AL, A&F 11/18A/1862

Head Quarters Dist. of the Gulf

Mobile Nov 18 1862
 
C. T. Pollard Esq
Presdt Montgomery & West Point and Ala & Fla RR Co of Ala
Montgomery
 
Sir,
   In accordance with a request made by his Excellency, the Governor of this State, I enclose you a copy of an order, this day forwarded to Col Jno R F Tattnall, Comdg Detachment of Observation at Pollard, authorizing him to seize for the use of your road and that of the Mobile & Great Northern Rail Road Co, so much of the rolling stock of the Ala & Fla RR of Florida as may be sufficient to enable the two first named roads to meet the demand on them for transportation.
   I also enclose you an extract from a letter on the same subject to the Presdt of the Ala & Fla RR Co of Fla.
   You are requested to negotiate with said Co, (in conjunction with the Presdt of the Mobile & Great Northern RR Co who has been written to on the subject) for the sale or use of said stock. In case you can not agree I respectfully suggest a reference of the matter to the Rail Road Superintendent of roads named in my letter to the Presdt of the Ala & Fla RR Co of Fla.
   The seizure is ordered as a temporary necessity, and cannot be allowed to prejudice the rights of the Ala & Fla RR of Fla in the negotiation suggested, and you must offer fair, and liberal terms to obtain the consent of said Co.
   Your Co will also be required to enter into the obligation proposed by you to return to the Ala & Fla RR Co of Fla at the close of the War, engines, and cars of equal capacity and value, to those taken by your Company, and to pay a just compensation for their use, in case said Company refuses to sell.
Very Respectfully
Your obt Servt.
J. H. Forney
Maj Genl. Comdg

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