Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

Collection is open to research.

Use Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Preferred Citation

Virginia. Adjutant General. Records, 1793-1848. Accession 36767, The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia.

Acquisition Information

These materials came in two accessions prior to 1905 and were combined into one body of records under Acc. 36767. Included is the following accession: 36948.

Historical Information

Although the Virginia militia was organized officially by Governor Thomas Dale in 1611, in reality the colonists had been organized for their mutual defense against hostile Indians and Europeans since establishing Jamestown in 1607. As the colony grew and counties were formed, the House of Burgesses refined the organization of the militia, which was under the authority of the governor. By the time the revolutionary war began, the militia had been structured along English lines, with regiments in each county commanded by a county lieutenant holding the rank of colonel.

To ensure "conformity in their exercise and evolutions, so that when the different battalions join in brigades there may be no mistake or confusion," the third revolutionary convention passed an ordinance at its session begun on July 17, 1775, establishing the Office of the Adjutant General. Both the office and the trend toward uniformity continued after the war. The Civil War marked the end of the militia system of 250 years.

Following the conclusion of the Civil War, no Virginia military units were authorized until the General Assembly passed an act on March 29, 1871, providing for the reorganization of the militia and the reestablishment of the Office of the Adjutant General, which had been vacant through the Reconstruction period. It was not until March 17, 1884, however, that the General Assembly passed an act funding the new militia known as the Virginia Volunteers. On June 3, 1916, the Volunteers became the Virginia National Guard under the provisions of the National Defense Act passed by the United States Congress.

The General Assembly passed an act on April 18, 1927, that reorganized state government and created within the governor's office the Division of Military Affairs headed by the adjutant general. On March 31, 1964, the General Assembly passed an act establishing the Department of Military Affairs to assume the responsibilities of the division, which was abolished, and the department was placed under the secretary of transportation and public safety by an act passed on April 8, 1972. The General Assembly created separate secretariats for transportation and for public safety on April 12, 1976, and placed the department under the secretary of public safety. On June 30, 1978, Governor John N. Dalton issued Executive Order No. 16, transferring the department to the secretary of transportation. Effective July 1, 1984, the secretariats of transportation and public safety again were combined.

Scope and Content

The Adjutant General Records are housed in six archival boxes and are arranged in two series. Series have been designated for correspondence and returns. The records includes correspondence, annual returns, brigade returns, half monthly returns, pay abstracts, muster rolls, and other sundry items.

Series I: Correspondence (1801-1841) This series is arranged in chronological order and primarily documents correspondence from the adjutant general to the governor between 1801 and 1841 with the bulk of material dating between 1813 and 1841. The earliest correspondence, 1801 to 1802, consists of letters from brigade inspectors to Governor James Monroe submitting brigade returns. In addition, Samuel Coleman & William W. Hening, Deputy Adjutant Generals, transmit annual or general returns of the militia.

Claiborne W. Gooch is the first adjutant general represented in this series. Gooch served as adjutant general between 1816 and 1821. Gooch corresponded with the governor regarding such topics as the Armory, the Lexington Arsenal, the Westham Magazine, uniforms, Ft. Powhatan, the Public Guard, and arms & ordnance. Gooch submits an inventory of arms on hand at the Armory on 17 January 1819. On 10 November 1819, Gooch writes regarding the Armory, Westham Magazine, & Lexington Arsenal. Gooch also writes the governor regarding several plans for the uniform of the officers of the militia (1819 June 21). On 18 July 1820, Gooch writes to Lt. E. Brown requesting him to receive property at Ft. Powhatan belonging to the state, to enlist a guard, and to preserve the ordnance, etc. Gooch encloses an order to the Commandant of the Public Guard, including a letter from Blair Bolling along with a morning report of the Public Guard (1821 Jan. 31). Lastly, Gooch writes the governor enclosing a letter from Capt. James Paxton regarding the repair of arms at the Lexington Arsenal (1821 April 14).

