The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1905-12-31
= THE RECORDS.
An Interesting Letter, Which CHI is
elf-Explanatory.

L II - AbAtSeg ~ IE
centlemen-The following letter from
the chaplain OF my old artillery pat
talon to MaJor Robert W Hunter. the
secretary OF Virginia Military Records 'aaet
emphasizes in such a striking way the
great Importance OF the work In which
Major Hunter IS engaged, that i AYE
obtained his permission to have u pub
lIi.hed. The loss o the list OF 4. Ms
81 the UNIVERSITY OF Virginia, ETC. &C. re- re-
tered ITO in this letter. &is TO be De-
plored,a since nothing could 80 well ell#s De-
monstraatet the high character and at =
taaiin1m1en,tsBEo f many Of the soldiers 3inSthe
ranks 81 our armies, and the principles
which could alone actuate such rnsn IN
fight!ugs those ranks. This loss further
demonstrates, too, the great danger that
unless these and other records Of our sol-
diers and their services are gathered#up
and preserved now, they Will share the
Same fate, and as Major Hunter SO truly
saidyins his admirable report to the Grand Grand
Camp, tho fame Of Virginia must surfer
by such losses, SB5sS
The Rev. Dr.. White was as I know,
during the lat }#w and has been ever
since, one q StheSBest representatives Of
the faithful, Gefflclent and gallant banu sof
~ccl,aplains who gave their services to the
Spiritual elevation OF tile soldiers Of the
Army; OF Northern Virginia. u
very4truly yours, S
@ GEORGE u. CHRISTIAN
SKernstown, Va, Nov. 20, 1905.
My Dear NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. letter
Of the 18th instant, containing a news
paper copy Of your report to the Grand
Camp OF Confederate Observation-Disclosures
me much PLEASURE have read &~ltSseyeral
times carefully. There IRE now men
throughout our! State, who wonder II
forgotten III tier their denth, and sbecome
a i mere matter OF unwritten tradition.
even among their Observation-Disclosures next
to the last paragraph In your admirable
report, beginning thus, Unless Virginia
acts effectively In this all-important mat
ter, her fame will suffer, etc..,,1sSis one Of
the most soul-stirring s%entences I have
ever read. No one. With $eY6nSSthe small
est amount or State pride &can read 1t
without emotion. 1t Is conclusive proof
OF the great Importance sof your enter
prise. Il know of no other enterprise
with which a Confederate q solder could
connect his name, at THU day. with
more honor. You certainly have my best
wishes for $3.50 Ss#ss
7 can think Of no 9susgsstions as to the
scope Of The proposed Virginia roster
worth mentioning. Its scope seems to
mo complete in every respect. AZ It is
your purpose to give 10 chaptor upon tho
noble work they, CheS @chaplains) did
In our army and the religious sentiment
which was so striking feature among
our southern officers and soldiers" toe
ours to me that It would not be out Of
place to state that the Organization Of a
complete body OF chaplains was due to
the reyerent mind aof 8Stonewall Jackson,
more than TO any other individual He
saw the need for more directive service
OF this kind, and by private cores
ponderce brought the different Christian
denominations III Virginia to supply the
ter Is given ii DIR, Dabney's Life 5of
Jackson. PIP. G45-G5D, s4 One Of his auto
graph letters On the subject Is In my
possession. The intellectual callbre md
cultivation OF the soldiers OF the a. N. ",
certainly of those from Virginia, might
DO given In rebattnl of the common
opinion that our soldiers In the ranks
were OF 'tle rag-tag of the poor Whites
OF the soutl,.,' \ had a complete list OF
the A. MS OF the University OF Yir-
einia graduates OF the different colleges
IN Virginia; students OF theology In tho
theological semiDaries; students or law;
lawyers and Commonwealth attorneys in
the battalion. etc. But someihw, It has
been lost In the last six years, I we'll
recollect "a visit paid me by DR.. Dabney
In the winter ofsfls04-5, when I astonished
him with a recital OF these names.
Very truly, your friend.
a88sS$s9 II. M, WHITE,
Major n. w. Hunter,
State Library, Richmond. Va