From the 1938 centennial edition of The Times-Register
Ant act was passed by the general assembly of the state of Virginia on March 2, 1866, for the purpose of reestablishing the militia in this state. Under this act the county court in each county was ordered to appoint three men for the purpose of supervising elections of officers by regiments and by companies in this state. It was specified in this act that a captain, fist lieutenant and second lieutenant to be elected by each company of militia in the state and that of they failed to elect suck officers the county court appoint them. It was further specified in the act that the general assembly would appoint the major generals and brigadier generals.
I compliance with this act officers for none companies of militia were elected in Roanoke county as follows:
Company No. 1; Captain Lewis Deyerle, 1st Lieut. Robert Hatcher, 2nd Lieut. N. Giles. There were fifty-eight men listed in this company.
Company No. 2: Captain R. Page, 1st Lieut. James Hammen, 2nd Lieut. I. Stoutamire. Total men in company were seventy-seven.
Company No. 3: Captain R. Page, 1st Lieut. James Houtz, 2nd Lieut. W. E. Howbert. Fifty-eight men were listed in this company.
Cave Spring Company: Captain Henry Persinger, 1st Lieut. M. A. Persinger, 2nd Lieut. Chas. Trout. Total number of men were forty-seven.
Pine Grove Company: Captain M. P. Crawford, 1st Lieut. George P. Airhard, 2nd Lieut. George Karns. Total men in company were fifty four.
Big Lick Company: Captain H. S. Trout, 1st Lieut. J. W. McNeal, 2nd Lieut. F. D. Eddington. Total number of men in company were sixty-five.
Big Company At Back Creek
Back Creek Company: Captain John H. Steel, 1st Lieut. Thomas Webster. No second lieutenant was listed on the record in the clerk of courts office. Total number of men were eighty-six which made it the largest company of militia in the county.
Botetourt Springs Company: Captain Hunt Dillard, 1st Lieut. M. P. Frantz, 2nd Lieut. John Speagle. Forty-eight men were in company.
Catawba Company: Captain Caleb Huffman, 1st Lieut. Archibald Woods, 2nd Lieut. John Hall. A total of seventy-seven were in company.
It will be seen from the above that laws governing this state immediately following the war were somewhat conflicting. Under military ordered issued previously no citizen who had in any way fought or even aided and abetted the southern cause was to hold any appointive or elective office in the state. Under the restrictions imposed by that order scarcely a man in the county was eligible to hold any office whatsoever.
Firearms Collected
By an act passed by the general assembly of this state on December 20, 1805, firearms were to be gathered by the peace officers of the state and turned over to the governor. The act reads as follows:
“Be in enacted by the General Assembly that all sheriffs, constables, sergeants, and police officers be and are hereby authorized to make diligent search for all public arms, national and state, improperly held by citizens and other persons; take possession of the same and turn over to the nearest commandant, such as may belong to the United States and those belonging to the state, to the governor of Virginia.”
“Such officers are empowered to summon any citizen or citizens to aid in the enforcement of this act.”
This act was probably aimed at the Confederate soldiers, some of whom had kept their arms, after returning from service in the confederate army.
– Prepared by Lingjie Gu
