4th Regiment Virginia Artillery - Richmond Home Artillery - NEW

Item CON-12068

Description

2 page Original Confederate Civil War Letter, written in period ink.


Headquarters of the 4th Regiment of Artillery
Richmond
April 19^th 1861
 
To General William H. Richardson
Adjutant General
 
Sir,
 
In the year 1855, I was duly appointed, commissioned, and qualified as colonel of the 4th Regiment of Artillery.
 
According to our militia law, the staff of a colonel consists of one quartermaster, one paymaster, one surgeon, one surgeon's mate, one adjutant with the rank of a captain, one sergeant major, one quartermaster sergeant, when in actual service, an additional surgeon's mate, two principal musicians to be styled drum and fife majors.  (Title 11, Chapter 23, S 18. Code of Virginia, edit. 1849).  Section 13, chapter 24, same title of the code, authorizes each colonel to be appointed his own staff.
 
Under this authority, I appointed my staff and apprised you of the appointments. I have always supposed that my letter of appointment carried with it legal authority, and therefore entitled the holder of it to rank from the date of its acceptance, and to the pay and emoluments of the office in time of war.
 
Learning from my surgeon and surgeon's mate that some difficulty has been suggested in this case on this point, I beg to submit the question for your official decision.
 
As the question is likely to be of interest and importance at this moment, I respectfully suggest that if there be any doubt on your mind in reference to it, it might be reopened to the attorney general for his legal opinion.
 
With great respect, 
 
Thomas H. Ellis
Colonel
 
And if it be proper for commissions to be issued from the executive, I would ask for them now upon a memorandum of names and dates, which I will furnish at your request.