|
Confederate States of America
|
| War Department |
| Engineer Bureau |
| Richmond, Va. 14 July 1863 |
| |
| Hon. J. P. Benjamin |
| Secretary of State |
| |
| Sir, |
| I have the honor to acknowledge the
receipt of your letter of this date enclosing a copy of a
communication from Mr. Mason in relation to an invention for building
rail roads without the use of iron, & further mentioning
the President's desire that an experiment should be made in the
streets of Richmond. |
| Prompt attention shall be given to the
subject. |
| Very resply, your obt. servt |
| J. F. Gilmore |
| Col: Engr & Chf. Bu. |
|