Today in History:

36 Series I Volume LII-I Serial 109 - Supplements Part I

Page 36 Chapter LXIII. MD., E. N. C., PA., VA., EXCEPT S. W., & W. VA.

council upon all question arising under said ordinance: Advised unanimously that this ordinance be immediately carried into effect, and for this purpose that the Governor confer with General Lee with reference to the number of officers and the persons most suited for the various branches of the staff corps. It is also unanimously advised that, as the been commissioned are vacated by this ordinance, these officers countinue in service until their succestor are appointed.

Under the ordinance of convection of April 24, 1861, the council unanimously councur with the Governor in the following appointents recommended by General Lee:

Major Robert S. Garnett to be adjuatnt-general with the rank of colonel; Captain Eugene E. McLean to be quartermaster with the rank of major; Major George C. Hutter to be paymaster with the rank of major; Charles Bell Gibson to be surgeon-general with the rank of colonel; Charles H. Smith to be surgeon with the rank of major.

Under the ordinance of convention of April 17, 1861, the council unanimoulsy advise that the Governor make the following appointments upon like recommendation of General Lee, submitted by the Governor for advice:

Colonel Joseph E. Johnston, to be major-general of volunteers; Colonel John B. Madgured to be colonel of volunteers; Captain Henry Heth to be lieutenant-colonel of volunteers; Captain Richard S. Ewell to be lieutenant-colonel of volunteers, and James R. Crenshaw to be major of volunteers.

The Governor having submitted to the council for advice the case of officers of the Army and Navy of the United States, natives or residents of Virginia now on the retired list: Advised unanimously that General Joseph E. Johnston, Colonel John B. Magruder, and Lieutenant Colonel Richard S. Ewell, late of the U. S. Army, and Capts. Samuel Baron and Sydney Smith Lee, late of the U. S. Navy, be appointed a joint commission of army and navy officers to name all efficient and worty Virginias and residents of Virginia in the Army and Navy of the United States, for the purpose of inviting them into the service of Virginia, in accordance with the ordinance of convention of April 17, 1861.

The Governro also submitted for advice the question how steam vessels entering the navy-yeard at Portsmouth or other ports on State service may be supplied with coal when in want, this being now the case with one such vessel at Portsmouth: Advised unanimously to the chief of that bureau to pruchase, or cause to be purchased, a sufficient supply of coal for the use of steamers and to issue it as necessity may require.

The Governor submitted for advice the following ordinance adopted by the convention on the 24th instant:

Be it ordained, That the Governor be authorized to have constructed a line of telegraph from the city of Richmond to such on Youk River as he may select, adn to defray the cost of the same from such moneys as may be raised for military purposes.

Advised unanimously that the Governor advertise for proposals to erect a line of telegraph from Richmond to West Point and put the same in operation.

The Governor also submitted another ordinance of the convention of the same date, as follows:

Be it ordained, That the Governor be, and is hereby, authorized to excuse from military service such number of the employes of each railroad company as may be necessary to operate to road and to organize and arm them for the defense of the line of such road and of its termini.


Page 36 Chapter LXIII. MD., E. N. C., PA., VA., EXCEPT S. W., & W. VA.