| Office Texas & new Orleans R. R.
Co. |
| Houston, Tex., December 16, 1861 |
| |
| General P. O. Hebert |
| Commanding Department of Texas, Galveston,
Tex. |
| |
| Dear Sir, |
| I have the honor to report
that, on receipt of your telegram and order on Maj. J. B. Likens,
commanding at Sabine Pass, received on the 8th instant, p.m., I at
once proceeded to Beaumont with a sufficient force of engineers,
machinists, laborers, &c., to accomplish the object. The agents
of the company there {the Eastern Texas RR} were
loath to give any assistance, as they deemed the town (Sabine Pass)
and the railroad perfectly safe from any foray of the enemy. Major
Likens promptly co-operated with me in removing the rolling stock up
to a point of temporary safety and within reach of protection. The
company have so neglected and abused their engines that they are
comparatively useless until in the hands of skillful mechanics for a
day or two. The rolling stock in working order, or which I put in
rolling order, consists of seven platform cars and three house cars.
I also found eighty-four wheels and axles, and all the furnishings
to put them up, sufficient for twenty-one cars, which would give
capacity in order for the transportation of from 1,000 to 1,500 men.
I removed these wheels and axles 21 miles north of Beaumont. I also
towed one engine out of order to a distance of 6 or 7 miles north of
Beaumont and the other engine I removed north of Taylor's Bayou (a
draw-bridge), at which point it broke down or failed to operate. On
each engine I left a detail of two men, with a sergeant in charge,
as a guard, furnished by Major Likens, and to report to him. On my
return here yesterday I dispatched my master machinist, with some
men, to put one engine in order and fix up a train, so that either
the Eastern Texas Railroad Company or the military authorities could
have some transportation facilities in case of emergency. I am sorry
to report that the employees of the road, although they volunteered
to assist in the accomplishment of the end desired, evinced a
disposition to try and so injure the only engine they had in order
to move as to defeat the securing of the rolling stock, and, by
carelessness or malignity, partly succeeded; but by this time it is
all rectified by my men. Should a more detailed report be desired, I
will furnish it cheerfully. |
| I beg to make two suggestions
in the matter. First, that a train be put in order on the road,
either to be at the order of the commanding officer at Sabine Pass
or the railroad company, subject to his protection and control.
Second, that a sufficient amount of rails be shipped from Galveston
to Liberty (which the company have in Galveston), to enable them to
lay their track up to the junction with the Texas & New Orleans
Railroad at Beaumont, which will give you rail connection from
Galveston and this place to Sabine Pass. It will only require about
two hundred tons of rails, and the connection can be made in five or
six days after the arrival of iron at Liberty. |
| I remain, yours, with much respect, |
| A. M. Gentry |
| President, &c. |
|