Headquarters, Centreville, March 3, 1862
| |
| His Excellency Jefferson Davis |
| |
| Mr. President, |
| I
respectfully submit three notes from Major-General Jackson and one
from Brigadier-General Hill for the information they contain of the
enemy. |
| Your orders for moving
cannot be executed now on account of the condition of the roads and
streams. The removal of public property goes on with painful
slowness, because, as the officers employed in it report, sufficient
number of cars and engines cannot be had. It is evident that a large
quantity of it must be sacrificed or your instructions not observed.
I shall adhere to them as closely as possible. {The
railroads in question were the Orange & Alexandria and the
Virginia Central.} |
| In conversation with you and
before the Cabinet I did not exaggerate the difficulties of marching
in this region. The suffering and sickness which would be produced
can hardly be exaggerated. |
| Most respectfully, your obedient servant, |
| J. E. Johnston |
| General |
| |
|
Indorsement |
| Colonel Myers will read and report whether
any increase can be made to the number of cars and engines. |
| Jefferson Davis |
|