AR, G&C 1/1/1866 S

Annual Report of the Greenville & Columbia RR
as of January 1, 1866,
Superintendent's Report
 
Superintendent's Report
 
Office General Superintendent
Greenville & Columbia Railroad Company
Newberry, January 10, 1866
 
   To the President and Directors Greenville & Columbia Railroad Company:
 
Gentlemen,
   I have the honor to submit to you the following as my report of operations of your road, for the year ending December 31, 1865. The year 1865 has been one that will long be remembered in the history of all Southern railroads, on account of the unparalleled injuries sustained by them -- more especially those sustained by your road -- which were those caused by the severe freshet in January, those caused by the Federal army under Gen. Sherman in February, third and last caused by the army under Gen. Brown on the first days of May.
   The extent of those injuries I will not undertake to estimate in dollars and cents, but will enumerate them as briefly as possible.
   The freshet in January damaged the road very seriously -- the damage extending more or less the whole line of road, and upon Abbeville and Anderson Branches. The most serious, however, of all was in the valley of Broad River. In its course, the water swept away culverts, masonry, trestles, earth-work, timber and track structure. The distance, if measured in a continuous line, would make over forty miles. The bridges all stood the severe test, not one having been carried away.
   As soon as possible, forces were organized and the work of restoration was commenced. In a few days, the damages on the Abbeville Branch were repaired and the train running. In two weeks, the trains were again running between Greenville and the Lower Saluda Bridge, and by the 1st of February they were running between Greenville and Alston.
   At the same time, while these repairs were being made above Alston, a large force was organized under direction of the officers of the Road, (and officers of the Engineer Corps of the Confederate Government,) who were at work on the more extensive damages between Columbia and Alston, and reasonable progress had been made up to the time when the Federal army, under Gen. Sherman, approached Columbia, (which place he entered on the 17th of February,) and Kilpatrick's cavalry having passed up on the West side of Broad River, caused the work to be abandoned.
   Kilpatrick's forces crossed the river at Freshlry's Ferry. They destroyed the track from that point to Alston -- a distance of nearly eight miles. The track was also more or less destroyed from Alston to a short distance above Pomaria -- the timber of the track being burnt up and the iron rails, in many places, so much bent and twisted as to render them unfit for use.
   The splendid covered bridge at Alston, the covered bridge at Littleton, and three covered bridges over Crim's Creek, were all burnt.
   The depots at Littleton, Alston, Hope's Station and Pomaria, and the water tanks, were burnt.
   The loss by the burning of Columbia was very severe. The fine office and hall building, the local freight depot and platform, the through freight depot and platform, the passenger house, (the latter built at joint expense with the South Carolina Railroad Company,) the repair shop and water tank, were all burnt. The tools of the repair shop were removed to a place of safety.;
   On the approach to Columbia of the army under Gen. Sherman, hasty preparations were made for removing the property and effects of the Company, as far as was possible, under the circumstances, which was done to a great extent.
   The most important and valuable books and papers of the Auditor and Treasurer's office were taken in charge by John P. Southern, Auditor and Treasurer, on a train going up the Charlotte Road. The books and papers of the freight office were also taken on a train up the Charlotte Road and brought round to Newberry, where the offices were temporarily established.
   All the furniture of the offices in Columbia and the old books and papers, together with a large amount of freight and property in the depots, were destroyed and burnt with the buildings.
   There were twelve box and six platform cars burnt in Columbia, and seven platform and four gravel cars burnt at Alston.
   One engine, eight box, six platform, one mail, one second class passenger and two baggage cars, were sent up the road to Frost's Mill, that were fortunately saved.
   Three locomotives, six passenger, two second class passenger, four conductors, three mail, one platform and twenty-two box cars, were sent up the Charlotte Road, and escaped destruction.
   On the 1st day of May, the raiding party, under the command of Gen. S. P. Brown, arrived in Greenville, destroying freight in the depot. A detachment struck the road at Williamston, burning the depot and water tank; also, two freight engines and six box and platform cars. Another detachment stopped the up passenger train about a mile below Williamston, who partially burnt the engine and entirely burnt the train, consisting of two passenger cars, one mail and one baggage car. From Williamston they proceeded to Anderson and burnt the branch passenger engine, passenger car and two box cars, and destroyed all the property in the depot.
   On the 3d of May, a small detachment burnt two box and two platform cars at Broadway, on the Anderson Branch; also, the tools used in, and materials prepared for, building a trestle in place of the heavy masonry washed down by the freshet at that point.
   After the advent of Sherman's and Kilpatrick's forces, I was unable to run the trains on the road still intact, except with very limited rolling stock; but, with such as we had, they were run tri-weekly from Newberry to Greenville, and on the Abbeville Branch until April. Then the road having been repaired to Alston (with the assistance of the Confederate Engineer Corps, under Capt. Haydon,) the trains were run to and from that point daily, Sunday's excepted.
   *****
   The work on the large and substantial trestle at Broadway, on the Anderson Branch, (interrupted by Gen. Brown's raid,) was resumed and pushed forward to completion in June, and the trains commenced running regularly again on that branch.
   *****
   All of which is respectfully submitted.
J. B. LasSalle
General Superintendent

Home