A Guide to the Virginia Auditor of Public Accounts - Confederate Disability Records, 1867-1890

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

Extent:
28.05 cu. ft. (34 boxes)
Creator:
Virginia Auditor of Public Accounts (1776-1928)
Language:
English

Background

Scope and content:

Records, 1867-1890, including applications and receipts, and registers, detailing Virginia veterans efforts to obtain artificial limbs and money for disabilities received during the Civil War from the Auditor of Public Accounts.

The records are arranged alphabetically and then chronologically into seven series. This collection consists of several Auditor of Public Accounts (APA) accessions that while identified separately, all pertain to the same collection of records. Since the specific APA accessions had been used and referenced over the years it was decided that each series would reference it's specific APA number, but one finding aid would describe the entire collection.

The bulk of the records are the Applications and receipts, 1867-1887, arranged into two series. Series I: Applications and receipts, 1867-1878, are arranged alphabetically by soldier's last name in five boxes. Included are applications, certificates, correspondence, court oaths and testimonies, orders, postcards, and receipts. Series II: Applications and receipts records, 1882-1887, are arranged by year and then alphabetically by soldiers last names in twenty-four boxes. Included are applications, certificates, correspondence, court oaths and testimonies, orders, postcards, power of attorneys, and receipts. The Applications and receipts include a variety of information, such as the soldiers unit, length of service, injury, location or battle where injury occurred, and whether they received an artificial limb.

The Registers, 1876-1888, are arranged chronologically into five series. The registers are volumes containing lists of soldiers who received payments for their disabilities. Within each volume the lists are arranged both alphabetically and chronologically and contain the soldiers names, regiment, place of residence, nature of disability, and date the soldier was paid for his injury.

The Applications and Receipts, 1879-1890, (APA 185) were indexed, scanned, and are available on the Library of Virginia's online collection discovery system. The applications are searchable by the name of the Confederate veteran and by the veterans' places of residence (city or county). For additional information and search tips please see About the Confederate Disability Applications

Biographical / historical:

On 29 January 1867 the General Assembly passed an act providing artificial limbs for former Confederate soldiers. This act established a board (Board of Commissioners on Artificial Limbs) consisting of the Governor, the Auditor of Public Accounts, and Dr. F. B. Watkins, to furnish applicants with artificial limbs. The applicants submitted orders from county courts verifying citizenship and loss of limb in the Civil War. Money for the artificial limbs was paid out of the treasury on order of the Auditor of Public Accounts. Between 1867 and 1894 a succession of laws were passed to provide money for artificial limbs and other disability benefits to Virginia veterans of the Civil War. Additionally, beginning in 1882 and continuing until 1894, the General Assembly authorized the payment of commutations (a financial settlement in lieu of an artificial limb) to veterans who had lost a limb but could not wear a prosthesis. Through the years the General Assembly also enacted legislation allowing the money due to qualified soldiers be made available to their widows or surviving children. The board ceased operations sometime after the last funding act was passed on 8 March 1894.

Additionally, the Virginia General Assembly passed Confederate pension acts in 1888, 1900, and 1902, and a series of supplementary acts between 1903 and 1934. The act of 1888 provided pensions to Confederate soldiers, sailors, and marines disabled in action and to the widows of those killed in action. Subsequent acts broadened the coverage to include all veterans, their widows and their unmarried or widowed daughters. The acts required that applicants be residents of Virginia.

Acquisition information:
Transferred from the Auditor of Public Accounts in 1913.
Arrangement:
  • Series I: Applications and receipts, 1867-1878 (APA 112)
  • Series II: Applications and receipts, 1879-1890 (bulk 1882-1887) (APA 185)
  • Series III: Register, 1876-1880 (APA 183)
  • Series IV: Register, 1882 (APA 184)
  • Series V: Register, 1882-1887 (APA 186)
  • Series VI: Register, 1884-1887 (APA 187)
  • Series VII: Register, 1887-1888 (APA 188)