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Below is my biography of
Major Whitford. There is no biography of him in the National Archives.
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Photograph taken about 1870(?) |
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Photograph found on the John D. Whitford
Papers, North Carolina State Archives |
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Photograph taken in the
1890-1910 period.
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Photograph from the New Bern,
N. C. Public Library
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John Dalton Whitford was born in
August 17,1825
in New Bern, N. C. and died on September 13, 1910. His wife, Jeanie
Reid was born in Wilmington in 1829; they married in 1851. In
1860, they had three small children at home, in New Berne, Craven
County. Whitford was President of the Atlantic & North Carolina
Railroad and reported Real Estate worth $4,000 and Personal Property
of $15,000. They would eventually have seven children.
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At the age of 21, Whitford was
elected Intendent (Mayor) of New Bern, N. C. He then served as
Collector of Customs at the port of New Bern (an important and
responsible position at the time). He was elected President of the
Atlantic & North Carolina RR in 1854 at the first meeting of
stockholders. He remained President until July, 1866, when he was
elected to the North Carolina Senate. In June, 1867, he was again
elected President of the Atlantic & North Carolina RR and again
held the position for several years.
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Whitford was an active fireman in
the New Bern volunteer fire department and was foreman of one of the
companies for many years. He was a founding member of the New Bern
Light Infantry company and, in 1859, received a pitcher cast from
silver dollars donated by members of the Company. He was a member of
the state Commission for the improvement of the Neuse River and was
a member of the convention which passed the North Carolina Ordinance
of Secession. During 1861, he was an officer of the North Carolina
Military, doing Ordnance work. After the War, he was involved in several business
ventures based in New Bern and was elected to represent Craven
County in the North Carolina Senate elected in November, 1865.
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John died in New Bern in1910 and his wife
died in 1865.
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There are about 600 documents in
the John D. Whitford collection at the North Carolina State
Archives. Over 90% of them are Civil War period, with hundreds of
telegrams related to railroad movements in central and eastern North
Carolina. |
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The following speech was made in
1919 and is found in the Craven County Library. {speech} |
| February 19, 1861 |
Whitford praised for ordnance improvements
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| April, 10-20, 1861 |
Went to Richmond and ordered ordnance material
from Tredegar Iron Works |
| July 9, 1861 |
Was appointed a Confederate Loan Commissioner
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| July 15, 1861
through May ?, 1862 |
Acted as Chief Ordnance officer at New Bern, N.
C. Had cartridges made, harnesses repaired, muskets converted, etc.
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| August 1, 1861 |
Received wheels, axles and machinery from
Richmond
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| October 8, 1861 |
Asked if his road had any Raleigh & Gaston RR
cars
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| January 10, 1862 |
Was consulted on bridge guards and creating huts
for them on his road
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| April 1, 1862 |
Chairman of Convention to make plans for moving
troops in North Carolina
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| April 18, 1862 |
Will see a train of tomorrow
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| April 19, 1862 |
Send trains for troops
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| April 21, 1862 |
Orders Treasurer and Ticket Agent to move to
Raleigh
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| May 4, 1862 |
Ordered to burn cotton on Atlantic & North
Carolina RR if in danger of capture
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| August 1, 1862 |
Appointed to Commission to study railroad
transportation
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| August 20, 1862 |
Probably in Augusta at Commission meeting
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| August 23, 1862 |
Given order to impress a train
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| September 1, 1862 |
Bill for use of cars
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| September 30, 1862 |
Certifies usage of Western NC RR cars under
order of Gen. Holmes
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| October 10, 1862 |
Signed a contract for English supplies with
Chamberlain & Co
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| October 24, 1862 |
Asked to send a train to Tarboro for corn
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| November 10, 1862 |
Asked by residents of Tarboro and Rocky Mount to
provide trains to move them west
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| November 14, 1862 |
Governor Vance request help with iron removal
question
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Requested to take a cotton shipment
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| November
27, 1862 |
Provided a train to ship cotton for the
Government
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| November 28, 1862 |
Noted as General Transportation agent for the
Government at Goldsboro
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| January 15, 1863 |
Was providing transportation against a possible
enemy move against Wilmington
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| January 20, 1863 |
Certifies having detained rolling stock
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| January 26, 1863 |
Whitford's services of great value to the
