Chap. 265.—An ACT having for its object the collection, preservation and perpet-
uation of the naines of the soldiers of Virginia who fought in her defence in the
war between the states.

Approved February 9, 1898.

1. Be it enacted by the general assembly of Virginia, That upon
petition of three reputable soldiers who served in defence of Virginia in
the war between the states of eighteen hundred and sixty-one and
eighteen hundred and sixty-five, presented to the county or corporation
court of any county or city in this commonwealth, praying that the
muster roll or rolls of any troop of cavalry or company of artillery or
during the war between the states, showing that such troop or company
was raised for the defence of Virginia, and that such troop or company
did actually serve in any of the armies of the Confederate States of America,
may be recorded among the records of said county or city. It shall be
the duty of the clerk of said court to publish a notice in a newspaper, if
one be published in said county or city, for two successive wecks. or if
none be so published to post a notice on the court-house door stating
that such petition has been filed, the names of the petitioners and the
name of the troop or company, the muster roll of which it ig proposed
to record, and that such petition will be heard by the county or corpo-
ration court on a day fixed by the court which shall be stated in such
notice.

2. Upon the day named the petition shall be heard, and any citizen of
the county or city shall have the right to appear at said hearing by
counsel or in person, and show cause why said muster roll shall not be
recorded, or why the name of any person on said muster roll should not
be recorded, which cause may be that the troop, company or person

named deserted during the war, misbehaved before the enemy or any
other good cause pertaining to their record as soldie rs, and if any such
good cause shall be shown, then the said court shall refuse to order said
record to be recorded, or shall order that the name of the person or per-
sons designated shall be omitted from the record of the muster roll.

3. Upon the filing of said petition a copy of the muster roll shall be
filed therewith as a part thereof, and upon the hearing the court shall
be satisfied by competent and sufficient evidence that the copy of the
muster roll filed is as perfect a copy of the original roll as is practicable
to be made. And the court, upon proper evidence, shall have power at
any time to amend such roll by inserting names omitted from the copy,
and when the copy is perfected, as far as practicable, shall order it to be
recorded in a book to be kept in the clerk’s oflice of the county or city,
to be entitled muster roll of said county or city, which record shall have
the same value as other records have.

4. The cost of the record book and of publishing said notice as pro-
vided by section one of this act, and of recording said rolls shall be paid
by the county or city when the petition is filed.

5. All acts or parts of acts inconsistent with this act are hereby re-
pealed.

6. No fee shall be allowed or paid to the clerk or any other officer of
the court for his services upon any proceeding under the provisions of
this act.

7. This act shall be in force from its passage.