NA, RR 11/17/1861

Confederate States of America
War Department
Engineer Bureau
Richmond, Va., 13 Nov. 1861
 
Lieut Chas T. Mason
Va. Corps of Engineers
 
Sir,
   The following order has lately been issued -- "Col. Danville Leadbetter, Provisional Army is hereby assigned to the command of the troops to be stationed for the protection of the Rail Road between Bristol, Va & Chattanooga, Tennessee {East Tennessee & Virginia RR and East Tennessee & Georgia RR}. He will reconstruct bridges repair & keep open the line of communication between those points, & will call upon Rail Road companies for such aid a she may require to carry out this order."
   The Col. before his departure requested me to select for him as an assistant from the Va Corps of Engineers an engineer of experience & capacity. After one enquiry you have been selected to fill the above important position & you are hereby directed to report to Col Leadbetter at Bristol or in that neighborhood as promptly as possible.
   Liuet. Derrick will attend to the shot furnaces now under construction.
Very respectfully yours,
Alfred L. Rives
Acting Chf. Bureau

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