Biography of Mason Morfit

Compiled by the National Archivists before the microfilming of the Civil War records.

 Entries in blue are references and my additions.

   Morfit appears to have been born in Virginia in 1835. He was an Attorney in Baltimore in 1860, living with his parents. His father was an Attorney and a brother was studying medicine.
Morfit, Mason -- Capt. & A. Q. M.; Maj. & Q. M.
May 24, 1861 Appointed Transportation Agent at Weldon, N. C.
NA, VAF 6-2-61
On Duty on Richmond
January 3, 1862 Appointed Capt. & A. Q. M.; to report to Q. M. Gen. Formerly a Transportation Agent
January 21, 1862 Purchased 5 cars
NA, RRB 1-21-62
January 28, 1862 Sent to Memphis to return cars to proper roads
NA, QM 1-28-62
NA, QM 1-10B-62
NA, QM 1-12-62
February 2, 1862 Purchased car springs from the Georgia RR
NA, G 2-6-62
February 8, 1862 Approved extra car for Gen. Magruder
NA, R&YR 2-8-62
February 18, 1862 Purchased 5 cars
NA, RRB 2-18-62
March 1, 1862 Sent to forward Government freight throughout the Confederacy
March 8, 1862 Capt. Morfit ordered to car makers
March 21, 1862 At Richmond signs voucher for mileage from March 6 to 18, 1862
March 25, 1862 Purchased 3 box cars
NA, RRB 3-25-62
April 17, 1862 Ordered to travel to Knoxville to see into the delays along the route; also sent to Augusta and Charleston to settle accounts
NA, RRB 4-17-62
May 21, 1862 At Richmond signs voucher for traveling expenses from April 23 to May 2, 1862
June 21, 1862 Received 5 new box cars
June 26, 1862 Ordered to take over the duties Major Ashe had performed 
NA, QM 6-26-62
August 1, 1862 Capt. M. Morfit, Q. M. Dept, assigned as one of a commission to inquire into & report upon the railroad transportation of Confederate States
August 31, 1862 Paid CS Locomotive engineer
September 3, 1862 Orders quartermasters to ship medical supplies to a Richmond doctor
NP, RSTD 9-3A-62
September 29, 1862 Requested assignment as Superintendent of RRs
September ?, 1862 Ordered 1030 pounds of iron bar from Tredegar for the Wilmington & Weldon RR {Tredegar Foundry Sale Book}
October 16, 1862 Pleads for consideration for the Virginia Central RR
NA, VC 10-16-62
October 22, 1862 Supporting shipment of material for Piedmont RR construction
NA, ENG 10-22-62
October 31, 1862 Paid CS train engineers and conductor
November 26, 1862 Promoted to Major
November 30, 1862 Paid for repairs to several locomotives
NA, RRB 11-30-62
December 5, 1862 Tries to get stuck gun moving to Charleston 
NA, RR 12-5-62
December 20, 1862 Reports he is unable to improve the North Carolina RR unless he is sent there in person
NA, RR 12-19-62
December 23, 1862 Reported problems controlling rolling stock 
NA, RRB 12-23-62
December 29, 1862 Reports on need to repair bridge
NA, QM 12-29-62
December 20, 1862 At R. R. Transportation Office Q. M. Dept. Richmond, signs as Major. & Q. M.
January, 1863 Appears to have been responsible for the use of all CS Government rolling stock
NA, RRB 1-2-63
NA, RRB 10-2-63
NA, RRB 4-15-63
January 20, 1863 At R. R. Transportation Office at Richmond, signs as Major & Q. M.
February, 1863 Made a trip that included Atlanta and Augusta looking for CS Government cars
NA, QMR 3-19-63
March 23, 1863 Approved bill for rental of rolling stock
NA, N&C 6-27-62
April 15, 1863 Requested relief from responsibility for certain rolling stock
NA, RRB 4-15-63
NA, RRB 5-29-63
May 5, 1863 States he leaves for Columbia, S. C. today
NA, QM 5-5-63
May 25, 1863 As a result of his visit to Columbia, Capt. Sharp is assigned to expedite Government freight there
NA, QM 5-25-63
June 26, 1863 Major & Q. M. ordered to report to Gen. D. H. Hill for assignment to duty at Wilmington, N. C.
June 29, 1863 Was given an order relating to RR transportation in Wilmington
NA, QM 6-29B-63
Transportation Agent at Wilmington
July 1, 1863 Previous order revoked and is assigned to duty at Wilmington to supervise the transportation and forwarding of all supplies, etc., reporting to Gen. Whiting
NA, QM 7-1-63
Transportation Agent at Petersburg, Va.
July 14, 1863 Major & Q. M., relieved from duty at Wilmington and ordered to report to Petersburg, Va., to take charge of R. R. transportation 
July 23, 1863 Suggested he run the RR transportation in Petersburg
NA, QM 7-23-63
August 13, 1863 Prior approval of rental of rolling stock mentioned
NA, N&C 8-13-63
August 17, 1863 Questions concerning his exercise of authority
NA, QM 8-19B-63
NA, QM 8-22-63
September 3, 1863 At Petersburg, Va., signs as Major & Q. M.
October 5, 1863 Gen. G. E. Pickett, comdg. Dept. of N. C. Headquarters at Petersburg, Va. mentions Major Morfit as Transportation Agent at that place
October 21, 1863 At Petersburg, Va., signs as Major & Q. M.
November 14, 1863 Contacts Sims about traffic in Petersburg
RRBAT 11-14A-1863
November 30, 1863 Relieved of duty in Petersburg
NA, QM 11-30-63
December 1, 1863 Letters regarding his being relieved in Petersburg
NA, QM 12-1-63
RRBA 12-5-1863
December 19, 1863 Ordered to inspect QM Posts and Depots on the Virginia & Tennessee RR (supply line for Longstreet)
NA, QM 12-19C-63
December 23, 1863 Major & Q. M. ordered to relieve Capt. H. McCoy, A. Q. M., in charge of Federal prisoners at Danville, Va.
January 28, 1864 At Petersburg, Va., signs voucher for commutation of fuel for January 1-28, 1864 and signs as Major & Q. M.
Commanding Prison Guard at Danville, Va.
March 6, 1864 At Danville, Va., signs as Major & Q. M., and writes in regard to prison guard
March 10, 1864 Mentioned as Commanding Prison Guard Forces at Danville, Va., under Gen. J. H. Winder, Commanding Department of Henrico.
April 20, 1864 Mentioned as Commanding Prison Guard Forces at Danville, Va.
June 4, 1864 Mentioned as Major & Q. M. commanding Prison at Danville, Va.
October 12, 1864 Relieved from command at Danville, Va., and assigned to duty at Salisbury, N. C., as Prison Q. M. By order W. . Gardner
Johnson's (B. T.) Command
November 23, 1864 Addressed as Major & A. Q. M. at Salisbury, N. C. (General Johnson was assigned temporary command of Salisbury Dec. 17, 1864 and was commanding in February, March and April, 1865)
February 28, 1865 Signs as Major & Q. M. of Prison at Salisbury, N. C.
March 5, 1865 Suggested as suitable man to run unloading of trains at Salisbury
OR Series 1, Vol. 47, Part 2, Page 1328
March 9, 1865 Signs as Major & Q. M. of Prison at Salisbury, N. C.
March 24, 1865 Mentioned as Major & Q. M. Post Salisbury, N. C. and ordered by General Beauregard to obey General Bragg's order
April 19, 1865 Mentioned as Major & Q. M. Post Salisbury, N. C.
April 26, 1865 Paroled as Major & Q. M. of General B. T. Johnson's staff (N. C. Surrender)

Home