Virginia Gilmer County
I Phillip Cox Adjutant of the 165 Regiment Virginia militia, do hereby certify that of the 8th day of March 1862 in the town of Troy in the county of Gilmer I superintended the election of a captain and two Lieutenants , of one of the companies of that Regiment, when the votes of all the members of the company present, being given viva voce, a majority was found to be in the favor of John H. Bush, for captain, who was duly elected captain of said company and to fill the vacancy of occasioned by failure of the William Mox by the former Capt to qualify according to law, and a majority was found in favor of David Wechent for first Lieutenant , and a majority was found to be in favor of William Keister for second Lieutenant of said company, and I further certify that a majority of the persons entitled vote was present and that the election was fairly and justly conducted. Given under my hand this 8th day of March 1862.
Phillip Cox Adjutant
165 Regiment Va, MW
Cox' Mills Gilmer County V.a 8th March 1862
Sir
Yours of the 24th (illegible) came duly to hand which directed me to go on and hold Petit masters organize(sic) the militia of the 165 Reg + Va ma and enquiring if I had rec a commission. An answer in which I can inform you that I received a commission some time in August and immediately made an effort Organise(sic) the regiment, but found it impossible to do so, on account of the disunion sentiment pervading in this county. The rebbles(sic) norated(sic) every where that I was making preparations for a draft, to force them into the Union army (?), Consequently none of the Sesesh would attend master when notified to do so. I wrote to the Governor informing him of that fact, and other directions I had taken from him, I had taken the horses to ride around through the company districts, and notified them legally to attend at their usual place of mastering on a certain day, but when the time came the Sesesh was none there. I called the roll and marked the absentees, which in the companies amounted to some thing above 70. being a majority. If the Governor got my letter, he failed to answer or at least no answer came to me. Of late the rebellion in this county has become somewhat convinced of their decision & are now yielding to the Civil authority. I concluded to try again to organize(sic) the militia and had put out advertisements prior to receiving your letter. The blanks you mentioned in your letter has not come to hand yet. In haste yours VC
Phillip Cox
Transcription by Adam Brown, undergraduate student enrolled in Dr. Billy Joe Peyton's Fall 2010 "Introduction to Public History" at West Virginia State University