Government; was helping on railroads; resigned when Wadley arrived;
persuaded to resume his duties and represent Wadley
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| January 27, 1863 |
Whitford retained as Transportation Agent if
Wadley wants him
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| January 28, 1863 |
Was asked to give up the iron of his RR
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| March 25, 1863 |
Asked about rates for transportation and for his
pay
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| April 1, 1863 |
Iron being moved in North Carolina
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| May 1, 1863 |
Agrees to us Atlantic & North Carolina RR
rolling stock to assist Wilmington & Weldon RR and Raleigh & Gaston
RR
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| May 30, 1863 |
As President of the Atlantic & North
Carolina RR, changes the location of the annual shareholder meeting
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| June 15, 1863 |
Sims asks Whitford to join RR Bureau
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| July 2, 1863 |
Elected a Director and President of the Atlantic & North
Carolina RR
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| July 7, 1863 |
Capt. Sims reports that Whitford will accept
a position in the Railroad Bureau
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| July 9, 1863 |
Appointed Major and Quarter Master
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Informed by Lt. Col. Sims that he will now
report to Sims and continue to perform his duty of supervision of
transportation at Goldsboro
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| August 1, 1863 |
Several communications to Sims must await his
return to the office
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| August 10, 1863 |
Ordered to hurry on the guns at Weldon
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Ordered to ship all possible corn to Richmond
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| August 16, 1863 |
Involved in moving iron for the North Carolina
RR
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| August 24, 1863 |
Responds to Sims regarding Morfit's beliefs
regarding other cars on the Richmond & Petersburg RR
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| August 28, 1863 |
Sims instructs Wilmington & Weldon RR regarding
orders through Whitfield
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Telegraphs Secretary of War regarding retaining
new iron for the Wilmington & Weldon RR
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| August 29, 1863 |
Urged to forward corn from Charlotte
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| September 2, 1863 |
Ordered to send cars to Richmond with locomotive
waiting at Petersburg
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Sims orders him to send 6 flats for guns
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Ordered to forward rapidly 55 ambulances to
Bragg's army
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| September 7, 1863 |
Conducting troop movement
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NCA, RRB
9-6-63 |
| H, RRB 9-7A-1863 |
| H, RRB 9-7B-1863 |
| RRBAT 9-7-1863 |
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NCA, RRB
9-8-63 |
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NCA, RRB
9-8B-63 |
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NCA, RRB
9-8C-63 |
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NCA, RRB
9-8D-63 |
| H, RRB 9-8-63 |
| H, RRB 9-8H-63 |
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NCA, RRB
9-9-63 |
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NCA, RRB
9-9B-63 |
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NCA, RRB
9-9C-63 |
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NCA, RRB
9-10-63 |
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NCA, RRB
9-10A-63 |
| H, RRB 9-10-63 |
| H, RRB 9-11-63 |
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NCA, RRB
9-11B-63 |
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NCA, RRB
9-11C-63 |
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NCA, RRB
9-11D-63 |
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NCA, RRB
9-12-63 |
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NCA, RRB
9-12A-63 |
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NCA, RRB
9-12B-63 |
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NCA, RRB
9-12C-63 |
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NCA, RRB
9-12D-63 |
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NCA, RRB
9-13A-63 |
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NCA, RRB
9-13B-63 |
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NCA, RRB
9-14-63 |
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NCA, RRB
9-15-63 |
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NCA, RRB
9-15A-63 |
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NCA, RRB
9-15B-63 |
| RRBAT 9-15A-1863 |
| RRBAT 9-15E-1863 |
| H, RRB 9-16-63 |
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NCA, RRB
9-16A-63 |
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NCA, RRB
9-16B-63 |
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NCA, RRB
9-16C-63 |
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NCA, RRB
9-16D-63 |
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NCA, RRB
9-17A-63 |
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NCA, RRB
9-18-63 |
| RRBAT 9-25-1863 |
| NP, RSTD 10-28-63 |
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NCA, RRB
10-31-63 |
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NCA, RRB
11-10-63 |
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| September 8, 1863 |
Ordered to press forward corn from Charlotte and
Wilmington
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His report on through transport for Engineer
Lumber mentioned
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| September 25, 1863 |
Is told that Sims has gone south
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| October 3, 1863 |
Pushes ambulance shipment
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| October 4, 1863 |
Requested to send a train for ambulances
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| October 9, 1863 |
