Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Use Restrictions

For preservation purposes, please use microfilm (Miscellaneous Reels 6443-6614).

Preferred Citation

Virginia. Governor's Office. Militia Commission Papers, 1777-1858. Accession 42222. State government records collection, The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Va.

Acquisition Information

These materials most likely represent an artificial collection of records compiled from the Governor's Office Executive Papers from Patrick Henry through Henry A. Wise.

Alternative Form Available

This collection is currently in the process of being microfilmed.

Historical Information

During the colonial period of Virginia's history, the governor, as an appointee of the Crown, was the colony's principal representative and upholder of royal authority.Although his powers were limited somewhat by the Council and by the laws passed by the House of Burgesses, the governor still had the authority to prorogue, adjourn, or dissolve the legislature to confirm or veto its acts, to preside as the chief jurist of the colony, to command the provincial military forces, and to appoint many of the subordinate officers of government.

Most of these powers, excepting the military and appointive, were swept away by the American Revolution. The several revolutionary conventions assumed the executive role in 1774 and 1775 until the Committee of Safety was created in July 1775 to function in that capacity. The constitution adopted in 1776 made the governor subordinate to the legislative branch, elected by the General Assembly and circumscribed by a Council of State appointed by the assembly.

It was not until the constitution of 1851 was adopted that the power of the governor was strengthened appreciably. The Council of State was abolished and the governor was popularly elected. In subsequent years his authority was consolidated and expanded to statute, and his veto power was restored. The state government reorganization act passed by the General Assembly on April 18, 1927, firmly established the governor as the chief administrative officer of a government composed of departments, the directors of which serve at the pleasure of the governor. In addition, the organization of the governor's a staff has increased in size and complexity until it has become virtually a department itself: the Office of the Governor, encompassing both the chief executive and his staff.

Scope and Content

The Militia Commission Papers are housed in one hundred and seventy-one archival boxes and are arranged in two series. Series have been designated for Miscellaneous Records and Militia Commissions. The records include correspondence, extracts from the journals of the House of Delegates and Senate, circulars, general orders, commissions, returns, recommendations, resignations, certificates of election, and other sundry items.

Series I: Miscellaneous Records (1786-1827): This series is housed in two archival boxes and is arranged in alphabetical order. The series mostly consists of covers or endorsement pages separated from the militia commissions. In addition, there are several miscellaneous records such as correspondence from the Adjutant General's Office, brigadier general's records, cavalry and artillery records, circulars and general orders, extracts from the journals of the House of Delegates and Senate, and others.

The Adjutant General's Office Correspondence mainly contains letters from militia officers to Virginia governor and adjutant generals regarding their commissions. Noteworthy are the following documents: Governor Robert Brooke to Simon Morgan, Adjutant General, regarding the appointment of Samuel Coleman to execute the duties of adjutant general in his absence (1795 Dec. 19); the court martial papers of Major General Everard Meade (1798 Sept. 5); William Simmons, Dept. of War Accountant's Office, enclosing a copy of instructions regarding the pay and allowances of the militia while in the service of the United States (1807 Aug. 3); and Henry Dearborn, Secretary of War, acknowledging receipt of the annual return of the militia and twelve-month volunteers (1807 Dec. 8 and 1809 Feb. 11).

The Brigadier General records include correspondence to Samuel Coleman, Deputy Adjutant General, and Virginia governors regarding returns, commissions, arms, requisitions, general orders, resignations, etc. Also included are commissions, certificates of election, certificates of qualification, and resignations related to brigadier generals.

The Cavalry and Artillery records contain similar information found in the militia commission papers including commissions, correspondence, recommendations, resignations, etc., for officers in cavalry or artillery units.

The circulars and general orders originate from the governor, U. S. War Department, adjutant general, or brigadier generals between 1797 and 1813. Significant are general orders for the requisition by the President for a detachment of militia (1797 Aug. 12); a circular from Henry Dearborn, War Dept., regarding the act of 8 May 1792 providing for an annual return to be made to the President stating the military strength of each state (1802 Dec. 8); general orders for calling on the state's quota of one hundred thousand militia required by the President (1807 July 17); and general orders from Governor William H. Cabell regarding the encouragement of volunteer associations as authorized by the act of Congress on 24 February 1807 (1807 Aug. 15).

The extracts from the journals of the House of Delegates and Senate document the elections of brigadier generals between 1800 and 1811. Elections for the following brigadier generals are represented in this folder: William Nelson, Thomas White, John Smith, Hugh Holmes, James Breckinridge, William Madison, John C. Cohoon, and John Singleton. In addition, there is an extract regarding the election of Moses Green as adjutant general to supply the vacancy occasioned by the death of Simon Morgan (1811 Jan. 3).

Series II: Militia Commissions (1777-1858): This series is housed in one hundred and sixty-nine archival boxes and is arranged in three subseries. Subseries have been designated for Counties, Cities, and Resignations. Included are lists of officers, returns, recommendation, correspondence, resignations, certificates of the election of officers, and other sundry items.

Subseries A: Counties (1777-1858): Subseries A is housed in one hundred and fifty-eight archival boxes (Boxes 3-160) and is arranged in alphabetical order by county, then chronologically, with undated documents at the end of each county. The subseries mainly consists of recommendations for militia officers in the form of county court orders. There are also letters of recommendation to the governor from militia officers. In addition, there is correspondence to the governor by officers remonstrating against certain appointments. This series includes militia commissions for counties in Kentucky and West Virginia which were formerly part of Virginia.

Subseries B: Cities (1777-1858): Subseries B is housed in nine archival boxes (Boxes 161-169) and is arranged in alphabetical order by city, then chronologically, with undated documents at the end of each city. This subseries contains similar documents found in Subseries A, including court orders, letters of recommendation, certificates of election, and other documents related to the commissions of officers in the Virginia militia. Note that unknown localities are filed in Box 169 of this subseries.

Subseries C: Resignations (1823-1856): Subseries C is housed in two archival boxes (Boxes 170-171) and is arranged in chronological order. This subseries contains letters of resignation from militia officers to the adjutant general or governor between 1822 and 1856. The resignations sometimes include the commissions signed by the governor.

Arrangement

This collection is arranged into the following series:

Militia Commissions are arranged alphabetically by county or city of origin and then chronologically within each locality.