The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1903-11-23
TO PERFECT SOUTH'S |
WAR RECORDS.
Chief Of Record and Pension Bureau
of War Department Tells Of
Work To Preserve Names
OF Men Who Fought
for South.
Bv los: Chi.

BY Jos: Chi.
Washington, November l.-(Special)-
Brigader General c. f. Ainswortn chief
OF the record and pension bureau OF the
war department. devotes considerable
, portion OF his annual report to a discus
sion OF the work OF securing rosters OF
confederate military organizations for use
in the compilation authorized by act OF
congress. He traces the history of this
movement TO secure for the government
complete record Of all ,he troops Who
took part In the civil war, SHOWS the
work that has been done IN his depart
ment, refers to the fact that tho union
records are practically complete and
enumeratcs some of the obstacles tending
to prevent such completeness with regard
to the men who fought on the Side OF
the south. He pays tribute to the gen
tlemen who, as the representatives, Of
their states, are cooperating with hln'
and expresses the belief that this work,
when completed. will be a most valuable
addition to the history of that great
struggle.
Inspiration of the Work.
In writing Of the inspiration Of the
present work, General Ainsworth says:
There is no doubt that there Is a very
general desire on the part OF the surviV-
ing participants in the great struggle IN
which the country was engaged from lSo
to 1855 and on the part OF their &C.
scendants and ihe descendants of those
who have passed away, for u publication
that 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. 1t was upon these
conditions that the secretary Of war rec
commended the compilation ana publica-
ton OF ID complete list or roster Of the
officers and men who served In those
armies during the civil war. 1t was te.t
that the publication Of such a roster
would be an appropriate and valuable
addition to the great work that contains
the history of the civil war and that It
would relieve congress to a great extent
from the demands that being made
upon il with greater urgency each yea
for Legislation ror the benefit Of certain
states, and that it would also have the
merit Of giving to the service of the en-
listed man a public recognition that has
heretofore been reserved almost eXclu-
sively for commissioned officers.
General AinsWorth notes that the war
department records Of individual service
in the union armies are complete as 1t IS
possible TO make lNclIl, DNl win feShru
10 the confederate part Of the roster,
there win be great difficulty because of
the incomplcteness of the war depart
ment collection of confederate records.
He tells Of the conferences with Secretary
Of War Root upon this subject the re-
suit of which was the letter Of last
March to the governors Of the different
states which furnished soldiers to the
confederaey, asking their cooperation.
Cooperation by the States.
The responses received from the gov
ernors," says General Aiusworth have
been approving and cordial. end are such
as to assure the department that the
chief executives OF thu states that fur.
nished troops to the confederate service
fully appreciate the Importance end value
Of the work now in hand and VIII CO.
operate heartily with the department in
ita effort TO give TO the confederate SOL
der, as far as it may be possible the
credit that is dGe him in the proposed
publications. IN accordance with the sug
gestion Of the secretary Of war, each OF
the governors addressed, with the excep-
tion OF those of the states of Maryland,
Missouri and Virginia, has appointed q
representative to correspond with the de-
partIneni relative TO the details OF the
work and the steps to be taken in The fur
therance OF it,
The plans under which the various
southern states, through the agents APP
pointed by the respective governors have
been conducting This work are given In
some detail and reference IS made TO the
suggestion Of these stare representatives.
formulated In their recent meeting in
Atlanta, that the incomplete data Of the
existing official records be supplemented
by unofficial lists and by information fur
niShed from memory by surviving officers
and men. OF this General Ainsworth
says;
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