Document is of lined manila paper pre-printed and filled out in light ink. It is titled “No. 40 / SPECIAL REQUISITION” and then written in is “FOR THE FIELD + STAFF.” Document is dated May 30, 1863.

The requisition is for 1 pair of drawers, 2 pairs of socks, 1 cap, 2 pairs of pants and 2 knapsacks. Items were received on June 2, 1863 by a Lt. Thompkins of the 42^nd Virginia Infantry.

Document meas. approx. 10.00 x 8.00 inches and is in good condition except that the ink is faint and hard to read. Item has two vertical fold lines from the usual tri-fold storage of these types of documents.

The 42^nd Virginia was in the Division’s of Jackson and then Gordon of the 2^nd Corps of the Army of Northern Virginia. The regiment served in all the major campaigns of the Army from Kernstown in March of 1862 to Farmville in April of 1865. They od\f course served with Jackson in the Shenandoah Valley in 1862 and Early in 1864.

The Lieutenant who signed the document was James Luke Tompkins who enlisted as Private in Company B of the 42^nd on May 25, 1861. He was appointed 3^rd Lieutenant on June 15, 1861 and 2^nd Lieutenant on November 7, 1862. He was appointed as acting Adjutant on May 6, 1863. Tompkins was wounded at Spotsylvania on May 10, 1864 and again at Fort Steadman on March 25, 1865. He surrendered at Appomattox on April 9, 1865.

From a large family, Tompkins lost four brothers during the Civil War. He married in 1859 and had eight children. He died on August 10, 1907 and is buried in Jacksonville Cemetery in Floyd, Virginia.

An interesting article about Tompkins can be found here   http://randallawells.com/2014/12/came-here-james-lucas-tompkins-born-1834/ .  [AD]

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