Executive Department
| Montgomery, Ala., October 27, 1862 |
| |
| Hon. G. W. Randolph |
| Secretary of War |
| |
| Sir, |
| On the receipt of your dispatch advising
the withdrawal of labor from the railroad in West Alabama {the
Alabama & Mississippi
Rivers Railroad}, I dispatched
one of my aides, ex-Governor A. B. Moore, to examine into the
matter. Inclosed I hand you copy of a letter this day received from
him, by which you will be pleased to learn that the difficulties in
the way have been overcome, and that the work is rapidly progressing
to a completion. |
| Very respectfully,
your obedient servant |
| Jno. Gill Shorter |
| Governor of Alabama |
| |
| [Inclosure] |
| Marion, October 24,
1862 |
| |
| His Excellency John G.
Shorter |
| |
| Dear Sir: I am
just through with my railroad mission. Before taking any action on
the matter I went to Demopolis to see the superintendent or chief engineer
of the road. Colonel Tate was absent, but Colonel Pritchard, the
chief engineer, was at Demopolis. I stated my business and told him
I had been directed by you to aid him in getting as many hands as
were needed for the speedy completion of the work. I was gratified
to learn that a number of the planters had returned their hands, and
that he had procured other hands to supply the places of those who
did not return. There are hands enough on the road to finish the
grading and lay down the iron as fast as the bridges and trestlework
can be completed, so that I was relieved from the necessity and
trouble of raising hands. The president and engineer insisted that I
should go with them along the road, see the contractors, and show
the importance of a speedy completion of their contracts. This I
did, and induced one of the bridge builders to increase the number
of workmen. He has the largest bridge to erect. It will be at least
four or five weeks before the road will be completed. The trip along
the road was very rough, and I had to take it on horseback nearly to
Meridian. I will be in Montgomery next week. I am delayed here to
have the cotton I loaned to the Government weighed, sampled, and
delivered. |
| With great respect,
yours, etc. |
| A. B. Moore |
|