| Charlotte N. C. |
| 9th March 1865 |
| |
| Col. Jno. M. Otey |
| A. A. G. |
| |
| Col., |
| In compliance with the order
of the Commanding General that I should communicate with him respecting
the establishment of a wagon train from Chester to Allston S. C.
{connecting the Charlotte & South Carolina RR and
the Greenville & Columbia RR, about 20 miles each way, intended to
bypass burned out Columbia} and the number of wagons I shall
require. I have to say that I left at Salisbury 15 four horse wagons
with horses; 40 four horse wagons without horses; 3 two horse wagons
with horses; 2 two horse wagons without harness; & 1 ambulance. |
| Of these I want for the new
line 5 four horse wagons, with 20 horses & harness, and one ambulance
with 2 horses & harness. But as I propose to run 30 wagons, divided into
three trains of 10 each, and 6 ambulances -- 2 to each train -- for the
use of officers; I shall therefore require 25 more wagons, 5 more
ambulances, and 110 more horses; of these Major Echols will furnish me 3
wagons without horses or harnesses. |
| I respectfully request the
Commanding General will order the above named 5 wagons & 1 ambulance &
22 horses be ordered from Salisbury to Chester at once. |
| I respectfully request
further, that the duties of the Post at Salisbury after the present
movement of troops to and from that point shall cease -- can be very
well performed with the amount of transportation my proposed abstraction
therefrom will leave. |
| Severe indisposition will, I
trust, be accepted by the General commanding, as my apology for not
having earlier submitted to him this communication as directed by him. |
| I am Colonel |
| Very Respectfully |
| Yr. obdt. Servt. |
| Jas. M. Goodman |
| Capt & AQM |
| |
| I am satisfied from 12 months
experience as Post QM at Salisbury that the amount of transportation
proposed to be left there, can be still further reduced as soon as Genl
Johnston's army passes through. |