From the Richmond Dispatch, 8/11/1864, p.1, c. 6

At a meeting of citizens of Richmond, held at the office of the James River and Kanawha Company, on the 5th of August, 1864, for the purpose of devising plans for the more effectual relief of our soldiers' families and the poor of the city, the following preamble and resolution were adopted:

Whereas, the Directory of the Young Men’s Christian Association have adopted a resolution declaring that it is expedient to restrict the work of the Army Committee to the distribution of such supplies as may be placed at their disposal for the purpose of promoting the comfort and well-being of our soldiers in the field and in the hospital and suggesting the formation of a Relief Committee, composed of citizens, independent of the Association, for the accomplishment of great work of supplying the wants of the families of our absent soldiers and our poor generally;

"Resolved, That a Relief Committee, consisting of thirty gentlemen, be organized for the purpose of co-operating with the Overseers of the Poor, the Union Benevolent Society, and other benevolent institutions, for the more efficient relief of the poor of this city.

At a meeting of the Relief Committee, held on the eighth of August, Colonel Thomas H. Ellis acting as chairman, the following officers were elected:

William P. Munford, President.
H. E. C. Baskerville, Treasurer.
William H. Pleasants, Secretary.

Directors
James L. Maury,
Dr. William H. Gwathmey, 
William Bell,

The Directory were requested to consider the various subjects proposed for action, and report to a called meeting of the committee.
The following gentlemen compose the

Relief Committee

A meeting of the committee will be held at 5 o’clock this afternoon, at the office of the James River and Kanawha Company, for the purpose of receiving a report from the Directory.

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