| Demopolis 20 Dec 1864 |
| |
| General G. T. Bureau regard |
| Commanding Military Division of the West |
| Tupelo, Miss |
| |
| General, |
| Mr. Maxwell contractor for
Tombigbee bridge {on the Alabama &
Mississippi Rivers RR} showed me today a
telegram from Major Bryan of your staff authorizing him upon his
(Maxwell's) representation that but little could be done this winter
at Tombigbee bridge, to remove his men and tools to the West Point
Road {Montgomery & West Point RR},
I presume for rebuilding bridges on that Road. The bridges are done,
and the trains are running from Montgomery to West Point, consequently
his men are not required there. Further, it is not true that but
little can be done at Tombigbee. A portion of the piers, and the
entire superstructure have yet to be framed, and the patterns for all
the castings of the draw have yet to be made, and should now be in the
hands of the foundryman. The whole of this can go on now, and ought to
be pushed vigorously in order to take advantage of the first low water
to raise the bridge. The truth is that Mr. Maxwell in a freak of ill
humor wrote Col. Brent that he would not prosecute the work under my
management, and under pretext of doing work in Georgia and elsewhere
is seeking to withdraw his force entirely, and abandon the work, well
knowing the embarrassment & delay it will cause for a new set of
men to come in and complete work partially framed by others. These men
were detailed by the Secretary of War for this work, and I protest
against his being permitted to remove them. If done, the work will be
retarded for months. And in any event I think the I should have
been notified of the order to remove them. |
| For further information, I
respectfully refer you to certain papers at the Head Quarters of Lt.
Genl Taylor in relation to this subject, and ask that some competent
officer be sent to enquire fully into the conduct of the work. |
| Very respectfully |
| Minor Meriwether |
| Lt. Col. Engineers |
|