Under an act of the legislature of Mississippi, August 11, 1864, creating the office of superintendent of army records and making it the duty of that officer to collect and record the names and military status of all Mississippians in the Confederate service, Governor Clark appointed Col. J. L. Power. In his report made to the governor of Mississippi in October, 1865, Colonel Power, among other things, says:
"To enter upon the completion of these records after more than three years of active military service, involving loss of company books and muster-rolls, seemed indeed a hopeless, endless task.
From this and other data in my possession, I have thought it might be interesting to deduce something like an approximate estimate of the total strength and losses of the troops furnished by the State of Mississippi. Whole number in service 78,000 Total loss from all causes 59,250 Balance accounted for 18,750 "And of this number about thirty per cent were absent for various causes at the general surrender of the armies."
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