SATURDAY, June 1, 1861.*
Present, John J. Allen, president; F. H. Smith, M. F. Maury, R. L. Montague, and T. S. Haymond.
Advised unanimously that the Governor tender to the President the services of the officers of the Army and Navy who have retired or may retire from the service of the late United States and entered or may enter that of Virginia, to the end that they may be regularly incorporated into the Army and Navy of the Confederate States, with the view of increasing the efficiency thereof; and further, that the attention of the Confederate authorities be invited to the terms of the invitation of Virginia to those officers, by which it was made the duty of the Governor to assign to them such rank as will not reverse the relative rank held by them in the U. S. service, and will at least be equivalent thereto, it being the desire of the State of Virginia that in assigning to these officers rank in the Confederate service this rule should be observed, except with regard to brigadier-generals and major-generals.
Advised unanimously that the Governor of Virginia tender, by regiments, to the President of the Confederate States all the volunteer forces of Virginia which have been or may be mustered into the service of Virginia, and all seamen and marines in the service of Virginia, to the end that they may be received into the service of the Confederate States; and that he also tender to the President the use of all the public property, naval stores, and munitions of war, &c., acquired from the United States now in the possession of the State of Virginia, except the machinery for the manufacture of arms captured at Harper’s Ferry.
It is further advised that all quartermasters’, commissary, and hospital stores now in possession of the State of Virginia be turned over to the Confederate States for the use of the same.
Absent, M. F. Maury and R. L. Montague.
Advised by the councilors present that the Governor send a special messenger by an express car to Staunton with orders to Major Harman to order out the militia in the counties of Bath, Pocahontas, Pendleton, Highland, Randolph, Barbour, and Tucker, to cause them to assemble, with such arms as they may be able to bring with them, and to supply the remainder with arms hitherto sent out. These troops are to assemble and re-enforce Colonel Porterfield, at Philippi. It is further advised that Colonel Porterfield be directed to destroy the bridge, culvert, and trestle-work at Cheat River, and in every possible way destroy the railroad on both branches so as to interrupt the free passage of trains, and that this last order be kept with secrecy, that it may not be anticipated or interfered with; and for the purpose of executing this order effectively at Cheat River it is suggested that Colonel Porterfield consider the propriety of sending a strong detachment across the Laurel Ridge and down Clover Run to Cheat.
JOHN J. ALLEN.
T. S. HAYMOND.
FRANCIS H. SMITH.
M. F. MAURY.
RO. L. MONTAGUE.
* From proceedings of the Advisory Council of the State of Virginia.
Sources
The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies. Series I, Vol. LI, Part II. Washington: Government Printing Office, 1897.
Spirit of '61 