| Confederate States |
| Quartermaster's Department |
| Office Supt. Railroad Transportation |
| Richmond, Decr. 7th, 1864 |
| |
| Brig. Genl. A. R. Lawton |
| Q. M. G. |
| |
| General, |
| I have the honor to enclose you this
report of C. G. Talcott Supt. Richmond & Danville and Piedmont
railroad Co's. relative to the delay in transporting Genl. Young's
brigade. It simply a rehash of facts upon which it is unnecessary
for me to comment, as your attention will be directed to the points
where detention originates as you asked it afhort. There is one
statement however to which I will refer because its subject is a
matter entirely within the control of govt officers and which apparently
contributed as much to the detention as any other cause. Allusion is
had to the call for transportation for five hundred (500) troops,
whilst six hundred and fifty sere sent, to which were added thirty
furloughed soldiers and the wives of some of the officers. Had
preparation been ordered for 700 men, it is more than probable that
no cause would have occasioned for this complaint of Genl. Young. |
| In regard to the Piedmont railroad the
defense that their wood gave out is not satisfactory. Such a
contingency does not happen without warning and it would have been
easily met by detaching the engine where {hole
in paper} it would occur, and running
to the first woodpile for a fresh supply. The want of water on this
particular occasion seems to have been from causes beyond the
control of the company. |
| It may not be out of place to allude to
the difficulties in the management of the Piedmont road. They arise
in my opinion from the fact that it is utterly impossible for its
Supt., who is also Supt of R&D RRd, to give it that close
attention its condition demands. The latter road gives sufficient
occupation to his time and labor to prevent it. Roads the length of
both these, which is 193 miles, are frequently, in reality always,
managed by one Genl. Supt, but when it is considered that these
roads are owned by separate & distinct corporations, with a
different accounts to keep, purchases to make, supplies to obtain
and above all with different gauges, the difficulties of the
situation will be understood. I do not know {hole
in paper} and success in this case
would have been beyond reasonable expectation. Improvement would be
made by moving the office of Mr. Talcott to Danville where he could
be in daily contact with the operations of both roads, but there
would be a corresponding disadvantage arise by his absence from
Richmond. The only remedy that seems to meet every difficulty is the
employment of a competent and energetic officer to superintend the
Piedmont road and it should be done without delay. It would be
proper for the govt to insist upon this and I think the companies
will agree to it if they {hole in
paper} what ??? results are expected of
Mr. Talcott {hole in paper}. |
| I am, General, |
| Very respy |
| your obdt svt |
| F. W. Sims |
| Lt. Col. & Q. M. |
| |
| {on reverse of the document} |
| Lt. Col F. W. Sims Q. M. |
| Richmond, Decr. 7, 1864 |
| Report as to the detention of Genl. Young's brigade
in passing over Richmond & Danville and Piedmont RRds. |
| |
| Respectfully submitted to the Secretary of War {hole
in paper} ??? special attention to {hole
in paper} ??? of Col Sims report as ???
to the necessity for two Superintendents on these roads, and also to
the difference in the number for whom transportation was asked and
the number to take passage on the cars. This has happened so often
to the injury of the public service that I respectfully ask for some
order on the subject. |
| A R Lawton |
| Q M Genl |
| 9th Dec '64 |
| Recd Dec 8th by QMG |
|