| War Department, Engineer Bureau |
| Richmond, Va., August 8, 1863 |
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| General Joseph E. Johnston |
| Comdg.
Western Department, Enterprise, Miss.
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To keep in repair the main lines of railroad essential to the
support and transportation of our armies, iron, rails, and
rolling-stock must be obtained from every available source. Will it
be possible for the engineers serving in your department to build a
temporary bridge over the Pearl River, at Jackson, and make such
other repairs as will enable them to save the engines, cars, and a
part of the rails from the Mississippi Central road? Major [Minor]
Merriwether, Captain [J. A.] Porter, and other engineers with your
command have had much experience as civil engineers, and can direct
all the operations, if by your authority the requisite labor and
materials can be obtained. It is hoped slave labor can be obtained;
if not, the work might possibly be accomplished by details from the
troops.
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| Will you please to inform
this bureau whether the branch railroad to Marion, Ala., known as
the Cahaba, Marion and Greensborough {Rail} road,
is important in any way to the operations of the army under your
command? If not, the want of railroad bars for repairing the main
lines is so great, it is proposed to remove the iron from the
branch. |
| I am, general, very respectfully: your
obedient servant, |
| J. F. Gilmer |
| Colonel of Engineers and Chief of Bureau |
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