Cox's Mills Gilmer County West V.a
August the 13th /63
To his Excellence A.I. Boreman Gov of West V.a
Dear Sir
Something like two years since I received a commission as Adjutant of the 165th Regiment of V.a militia under this commission I have been acting up to this time. I have quite rec recently been informed that you have removed me and commissioned one John Varner as adjutant in my stead. If so I should like to know it and should be glad to know the cause of my removal, not being apprised of ever having neglected my duty in the slightest degree. I would just say to you I organized the militia of this county in the Spring of 1862 and prior to the breaking out of the Rebellion this same John Varner was Capt of one of the companies of said Regt and under the arrangements Gov Peirpoint instructed me that all the officers that would take the several othes(sic) prescribed by law should retain their commission. This the said John Varner utterly refused to do, and I was compelled to notify and assemble his company and hold an election & the consequence was that Rebels was elected as officers of the com. I have been informed that you were desined(sic) to have the militia of the county organized in order to draft from this county I would just say to you that at great risk of my person & property I traveled through the county and organized the militia of this county and with the exception of two companies all the officers elected was sesesh. I so informed the Governor, he then sent to me blank certificates of the oath (illegible) the officers all took and subscribed said oaths, which Inturned(sic) to the Governor & he commissioned them, since then several of them, disregarded their oaths & went to the confederate army. I also held elections for Col Lt 60 & major at which election Ezekiel T. Stout was Elected Col, (illegible) Stumps Lt. Col and Samuel M. Brannon Mayor. all these officers was what we call moderate sesesh, and have remained among us & in one instance acted under their commissions & held a court of Enquiry & assessed fines (?). So you see that the militia of this co has been organized under the reorganized Government of Virginia; and it seams(sic) to me that it would be entirely useless to attempt to do it over again, to run the State to unnecessary expense as I am candidly of the opinion that there is not 20 able bodied union men between the age of 18 & 45 left in this county that is not in the Army of the United States. and I am of the opinion fully 1/3 of the rebels have since the organization have gone in to the Confederate army. but if you desine(sic) that I should ascertain precisely the number of men in one county subject to perform military duty just let me know it and I will attend to it with out delay. Please let me hear from you as soon as convenient, and believe me your most devoted friend.
Phillip Cox
Adjt 165 Regt
V.a mw
Transcription by Adam Brown, undergraduate student enrolled in Dr. Billy Joe Peyton's Fall 2010 "Introduction to Public History" at West Virginia State University