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Chattanooga, Tenn.
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| Oct. 3d, 1861 |
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| To, |
| His Excellency |
| Jos. E. Brown |
| Atlanta, Ga. |
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| Sir, |
| I regretted very much not seeing you when
I passed through Atlanta, as I think I could have convinced you of the
importance of my demands upon you for rolling stock and power of the
Ga. State Road, to be used on the E. T. & Va. Road, for the
purpose of moving freight belonging to the Confederate States, which
has for some time been blocked up at Knoxville. But I was obliged to
come directly here to meet, by arrangement, officers of Rail Roads in
this section, to adopt some more prompt and effective plans for
shipments of supplies for the Confederate Government. |
| I have received your dispatch of yesterday
declining to allow any of your Engines and Cars to go upon the Road
named above, for the reason that they had been dreadfully abused or
broken up when loaned to that Road before. The Road, as you are
perhaps aware, is now under different and more effective management,
and I could not apprehend any recurrence of such casualties. I find,
in conference with the Rail Road officers now here, representing the
lines West and South West, that the demands upon their stock, motive
and rolling especially since the late movement upon Kentucky, will
not, in justice to them, or to the requirements of the Government in
the West, permit the decrease of their Engines and Cars. As far as
they could, they have assisted each other, and agree to do so in case
of any strait or urgent press in this section, west of this place. The
Memphis Road has been running its cars through to Bristol, in order to
lighten the labors of the ET&Va Road, but in consequence of the
series of disasters that Road has met with for more than one
month past, it has not been able to transport, with its limited
facilities, the large amount of freight accumulated during that
period. The Government has now at Knoxville one million rations of
meats which have been there for five or six weeks, besides large
quantities of supplies for our army in Western Virginia and Richmond.
It will be impossible to get these to points of destination unless we
can have the control of more motive power and cars to put upon the
ET&Va Road. |
| Knowing the embarrassments to which our
army at Manassas, in fact our whole military operations in Virginia,
may be subjected, in consequence of the want of these supplies, I
confidently trust you will strain a point even to assist the
Government in this dilemma, and spare me the disagreeable necessity
contemplated by my orders, which are imperative, to impress into the
service of the Government, for the purpose aforesaid, such Engines and
Cars of your State Road, as may be necessary for the purpose. They
will not be required for a long time, it is believed, and will be
returned, if loaned, in good order, or damages paid for according to
liberal assessment. If you feel that you have the authority to sell
three or four good Engines and twenty Box Cars, they will be purchases
of you at a fair valuation, or if hired they will be returned in
conditions before specified. Let me hope that, considering the
exigencies of the service, you will feel it consistent with your duty
and extent of your authority, to spare what is required if only for a
stated time. |
| I am with high regard |
| Your Excellency's Most obdt Servt |
| W. S. Ashe |
| Maj. Qr. Mr. C. S. A. |
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| P. S. Please answer by telegraph as soon as possible.
A. |
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