Receives schedule for Roanoke Valley RR rail
removal shipments
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| October 12, 1863 |
Ordered to be present for training by Mayo
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Settled damage costs to cars
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| October 19, 1863 |
Asked for train for wood
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| October 23, 1863 |
Reports on various matters to Sims
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| October 25, 1863 |
Maj Pierce needs a train
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| October 26, 1863 |
Report sent to him regarding repairing several
cars
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| November 1, 1863 |
Moving iron in North Carolina
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| November 3, 1863 |
Informed of actions of a machinist
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| November 9, 1863 |
Asked for cars in Wilmington
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| November 13, 1863 |
Shipping corn
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Sims asks him to attend a convention as an
advisor
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| November 16, 1863 |
Is asked how to improve the Wilmington &
Manchester RR
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Gets report of corn at various stations
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| November 23, 1863 |
Prohibits shipment of freight until Government
potatoes shipped by Wilmington & Weldon RR
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| November 24, 1863 |
Reports his status to the QM General
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| December 9, 1863 |
Sims asks him to move a shipment of potatoes
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| December 16, 1863 |
Urged to ship corn night and day
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| December
18, 1863 |
Informed 3 trains sent for artillery
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Asked for trains to remove exposed corn
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| December 19, 1863 |
Asked for train for troops and corn at Tarboro
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| January 1, 1864 |
Sims warns of large corn shipments about to
start
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| January 5, 1864 |
Reports he has never had a clerk
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| January 8, 1864 |
Asked if he has resigned his position
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| January 14, 1864 |
Is requested to ship RR iron to Greensboro
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Asked about corn from Charlotte
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| January 15, 1864 |
Asked about corn shipments and RR Bureau officer
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| January
21, 1864 |
Sims requests he come to Richmond
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Informed Wilmington & Weldon RR will follow
Whitford directions
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| January 31, 1864 |
Keeps Goldsboro telegraph office open for
transportation needs
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Ordered rolling stock for troop movement
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| January ?, 1864 |
Railroad matters in eastern North Carolina
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| February 6, 1864 |
Conducting troop movement
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| February
8, 1864 |
Sims suggests a meeting in Petersburg on the
12th
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Mallory asks his help in moving armor in North
Carolina
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| February 9, 1864 |
Requested to forward boiler for ironclad under
construction in Kinston
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| February 11, 1864 |
Informed of the need for additional wood for
Charlotte-area mine
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| March 19, 1864 |
Ordered to submit list of his RR employees
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| April 7, 1864 |
Reported to have been seriously ill at home
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| April 11, 1864 |
Dropped from the rolls of Army officers by
Special Order 84/23 of the Adjutant & Inspector General.
Continues to be President of the Atlantic &
North Carolina RR. |
| April 20, 1864 |
Wrote Sims about investigation of Wilmington &
Weldon RR superintendent
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| June 15, 1864 |
Continues train running arrangements with
Wilmington & Weldon RR
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| June 22, 1864 |
Gen. Hoke asks for 25 flats to move artillery
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| June 23, 1864 |
Sims responds to request for 2 details
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| July 12, 1864 |
Re-elected President of Atlantic & North
Carolina RR
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| July 16, 1864 |
Asks for Sims help in closing out his pay
account
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Vance informs him of the type of funds the state
will accept in payment on his road's debt
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| August 20, 1864 |
Refuses to accept certificates of indebtedness
for government work
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| September 17, 1864 |
Informed of supplies found for his RR
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| September 29, 1864 |
Sims informs him that the Treasury Department is
trying to pay RR companies quickly
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| December 15, 1864 |
Sends an Agent to Sims
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| March 2, 1865 |
Reports all his cars are in use
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| March 10, 1865 |
Asked to hold all his rolling stock at Kinston
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| Unknown |
Asked to join Lawton and Sims in Richmond for a
conference
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