| Salisbury, N. C., April 18, 1863 |
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| Maj. Carrington, Quarter Master |
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| Sir, |
| In view of the great and
immediate importance to the Government of having prompt and abundant
transportation for its freights from Charlotte, N. C. to Richmond,
Va., the Western North Carolina Rail Road hereby tender to the
Government, through Maj. Carrington, Quarter Master, a train of cars,
consisting of an engine and not less than ten cars. This train shall
be furnished for the transportation of Government freight between
Charlotte, N. C. and Raleigh, and intermediate points over the North
Carolina Rail Road, on the application of its President or Superintendent,
or on the application of Capt. R. J. Echols, Post Quarter Master at
Charlotte, or Capt. Henry McCoy, Post Quarter Master Salisbury, or of
the successors of either or both of these officers, upon requisition
and certificate of the officers applying that he had (24) twenty-four
hours before the date of said requisition made requisition upon the
President or Superintendent of North Carolina Rail Road for
transportation for Government freight, and that the same had not been
provided. The above train is hereby tendered to the Government to
transport its freight through to Richmond; provided the consent of the
Rail Roads intervening between Charlotte, N. C. and Richmond is given
thereto. Maj. Carrington informs me that he has applied to the
Quarter Master General for authority to say that whenever trains of
one Road pass over another, carrying Government freight, of any kind,
that the Road owning the train shall receive greater compensation than
that suggested by the convention of Presidents and Superintendents of
Rail Roads held in Augusta, Georgia, Dec. 15, 1862; and that the
evidence of indebtedness of the Government for such passing trains,
shall be given directly to the road owning the same. |
| He further says, that when
the reply of the Q. M. General to this application is received, a copy
of the same shall be immediately forwarded to Capt. Echols and Capt.
McCoy, and that the settlement of either officer for the use of the
above mentioned train, either at the instance of the North Carolina
Rail Road, or of these officer, or either of them shall conform to
this letter of authority or instruction. The only train that can be
spared from the Western North Carolina Rail Road, is that now in the
service of the State of N. Carolina, and it is understood that the
tender of the within mentioned train to the Government, is conditional
upon the release of this train from the service of the State; and it
is further understood that this consent is given subject to the disapproval
of the President and Directors of the Western North Carolina Rail
Road. As witness my hand this 18th April, 1862. |
| James C. Turner |
| Engineer and Sup't W. N.C. R. R. |
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