Bernard Peyton replaced Gooch as adjutant general in 1821 and served until 1840. Peyton writes concerning arms, the Armory, the Westham Magazine, the Gun House, the Lexington Arsenal, Ft. Powhatan, the U. S. Bellona Arsenal, the Public Guard, and other subjects. Peyton often submits reports on the condition of the Armory, the Westham Magazine, & the magazines near the Penitentiary (1821 April 28, 1821 May 6, & 1826 April 20). Likewise, Peyton transmits annual reports in late September or early October on the condition of the Lexington Arsenal between 1821 and 1838. On 21 May 1821, Peyton encloses a letter from C. Tompkins regarding an estimate of the repairs necessary to the Gun House near the Penitentiary. Peyton also encloses an estimate of the house to be erected near the Penitentiary for the preservation of cannon, carriages, & other public property (1821 June 12). On 29 May 1822, Peyton writes concerning the removal of ordnance, etc., from Ft. Powhatan to the Armory. Later, he writes regarding the sale of public property at Ft. Powhatan (1822 June 14). Peyton periodically transmits correspondence from Capt. James Paxton or Capt. David E. Moore who enclose monthly returns of arms or half monthly returns of the guard at the Lexington Arsenal (1822 June 28, 1823 Feb. 24, & 1828 March 6). Following the fire at the Penitentiary in August 1823, Peyton writes regarding quarters for Capt. Samuel Cary's Company who acted as a guard during the repair of the Penitentiary (1823 Aug. 21). Peyton encloses letters from Col. George Bomford, U. S. Ordnance Department, regarding the quota of arms from the United States to Virginia (1823 Sept. 11, 1831 April 22, & 1836 July 15). Lastly, Peyton reports on the condition of public arms and the storage of cannon carriages, etc., at the Foundry (1823 Nov. 11 & 1824 April 13).

Bernard Peyton was succeeded by William H. Richardson as adjutant general in 1841. Despite Richardson's long tenure as adjutant general, these records do not contain much correspondence from Richardson, with the exception of two letters enclosing annual returns of the militia (1841 Sept. 29 & Dec.).

Other noteworthy items in this series include the following: rules & regulations for the government of the different departments of the staff of the Virginia Militia including the duties of the adjutant general, quarter master general's department, & ordnance department (1815 Jan. 10); a letter from Robert Quarles, Quarter Master General, enclosing statements of arms brought from the Point of Fork Arsenal & the number of arms made at the Armory (1815 Nov. 3); a letter from Robert Quarles transmitting a report of the state of the Westham Magazine (1817 Jan. 31); a letter from Lt. E. Brown regarding the enlistment of the garrison at Ft. Powhatan (1820 Aug. 2); a letter from Lt. E. Brown, enclosing a return of ordnance at Ft. Powhatan and a muster roll of the guard stationed there (1820 Aug. 5); and a letter from Blair Bolling, Commandant of the Public Guard, enclosing a letter regarding Williamson Ladd, a deserter from the Public Guard at the Lexington Arsenal (1821 Jan. 6).

Series II: Returns (1793-1848) This series is arranged in two subseries. Subseries have been designated for annual returns and brigade returns.

Subseries A: Annual Returns (1799-1848) This subseries is arranged in chronological order. Annual or general returns provide information on the number of militia and arms in the Commonwealth. Between 1799 and 1804, the returns enumerate the brigades, regiments, general staff, field officers, platoon officers, regimental staff, non-commissioned officers, musicians, effective force, arms, ammunition, & accoutrements, musical instruments, & officers equipage for each division. These returns were compiled by Samuel Coleman, Deputy Adjutant General. Between 1810 & 1812, the annual returns enumerate general staff, infantry, cavalry, & artillery for each division including officers, non-commissioned officers, & arms, ammunition, & accoutrements for each category. These returns were compiled by William W. Hening, Deputy Adjutant General, for Moses Green, Adjutant General. In 1815 & 1816, there are the following reports by Robert Quarles, Quarter Master General: ordnance, arms, munitions, & military stores received at Richmond under the orders of 1 May 1815; ordnance, arms, munitions, & military stores on hand at the Capitol, Armory, Penitentiary, & Westham Magazine; and ordnance & ordnance stores at Ft. Powhatan. Finally, between 1818 & 1848, the annual returns enumerate the division staff; brigade staff; infantry, grenadiers, light infantry, & riflemen; cavalry; artillery; and arms, accoutrements, & ammunition. These returns were compiled by the adjutant generals.

Subseries B: Brigade Returns (1793-1809) The brigade returns are arranged in chronological order, with the returns for 1808-1809 organized by division. These returns contain similar information to the annual returns. The returns enumerate field officers, captains & subalterns, regimental staff, non-commissioned officers, musicians, effective force, arms, ammunition, & accoutrements, & officers equipage for the several regiments composing the brigade. Also included are returns, muster rolls, pay abstracts, etc., for individual companies & regiments. These returns were often submitted by brigade inspectors or unit commanders to the governor or deputy adjutant general.

Arrangement

Organized in the following two series:

Related Material

Note that additional materials related to the adjutant general can also be found within the Governor's Office Executive Papers (See various governors) and the Adjutant General's Letter & General Order Books (See Acc. 36772 & 36922).

Separated Material

Oversized material has been separated to Boxes 4-6.

Adjunct Descriptive Data