| Engineer Bureau |
| November 24th 1863 |
| |
| Col. L. B. Northrop |
| Commissary General CSA |
| |
| Colonel, |
| There is a very
injurious break in the railroad connection through Alabama at
Demopolis -- a break of only about five miles {on
the Alabama & Mississippi Rivers RR}. The importance of
completing the connection at the above point is so great that urgent
representations have been made on the subject by commanding generals
and also engineer officers of capacity charged with special
examinations. These last represent the impossibility of having this
almost indispensable link completed unless you can aid whoever
undertakes the construction by selling to them the requisite amount of
provisions. Should you be able to thus aid, I understand there will be
no special difficulty to overcome in other respected. The number of
hands to be employed can scarcely exceed five hundred for three or
four months. |
| In view of the great
importance of this connection in a national point of view, at all
times, and especially of the fact that without it in case of further
retreat, the greater portion if not the whole of the rolling stock
beyond the Tombigbee will in all probability be lost, it is earnestly
hoped that the application will meet with your favorable
consideration. |
| I am Col Very Respectfully Your
Obt Servt |
| A. L. Rives |
| Lt Col & Act Chf of Bureau |
|