The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-01-24
Points Out Necessity on Ground
That State Should Have Cor- S3
rect Muster Rolls.
CAN FIND MANY \ s.a5
LOST EC0RDsI
Senator Believes That New Of-i
6ccr Gould Bring the Records
to an Almost Complete "
Point, and Would Insure ls' M
Proper Publication by. I.i;15.5
the War Department.. 3a88

Senator John W.. Daniel. chairman OF;
the History Committee Of the Grand
Camp. Confederate Veterans Of Virginia,
Who with Grand Commander George L.ss $L.ss
i Christian, drew the measure 4 recently y:t5
| offered in the House Of Delegates BY
Hon. 4. D. Jennings, Of Lynchburg s, pro-
yiding for the appointment OF a n 'Secre- 4:
tnry OF Vlrginial Military Records, !" has II
written an interesting letter to q friend \
in the Legislature, which is printed tinas
full below, setting out at some length the Z
object of tile proposed now position and
4 earnestly urging tho passage OF the BILL.
Along with Senator Daniels letter -
4 one from state librarian ohm PendletonSS
Kennedy to the sena tor, in which he notes !
/ tho enclosure Of a list of the Confed derateN
muster rolls contained In the
4 Senator Daniel urges that the bill belss .e4s
a ma ssed In tho Legislature, and spoint out
4 tha unless Immediate action Is ia ken the
\ 2|sopportunity to have yir ginia soldier
\ zlSproperly upon the muster rolls to be pre-,
5nared the Depart rflent VII Pc
| lost. NV ssE,sl E,,sl
Il The sena tor thinks that the prop posed i
4 new officer may discover the names OF aTs
i great many Virginia soldiers which Will
Il otherwise be lost to the record, ana ne
/ expresses the belief that In tho arclllVesjS
i of the Capitol and elsewhere may z535 ne !:
4 found g. II proper senrchsits MADE lally$ Hati
Il valuable papers on this line.I f q M d
1 5g DANIEL s LETTER. wa
i The letter Of Senator Daniel. which aisS
Thoroughly explanatory ofS5the Dill y a n.y.
which is a splendid summing up q ~ e.ip i
4 reasons for It's passage, Is IN full as 1917 1917
flows: 3 i, - 5S
Washington, D. c.. Jan. 1S. 1904.
i NV Dear Slr,-Herewith I enclose 10
you bill providing for the appointment Sr,,,1 =.
4 OF a Secretary of virginia Militia ~
Records. His duty will be to collect
\ ~, mus ter rolls. records and other mn--.as3 mn-.s
+ terials Of Virginia. s Confederate history:
{,rhe ne cesslty for this move presses. 9
Z not Immediately undertaken, opportu n--5
|.jty departs. The bill was prepared py ine n'5
4 after consultation with Judge George a5 sii.8S
8 Christian, commander Of the -Grand Ca,np
b nroposed several valuable amendments
K which are embodied, and heartily ap-s J.
Il nroyes tia scheme. l. have cony ersens,
With General II. G. .Ainsworth, cfief g ~ fE3
4 the Record and Pension Division OF inc
4 War Department. here; General w llllanlS
Nale, Adjutant-G o Or virs,hia, !,
Pend,ston Kennedy, Librarian OF tneg X
state and many x-Confederate soldiers:
z trhe measu srlbmittedis tho outcome OF
such reflections as the information o1l7.. op-9
& tained suggested, IA. 4! , 2SS
Having been myself appointed by Judge j
Christian. commander of Il tne . iraha 11,N Ii 1
Camp to tho craftsmanship Of the Hiss
tory Committee, feel that itRwould nor II
be obtrusive In me to arse the passage
ar this bill by the General Assembly; and
hope 1t may commend itself to yours
. Judgment and that OF your colleagues.
You will observe that It has been
8, deemed proper to propose to confer OH g
the commander of tho Grand Camp 1of
Confederate Veterans OF Virginia the A
e power of recommended ton ms to the secs
retnry who Is to be appointed BY the
Governor. Such Difference by the General
4 Assembly to tho ex-Confederate brothers
hood would bc warmly appreciated by
+ every ono Of them. 1t Is the history OF
their comrares that Is sought to bogs
saved, and fitting that they themselves 3
be so respected Judge Christian, their "
chosen commander, Is a malmed soldier,
!. distinguished by yalor; n jurist, distln- 4
gulshed by fairness. intelligence and
learning; and Is, ns well, q patriot and q
Z scholar, whos,e contributions In ylndtca- s
ton OF Virginia and Confederate history
have brought him Just fame. he Is IN
81 constant touch with his comrades; he Ia Y
practlced In research; Is familiar with \
existing conditions; and no man in the
worthy interest In this matter. AN tha
: elements of suitability combine In him,
LOSS OF RECORDS.
Now, as to the necessity for prompt
aotion First, The office OF Adiutant- /
General Richardson. OF Virginia, WAS *
: burned when Richmond fell In 1855, Our
State military records for the most part
f,psrished. Not a scrap OF the history
OF tho "Proyisonal Army OF Ylrginia,h
which lasted IN, 1851 until after the first
battle of Manassas, have ! been ablt (
! to discover. Neither Virginia or the
united States possesses single copy 5nQ
General Richardson's reports. which nT /
.. doubt were printed. Examination Of li,E
braries Of other Southern States. and
search amongst the books OF our Own
ctizeus might discover copies, Whtchs5
would be invaluable. General James lhS
Kempur aftsr being disabled forgregnlar
, service at Gettysburg, commanded thir-@
/ | teen thousand Virginia reserves, II This w
j proved by the United states war recordsis
!. hut we are not credited With them IN
i historical works and estimates Compatl,9
sons are made against us. We tshoglds
!, endeayor to find such rolls OF itesssI
!. troops as may be IN 4he hands % snrttttS
!, yiving officers and soldiers. soma ~ 0lir I