it to completion as rapidly as
possible. There will be little or no
difficulty in making the Union part Of
the roster complete, but there will be
great difficulty with regard to the Con-
this department. It is of the first i'm
porance, therefore, that no effort shall
be spared to secure the temporary
loan to the war department, for the
purpose of copying. of any and all
authentic Confederate records that can
be found anywhere. Many Of these
records are in the possession of the
various States and it is hoped will be
made readily accessible, but there are
others that are widely scattered
among historical and memorial associa-
tions and private citizens. The pro-
blem of how to fnd and procure the
loan of these scattered records is a
difficult one, but it is one that must
be solved in order that the Confeder-
ate soldier shall receive the full credit
that is due him in the roster that is
to be compiled.
I earnestly invite your cooperation
with the department. in an tort to
make this compilation as nearly COM
! nlate &c il is nossihla to make 1t. and