The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-08-05
Confederate. Records and the War De-
partmeut.

Confederate Records and the War De-
partment.
General Marcus ]. Wright requests
the publication OF the following letter
ss;Wr!sten to him by Major Robt. W
tesy OF General Ainsworth, OF the War
Department:
Richmond. July 80.
General Ma, Marcus 49, j. Wright, War De-
My Dear General have not seen
the articles in The Richmond Times.
Dispatch and Evening Journal. charg-
ing. General Ainsworth. with insolence
and discourtesy. to which you refer.
and am much surprised that any such
charges should have been made.
While holding the office OF Secretary
frequently at the War Department to
inquire as to the progress that had
been made in the compilation of the
roster of Confederate officers and SOL
diers. which had been provided for by
the act of Congress OF February rs,
1903. and was always received and
treated with marked courtesy and re-
spect by General Ainsworth and the
subordinates Of his office. and. further
more. was given with the utmost
cheerfulness full information in regard
to every subject OF inquiry. SO far as
was consistent with the rules OF the
department..
Senator Daniel. who realized as /
did. that it would be very supertiu-
Gus and wanton waste of the States
money to begin the transcribing OF
the imperfect rolls in my office into
"permanent, well-bound books" until
the War Department roster (Which
would embrace the rolls of companies
from the beginning to the end Of the
war; was published. accompanied me
on many of these occasions. and we
freely and fully discussed with Cen
eral Ainsworth the status of the work
and the adyisability of an urgent ap-
peal by the War Department to Con-
easest fq possbe me Of tn
crate part Of the compilation, insisting
that all OF the original rolls of the
Southern troops. especially of the Ntr-
ginia troops. that were accessible, had
vorable congressional action could be
secured. that an approximately COM
plete roster of the Southern troops
could be secured by the, addition OF
the several Southern States had been
able to collect
General Ainsworth thought Speaker
Cannon and the House would oppose
that account, deeming the time mop
perfume; but SO essential to the COM
early publication Of the. rolls in the
Daniel and !! decided that the tine mad
come to make the appeal to Congress,
and in letter to me of February is,
1909, Senator PANEL said: Il will start
a resolution (for the publication UNI
less something satisfactory is done
But, alas! his fatal illness came be-
fore he could carry his purpose into
is ended, I fear that his dearly cher
ished hope Of securing a faithful Vlr-
ginia roster will be defeated, for
there is none left to bend his match
less bow" In it's behalf
The Finance Committee Of the last
Virginia House of Delegates. composed
in the main of strictly business," com
mercialized and unsentimental patriots.
became Impatient OF the delay-thought
the work on the roster was costing too
much. and. not progressing rapidly
enough. and either could not or would
not understand that the publication
or the rolls OF the Virginia campaigns
N the War Department. as contem-
sable prerequisite, without which re-
liable. or even q respectable. Virginia
roster could not be completed. So. IN
ignorance and disregard of the States
ful record Of the names and deeds
of her heroic sonsS the false economists
referred to, in the confusion of the
closing hours Of the session., throttled
unanimously. and procured the enact
ment of "a disingenuous and mislead-
Ing substitute, which provides for the
dtscontinuance ofsthe Virginia Military
was a business proposition, said Chair
man Bowman. So 1t Is, but of sort
that leads to bankruptcy. In Justice
to General Ainsworth, the war De
have been harshly criticized in<con-
tnectton with this work by persona ig-
norant OF the obstacles quote the
following extract from my last oflclal
"The rule Of the War Department
mot to permit any person other than
an employe OF the department to have