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Charlotte, N. C. February 7 1863 |
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Col. A. C. Myers |
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Q. M. Genl. |
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Richmond, Va. |
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Colonel, |
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Your letter, of the 5th inst., in this day recd, & purport
particularly noted. For the past two months, the difficulties, with
which my Department has been contending, in endeavoring to give Dispatch
to all Gov Stores, "particularly the subsistence supplies," arriving
here daily, from the South & bound for Richmond, can only be appreciated
by those, who have been eye witnesses. Time and again have I
reported them to the proper authorities both Government and Rail Road,
but without accomplishing any good result. Nothing has been left
undone by my Department in the premises. I assure you, Colonel,
that, out of the twenty four hours of the day, "not excepting Sunday," I
am at my post, exerting myself to the utmost for the exclusive benefit
of the Service from 12 to 16 hours, and my office accessible every hour
in the day as well as night, "I frequently remaining in my office
the entire night." But with all my strenuous exertions to advance the
public interest, at this point, it is really discouraging, when it is so
obvious that, I am laboring under such disadvantages. For the past two
months, large consignments of Gov stores, belonging to every Department,
have been arriving here, from the South on the C & SC RR
{Charlotte & South Carolina RR} trains
making their regular daily trips, and I have been wholly unable
to secure more than an average of one freight train, per week,
for Raleigh. Consequently the Depots here are perpetually blocked up,
and I obliged to store in my warehouses. Notwithstanding these
difficulties, yet, every facility is afforded the Express Company by the
NC RR Co. {North Carolina RR} in
transporting private goods, both on the mail &
accommodation trains, the one leaving daily at 4 P. M. & the other at 3
A. M. At this time, I have 26 or 30 cars, loaded, by the laborers of
my Department, with Gov Stores, which have been in readiness to go
forward, since Monday last, the 2nd inst. since which time, no freight
trains have left Charlotte for Raleigh. In addition to this, there are
not less than fifty or sixty car loads, in my ware houses & the Depots,
awaiting transportation. There are also here two Cavalry Companies,
wholly unprovided with equipments, enabling them to move by the over
land route, counting 75 horses & as many men, with their baggage,
demanding transportation. I wrote to the Superintendent of this
Road, on yesterday, giving him a minute account of the condition of
affairs, at this point, and urged upon him the importance of prompt
action in providing a more healthy condition. I have also this morning,
informed him of the receipt of your letter, and its purport, which, I
trust, will incite him to & deipes(?) interest, in affording the
Government greater facilities, in transporting army supplies, than has
been heretofore manifested |
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I am, Colonel, very Respectfully |
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yr. obt. Servt. |
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R. J. Echols |
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Capt. & A. Q. M. |
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