Page:Confederate Military History - 1899 - Volume 3.djvu/587

Rh throughout the county by these bands of men pretending to gather up public property, and issued an address to all the people, calling on them to abide by the laws; the sheriff was also ordered to go on with the collection of taxes. Many men of the soldier element were still in a state of uncertainty as to what to do.

On the 29th, about 2 o'clock in the afternoon, some 800 Federal soldiers marched into Staunton and went into camp near the city. They were very quiet and disturbed no one. Generals Rosser and William L. Jackson, who were in Staunton, left in the morning of that day. On Monday, May 1st, the Federal provost marshal commenced paroling soldiers of the Confederacy, more offering for parole than could be accommodated. Large numbers of negroes collected at the Federal camp. Rosser and Jackson, with a few followers, left for the southwest of the Valley on the morning of the 2d, and the Federal troops left Staunton, returning toward Winchester.

On Monday, May 8th, many of the citizens of Augusta county met in Staunton, declaring that armed resistance had ceased in Augusta county and that the only way to make the laws conform to those of the United States was, from necessity, to call a convention of the State of Virginia, on the basis of the members of the house of delegates, and recommending the appointment of a committee to go to Richmond and ascertain whether the Federal authorities would allow such a body to meet and deliberate. Gen. John B. Baldwin endorsed the resolutions, in forcible and patriotic remarks, and they were unanimously adopted, and the chairman was authorized to appoint the committee. This action by this influential county and the able committee named to represent it, finally led to the appointment of a committee of nine, representing the whole State, that had much to do in securing the political rehabilitation of Virginia and her ultimate restoration to the Union.