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Marion ???? Sept 2 1862
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| O M Avery Prest |
| Alaba & Florida RR of Florida |
| Pollard Alaba |
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| D Sir |
| The copy of your letter to the Hon G W
Randolph Secy of War of the 7th of August has this day reached me
owing to my absence. In that portion of your letter, in which you say
"While influences caused ??? Road ??? the R?? ??? and Mr. Tate is
(unwittingly of course) allowing himself to be used as an
instrument to complete, am distrusting, you do me great injustice and
your statement as said is I am concerned in without the slightest
foundation in truth. I told you in our interview at the time of the
seizure, I had never been in Mobile in my life, had not a cent of
interest there had never spoken to a citizen of Mobile on the subject
in my life. Under these circumstance I cannot see why you insist in
this way & saying I have been acting under Mobiles influence. I
have acted from what I believed to be my duty to my country without
being influenced by any one. I relaid 38 miles of Iron instead of 28
as you state, only 14 miles of the Cahaba Road {Cahaba,
Marion & Greensboro RR} could be obtained under any
circumstances. The Iron at Atlanta belonged to the State of Geo. and
could not be taken. The Iron near Granada had been laid down in side
& other tracks before I could get them. ??? the only Iron
obtainable was yours, & 14 miles of the Cahaba Road & 6 miles,
or less of Eufaula Iron {Montgomery &
Eufaula RR}. The Cahaba Iron was too light as I was satisfied
by the trial of 4 miles of it & was ??? fed as is proved by the
Supt report in which he says it can handle the straightlaid by the ???
??? in ??ging. I have had a conversation with Genl Bragg within the
last week upon the subject of your compensation. He instructs me to
say to you he has referred the whole matter to the War department. |
| Very Respy |
| Sam Tate |
| Milt Supt M&S Rd |
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