NA, RR 1/11/1862

Clarksville Tennessee
January 11th 1862
 
To Genl A S Johnson
Bowling Green
 
   The Military Board at Clarksville beg leave to represent the following state of facts for your consideration. It is exceedingly expensive to furnish the army at Hopkinsville with provisions and munitions of war during the winter season over the deep roads from this place to Hopkinsville.
   The Roads will soon be impassable, the Turnpike being only partially finished. If that point should be attacked, it could scarcely be reinforced in time from Clarksville. To supply this defect we state the line of Rail Road (the Nashville & Edgefield {Edgefield & Kentucky RR}) is graded & ready for the cross ties and iron rails from the junction on the Ky & Turnpike line to Hopkinsville a distance of 25 miles. The Road could be put in running order in 30 days. The only difficulty is the want of Rails. We are informed the {Nashville &} Northwestern Road running from Nashville to Hickman on the Mississippi River is unfinished & has on hand in Nashville a large amount of Rail Road iron, which it will not use during the war. If this iron can be appropriated by purchase or other wise to the the road from the State line to Hopkinsville the Road could be finished in again say in 30 days and a line of communication could be opened between this place & Hopkinsville whereby provisions, arms & men could be transported in a few hours and at comparatively small expense.
   In addition to this the Coal Banks near Hopkinsville would be thrown open to the markets of Nashville & Clarksville which will afford the necessary fuel to the manufacturers at Nashville & the machine shops & foundries about to be built at Clarksville. We esteem this Road of vast importance & the speedy completion a military necessity.
   We therefore presume to bring the whole subject to your consideration & suggest that you authorize this iron to be used for the purposes aforesaid immediately.
   One thousand men Col Wm A Quarly informs us could be detailed to work on this road daily.
Your most obt
Humb Servt
Fisher A. Hannum Rep
Military Board

Home