History
The ''Examiner'' was first published as the ''Richmond Weekly Examiner''. The newspaper published a weekly edition from 1848 until about 1863. As Richmond grew, demand for the paper increased and the ''Examiner'' began to publish a semi-weekly edition, the ''Richmond Semi-Weekly Examiner'', in 1849. The ''Examiner'' began to publish a daily edition in 1861. At the time of Virginia's secession in April, Richmond editors had commenced the publication of four separate, independent daily newspapers. All of the papers supported the Confederate cause, especially as the would-be nation had selected Richmond as its new federal capital. However, the ''Examiner's'' executive editor, John Moncure Daniel, personally disliked President Jefferson Davis, and Daniel was not characterized by verbal self-restraint. In the words of the ''Encyclopedia Virginia'', "Daniel was known for his mordant, combative personality and rapier-like pen."American Civil War
As Davis promoted some of his Cabinet members and demoted others, and made similar reshuffles and changes to the Confederacy's team of military field commanders, Editor Daniel and his staff defended many of the men who had been held back by the Davis Administration. In sharp contrast to this supportive attitude towards those who had been lateraled or dismissed, the ''Examiner'' criticized men who had remained on Davis's team. These critiques took on greater and greater bitterness over time. In August 1864 the daily paper attacked the Treasurer of the Confederate States of America, Edward C. Elmore. The Southern treasury was virtually empty, and the ''Examiner'' insinuated that Treasurer Elmore had embezzled the Southern States' tiny remaining stock of hard money in order to enjoy a gambling spree. The enraged treasurer challenged Daniel to a duel, and wounded the crusading editor with a pistol shot.Washington, D.C. ''Daily National Republican'', August 16, 1864, p. 1, col 7; Washington, D.C. ''Evening Star'', August 27, 1864, p. 4, col. 1. On the military side, the ''Examiner'' championed the tactical skills of General Joseph E. Johnston, an officer disliked by President Davis. After Davis relieved Johnston from command over the Army of Tennessee in July 1864, the ''Examiner'' began to speak with despondency of the future prospects facing the Confederate States of America. Its editorial position may have caused further problems of morale in a capital city that would soon be hungry and besieged by the Union armies. The daily paper was itself hit by the siege of Richmond, and was unable to continue to publish as a broadsheet with a masthead. The paper struggled on in a half-sheet format without a masthead until the fall of Richmond and the Confederacy in April 1865.Reconstruction
The ''Daily Richmond Examiner'' tried to continue to publish under Federal occupation, but was unable to do so. The newspaper ceased publication in July 1867, when it merged into the ''Richmond Enquirer''. The ''Richmond Enquirer & Examiner'' was published from July 15, 1867 to December 31, 1869, when the newspaper changed its name back to simply ''Richmond Enquirer''. The Library of Virginia has microfilm copies of the ''Examiner's'' weekly, semi-weekly, and daily editions for all of the years noted above, and has paper copies of the ''Semi-Weekly Examiner'' for the period of 1849–1863. The University of Virginia Library has copies from January 1861 through December 1865.References
{{Reflist 1848 establishments in Virginia 1867 disestablishments in Virginia Defunct newspapers published in Virginia Mass media in Richmond, Virginia Newspapers established in 1848 Publications disestablished in 1867