| Salisbury, N. C., April 11th 1864 |
| |
| Major S. B. French |
| CS |
| Richmond VA |
| |
| Major, |
| I arrived last evening at 5
1/2, found out Major Myers & Capt Goodman, & was astonished to learn
from them that nothing at all had been done in the way of
shipping off the large accumulation of subsistence stores here & at
other adjacent points, all from the lack of transportation. I
immediately telegraphed to Major Echols & Capt Peirce, & got Capt
Goodman to despatch to the Superintendent of the NCa Road at the Compy
Shops urging then all to hurry on corn. I have directed all the flour &
bacon to be sent forward first, then the corn &c and notified all
parties here that subsistence stores must first be moved: Tho' Major
Carrington who assumes control on transportation directs Capt Goodman to
appropriate but one car in three to Commissary uses! I have officially
notified Capt Goodman of the necessities of the service and instructed
him "under orders from the Sec of War to appropriate every car
you (he) can procure to the movement of accumulations at this & adjacent
Depots" -- which he assures me he will do. But it will be well if you
can get orders from Gen Lawton to Major Carrington to relinquish
whatever & all transportation he may control to the shipment of the Comy
goods here & at Concord & Lexington & Charlotte. |
| I remove myself this evening
to Charlotte & request Capt Goodman to go to the Shops & try what
personal application will effect in the way of getting cars. There are
none here and they are not to be had at intermediate stations. The bacon
for Charlotte alluded to in your telegram of yesterday recd this morning
& to wh I have replied must have gone forward. When started from
Charlotte shipments are not liable to delay on the line of the road, & I
know that there had been some Comy shipments of bacon recently through
Raleigh -- of which you may not have been advised. I instructed Capt
Reynolds to send you every barrel of flour he could possibly spare, & to
hurry forward his bacon with every dispatch, he must have at Raleigh &
Henderson today not less than 40,000 pds. {2 1/2
car loads} |
| I shall return from Charlotte
as soon as I can & see that accumulation at Concord Lexington & this
place & Charlotte are all sent off before I proceed further south. |
| Very Respectfully |
| W H Smith |
| Major & CS |
|