Fredericksburg (Va.) funds distributed for relief of families of certain soldiers and sailors, 1865

Access and use

Location of collection:
Library of Virginia
The Library of Virginia
800 East Broad Street
Richmond, VA 23219
Contact for questions and access:
POC: Archives Reference Services
Phone: (804) 692-3888

Summary

Creator:
Fredericksburg (Va.) Corporation Court.
Language:
English

Background

Scope and content:

Fredericksburg (Va.) funds distributed for relief of families of certain soldiers and sailors, 1865, include receipts given for payments distributed to indigent families of Confederate soldiers and sailors; reports that list indigent families of soldiers and sailors living in Fredericksburg; a report that records the date funds were distributed, to whom paid, number of persons in family, name of relation in service, amount distributed to each family member, total amount distributed to family, and relationship to serviceman (husband, son, father, etc.); and a copy of circular containing the act that made possible the distribution of funds to indigent families of soldiers and sailors.

Biographical / historical:

Throughout the Civil War, the principal responsibility for Virginia's indigent soldiers' families lay with the locality. The Virginia State Convention in 1861 gave the responsibility entirely to counties and incorporated towns and authorized whatever actions had already been taken. Acts of Assembly in 1862 and 1863 expanded the localities' powers to provide for their needy, and in 1863 some minimal state assistance was added in. At first relief was provided as money, but as the monetary system collapsed, relief was distributed in kind. Agents of the court maintained lists of eligible families, gathered goods for distribution and paid for them, and impressed supplies if necessary. Virginia was unique amongst the southern states in that it assigned the provisioning of needy families almost solely to the locality.

Acquisition information:
These items came to the Library of Virginia under the accession number 42930.
Physical location:
Library of Virginia
Physical description:
1 microfilm reel (62 images)