| Raleigh, March 20, 1865 |
| |
| Lt Col J. M. Otey |
| A. A. G. |
| |
| Colonel, |
| In accordance with your
request of March 18th I communicated with the Superintendents of each of
the roads under my supervision. |
| The Superintendents of the
North Carolina and of the Raleigh & Gaston Rail Roads report that all of
their laborers are so engaged that it would be impossible to spare any
without detriment to operating over their roads. You will recollect no
doubt that the Supt. of the N. Carolina road asked you yesterday for the
impressment of labor for cutting wood for fuel, an application that you
granted. The Supt. of the Wil & Weldon road reports "Very few hands to
each section from Goldsboro to Weldon; some from every section have run
away since the last excitement near Kingston. On the Petersburg road
every laborer is employed on the track destroyed some time since by the
enemy, and on the Seaboard & Roanoke RRd. the remaining four sections of
the road are reduced to not more than twenty men. I do not think it
would be advisable to withdraw any of the labor upon these roads. |
| Respectfully |
| Jno. M. Robinson |
| Military Supt |
|