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Virginia's Contribution to Confederate States Army.
[from the William and Mary College Quarterly, Oct., 1904, pp. 141-2.]
The following documents are found in the
Virginia State Library.
As the war continued eighteen months longer, the contribution of
Virginia was much in excess of the figures given by
Governor Letcher.
The total number of troops up to October, 1863, was about 133,000 men.
[It may be urged that in the often desperate straits of the Confederate government, by raid and the imminent menace of occupation of important points, the service of every male had in many instances to be availed of, even the maimed and the invalid had to hasten to the front—robbing, as has been quite truthfully stated—‘the cradle and the grave.’
Whilst veritable rosters may not be cited, the contribution of
Virginia to the
Confederate States Army, first and last, must have been at least 150,000.
I would urge upon every true and self-respectful Virginian his palpable duty in helping, as he may, by the loan for copying, of muster rolls in his possession to
Major Robert W. Hunter, ‘
Secretary of Virginia Military Records,’
Richmond, Va., so that as accurate a statement as may be attained, be presented, of the aid and sublime sacrifices made by our grand old Commonwealth and her devoted people to the sacred Cause of Right.—Ed.]
executive Department,
Richmond, Va., October 7th, 1862.
Gentleman of the House of Delegates:
In response to the
Resolution adopted by the House of Delegates, I have the honor to transmit the accompanying report from
Adjutant-General Cooper, of the Confederate Government, and
General Dimmock, of the
Ordnance Degartment of
Virginia.
I have only to add that upwards of thirty thousand conscripts have passed through the camp of instruction in charge of
Col. [John C.]
Shields.
Respectfully,
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[Endorsed.]
Governor's Message, stating number of men and arms furnished C. States during the present war, Oct. 8, 1863.
Statement of the number of troops furnished the
Confederate States by the
State of Virginia as taken from the first rolls on file in the Adjutant and Inspector General's Office:
| 64 Reg'ts Infantry, | 52,496 |
| 20 Reg'ts Cavalry, | 14,175 |
| 2 Reg'ts Artillery, | 1,779 |
| 28 Battalions Cavalry, Infantry and Artillery, | 11,717 |
| 9 Battalions Artillery, Army No. Va., | 4,500 |
| 214 Unattached Cos. Artillery, Infantry and Cavalry, | 18,248 |
| ——— |
| Total number of men, | 102,915 |
Of the sixty-four Infantry Regiments, only sixty-one have rolls on file in this office, and only nineteen Cavalry Regiments.
The rolls are very defective in all arms of the service.
The above statement does not embrace the recruits or conscripts furnished by the
State of Virginia, of which we have no returns.
General: I have the honor to report, in answer to a call from the Legislature, through the
Governor of the
Commonwealth, as follows:
Arms issued between Oct. 1, 1859, and Oct. 1, 1863.
| Common pieces, | 390 |
| Muskets, | 103,840 |
| Rifles, | 6,428 |
| Carbines, | 795 |
| Musketoons, | 446 |
| Pistols, | 4,438 |
| Sabres, | 7,863 |
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Remaining on hand in the Virginia armory on the 1st October, 1863.
| Brass 6-pounder cannon (unmounted), | 5 |
| Brass 12-pounder Howitzers (not mounted), | 1 |
| Brass, mounted, mountain howitzers, | 3 |
| Iron, 12-pounder cannon (mounted), | 8 |
| Iron, 6-pounder cannon (mounted), | 26 |
| Iron, 4-pounder cannon (mounted), | 13 |
| Iron, 6-pounder cannon (without limbers), | 5 |
| Iron, 4-pounder rifle cannon (without limbers), | 1 |
| Iron, 6-pounder cannon (not mounted), | 12 |
| Iron, 4-pounder rifle cannon (not mounted), | 4 |
| Williams' guns, | 10 |
| Caissons, 6-pounder, | 8 |
| Muskets, alt, fire (in good order), | 1,735 |
| Muskets, Springfied, | 300 |
| Read's rifles (cavalry), | 400 |
| Rifles, | 220 |
| Rifles (Austrian), | 200 |
| Rifles (Miss), | 20 |
| Carbines (cavalry), | 103 |
| Sabres (cavalry), | 225 |
| Muskets (being repaired), | 4,000 |
| Muskets (without bayonets), | 1,100 |
I have the honor to be,
Very respectfully,
Ch's Dimmock,
Bvt. Brig. Gen.,
Chief of Ord. of
Virginia.
[Endorsed.]
Charles Dimmock,
Brig. Gen. and
Chief of Ordnance, Report of army issued and now in hand.
