Nov. 13 1865
Mr. W. Brown. I received your note of Oct. 14 on the tenth of the present month. Concerning the inquiry you make of the State arms. There has been arms drawn from the arsenal in Wheeling for three companies but by who I can not tell you
one company was Commanded by George McPorter[?] and he is dead and the company is disbanded. I have given orders for all the arms to be deposited at the Black-Horse Landing and they are the old fashioned Musket. the other Co was the Blues Commanded by Captain Wylie. and the are disbanded their arms were the Austin Rifles and Captain Wylie says he did not receipt for them. I have ordered them deposited at the Court House. the other Company is the Belgium Rifles and is Commanded by Captain Joseph Allison and their time will not expire for over a year yet and wants to retain their arms
as Soon as I can collect the arms I will deposit them at the Black-Horse Landing and will give them up their [sic] or bring them to Wheeling if the governor orders it of West Va
Yours very Respectfully
W.A. Jones
Col Commanding
First Regimt 1st Division
First Brigade of West Va
Transcription by Rose Feazell, undergraduate student enrolled in Dr. Billy Joe Peyton's Fall 2010 "Introduction to Public History" at West Virginia State University