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Executive Department |
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Tallahassee, May 11, 1863 |
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| Brigadier General Finnegan |
| Lake City |
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General, |
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I would respectfully invite your
attention to the enclosed copy of a letter from Lt. Gift. The
scarcity of iron seems to give a peculiar charm to the iron on the
rail road alluded to {Florida RR}, for
all important war purposes. |
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Your intimate relations with Mr. Yulee, and knowledge of
facts connected with the ownership of the iron, induces my
appeal to you for the necessary assistance to obtain it for
the use of the Government. |
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However much Mr. Yulee may have been opposed to yield to
the claims of railroad companies, which he may have considered based
upon the hopes of private benefit, I will not permit myself to
believe, that he will not cheerfully yield the iron or any thing
else that he owns or controls, to sustain the Confederate States in
their defence. |
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Will you do me the favor to write to him on the subject
and inform me of the result. |
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I have the honor to be, General, |
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Respectfully, |
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John Milton |
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Governor of Florida |
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