Circular letter requisitioning enslaved men for defence of the Confederacy

Source catalog description

This description refers to material held by Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture. Visual details below describe the original material.

A circular with letters from William Smith, Governor of Virginia, and George W. Munford, Secretary of the Commonwealth, to County Courts throughout Virginia. The document consists of printed black text on a single sheet of paper, folded to form four pages and then folded again into thirds. The first page of the document is a letter from the governor establishing his authority to requisistion enslaved men and put them to work building fortifications. It is dated [January 22, 1864] in the top right corner and addressed at left to [To the Honorable the County Courts / of the several Counties named in the annexed schedule]. It notes [The President has asked for the number of slaves as apportioned in the annexed schedule. You will please make provision for the number assessed to your County.].

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