| Engineer Bureau |
| Richmond, Va., August 14, 1863 |
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| General Joseph E. Johnston |
| Commanding
Western Department, Morton, Miss.
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| General,
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| I have directed
Capt. L. P. Grant, Corps of Engineers, to go to your headquarters
and confer with you in regard to rebuilding the bridge over Pearl
River, at Jackson, Miss., and making all necessary repairs of track
to secure the rolling-stock from the Mississippi Central Railroad,
and as much of the iron rails from the same road and from the
Jackson and Vicksburg road {Southern of
Mississippi Railroad} as possible. Captain Grant is a civil
engineer of twenty-five or thirty years' experience, and of high
standing in his profession. For this reason I have detached him for
a few days from his charge at Atlanta, Ga., to have the benefit of
his attainments and skill in aid of our efforts to save the
invaluable property on the abandoned roads of Mississippi. |
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I have respectfully to ask that you will give your engineers
authority to collect all necessary labor and materials for repairs
of bridges and roads needed for securing the property in question,
together with such details for fatigue service and guards from your
troops as you may be able to furnish. |
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The condition of the main lines of railroad in the Confederacy is
such as to make the collection of railroad iron and rolling-stock
from some source a vital necessity; for this reason I make an
earnest appeal to you for such aid and support as you can give to
our efforts to collect these from the roads of Mississippi. |
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Mr. Kinny {Kenney}, agent, has been directed by Col. Charles F. M. Garnett,
commissioner for collecting railroad iron, to call at your
headquarters to ask support and assistance from you in his labors. |
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An order has been issued by the War and Navy Departments jointly for
the removal of iron from the following branch railroads, viz,
Cahaba, Marion and Greensborough Railroad, the Newbern branch {Alabama
& Mississippi Rivers Railroad} and the Gainesville branch
{Mississippi, Gainesville & Tuscaloosa
Railroad} of the Mobile and Ohio Railroad; and unless the
supply imperatively demanded by the main lines can be obtained from
the source under consideration, it will be necessary to execute the
order. |
| The absence of Captain Grant
from the works at Atlanta ought not to exceed a week, if his mission
to you can be accomplished in that time. |
| Your obedient servant, |
| J. F. Gilmer |
| Colonel of Engineers and Chief of Bureau |
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