The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1904-08-14
CAMP ROBES HAS
DONE GOOD WORK
Muster Roll of Confederates is
Very Complete
DR.. OWEN MAKES APPEAL
Seeks the Cooperation of All Inter
ested in Making List of Ala
bama Troops in Civil
War Complete.
DR.. OWEN MAKES APPEAL

i Known TIC CAlAlN0 SUITS W al
Is engaged in the effort to compile COM
plete rosters of the troops from the sew
eral states in the Union and Confederate
armies. This work was undertaken more
than a year ago under an act of congress
of February 25, 1903, as follows;
THAT under the direction of the secre-
tary of war the chief of the Record and
Pension office shall compile from such
official records as are in the possession OF
the United States and from such other
authentic records as may be obtained by
loan from the various states and other
official sources, a complete roster of the
officers and enlisted men Of the Union
and Confederate armies
Alabama Collections.
In Alabama the task of collecting the
data necessary for this roster has been
appropriately committed to the Depart
ment of Archives and History. DR..
Thomas NJ. Owen, the director, has dill
gently labored to the end that the troops
for Alabama should have adequate
representation. He has made extensive
inquiries by personal appeal by cor
respondence and through the press, and
has had very general cooperation.
There are still many gaps and these
should be filed.
Dr. Owen again appeals to all individ-
uals. camps of Confederate veterans,
camps of Sons of Confederate Veterans.
chapters of the Daughters of the Con-
federacy, and historical societies, who
may have rosters, muster or pay. rolls,
war diaries or journals, reports, commits
sions, discharges, paroles, or other war
papers to forward them to him at Mont
gomery to enable him to appropriately
prepare the record Of Alabama soldiers.
Work of Camp Rodes.
Camp 1.odes, United Confederate Vet
erans at tuscaloosa, has for years been
collecting historical and other materials
Just such as Mr.. owen desires. All this
material has been turned over to the
state. Feeling that the example of this
camp would, II known, be of value as
indicating what other organizations might
do, in response to Mr.. owen s request,
Leon +. Burks has written an account OF
the very excellent work of Camp Rodes,
which Is given below. 1t is hoped that II
will have such effect.
Although the Daughters of the Confed-
counties have collected much valuable ma
terial, 1t is not known that so compre-
hensive work has yet been undertaken
by any other camps of veterans.
The letter Is as follows:
'Tuscaloosa, Alabama, May 2, 1904.
Hon. Thomas M. owen
Montgomery, Ala.
Dear Sir: In response to your enquiry
as to what had been done by the organ
ization of the Confederate Veterans OF
Tuscaloosa county In collecting and plac-
ing on record all the historical data OF the
troops from this county that served in
the Confederate army, l herewith give
you a statement of what has been ac-
complished up to the present time.
cat the organization of Camp Rodes,
Confederate Veteran Association about
twelve years ago, comrades James X.
Maxwell. DIR. James T. Searcy, and i. f.
Burks were appointed as an historical
committee for the camp, with instructions
to collect from every possible source all
the historical data of troops from this
country that could be obtained with
special instructions to make every effort
to obtain and place on record rolls OF
the different companies, and the same
comrades have been reappointed by each
successive commander of the camp down
to the present time. In conformity with
these instructions the committee has
made every effort possible to carry them
out BY advertising in the county papers
for all old, original muster rolls pay
rolls and other official records the com
mittee succeeded in obtaining some or the
old orderly books of companies, also pay
rolls of Others
County Helps.
''The county commissioners very gen
erously furnished to the camp a record
book properly ruled, and by a special
order made 1t part Of the public RECORDS
Of the county. At the cost of days OF
patient toll and labor full and complete
roll of the companies to whom the orderly
| books belonged was finally completed,
and recorded, with full and complete
history Of every individual member OF
| each company. The rolls and PERSONAL
history of each member Of other COM
panies were compiled from authentic pay
rolls, the historical data furnished the
committee by surviving members OF the
companies. through the generous aid oil
| the noble women forming the Daughters
| of the Confederacy of this city Of when
Mrs Ellen Peter Bryce is the official head,
| one of the committee went to Montgomery
and succeeded after several DAYS OF Work
in obtaining complete rolls, data etc.
! from the rolls on file in the official ar
chives From these sources the commit
| tee have placed on record the complete
| official rolls, ETC., of twelve Infantry
companies; they also have partial ana
unofficial rolls of two or three other com
| panies of infantry, two companies OF
! cavalry. and two batteries of artillery
! There were enlisted in the Confederate
army from this county twenty-six com
panies Of infantry, four companies OF
cavalry an three batteries of artillery
Laborious Task.
$50 far the committee has not gotten
rolls of half of the companies. Any one
who has never attempted such work can
scarcely realize the immense amount OF
toll and labor required to make up com
| plete and correct transcriptof these ola
| books and papers-almost faded out III
| places, water-soaked. mud-stained' WIN
| the wear and tear of years. books thal
had been carried through every campaign
| from 81 to 49, Already these records
have been of great value to our people'
| especially to the decrepit and needy WIZ
| ows of deserving comrades who nave
| passed over the river. In making their
application for pensions they can give the