be in our hands before the election, because we apprehend that the polls may be held by the anti-secessionists and we be kept from voting. The Virginia authorities must be careful to whom they send arms and other militia officers are traitorous, or, to say the least, unreliable. We will agree to give bond in any penalty befoire any man (or the county court) for the return of these arms, or for their delivery to any volunteer company that may present an order for them Your Excellency. We should also have pistols and side-arms; for all of which we will give proper security. The Government should undoubtelly attend at once to this region. We were at a convention at Fairmont on the 17th instant, composed of delegates from all parts of the district, and the views we have expressed here are confirmed by all we learned there. We have conferred with our neighbor Senator Neeson, of Marion, and he concurs in our views; also Senator Newlen.

Very respectfully, your obedient servants and fellow-citizens,

E. J. ARMSTRONG.

A. S. WARDEN,

Surgeon 119th Regiment.

B. F. MARTIN.

D. S. MORRIS,

Editor and Publisher.

WM. P. KEMBLE,

Colonel 119th Regiment.

G. W. HANSBROUGH,

Commonwealth's Attorney.

[2.]

ROLLISTON, near Norfolk, [April -, 1861.*]

WILLIAM M. AMBRER, Esq.:

MY DEAR SIR: Mr. Walters, of Baltimore, will hand you this. For God's sake, urge'em at Richmond to press forward on three points: Harper's Ferry, to cut off the West, to form camp for Baltimore and point of atatck on Washington from the west; the Potomac River form every point where heavy guns can be put to resist re-enforcements by that river, and to Hampton to prevent the forces at Fort Monroe form taking heights around and shutting us up in our bays and rivers. Send heavy guns to Potomac, and procure small arms from Governor Ellis, who is said to have captured 75,000 stand in North CAarolina. We are quiet here now, but fortifying, and daily along Lyan Haven seeing the steamers taking re-enforcements up bay and potomac to Washington. This can be done all the time until we surround For Monroe and make the Roads too hot to hold blockading fleets. I may be a dying ma, but will be at Richmond in two or three days and seek service. Have telegraphed my tender to Governor Letcher. Will you please see him and the council and beg for some command for

Yours, truly,

HENBY A. WISE.

[2.]

RICHMOND, VA., April 25, 1861.

His Excellency JEFFERSON DAVIS,

President of the Confederate States of America:

Convention between the Confederate States and the Commonwealth of Virginia ratified. All military forces and military operations of the

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* Probably written about April 23 or 24, 1864.

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