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Superintendent's Office A&G RR
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| Savannah 28th Septr 1864 |
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Col. F. W. Sims A. A. G.
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| Richmond Va |
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| Dear Sir, |
| I am once more compelled to
call on you to assist me out of a dilemma. Sincerely hoping that you
will excuse me for this taxing your kindness. |
| All of the principal &
most important Farmers & Planters on the line of this Road are bonded
Planters & forced by their bond to dispose of their produce to
the Government or to Soldiers Families. In consequence of which they
refuse & positively decline selling me supplies for the use of the
hands (Negroes) in the employ of the Road, unless I procure a
certificate from the Government giving them permission to furnish me
with such grain meat & supplies as I may need for the hands.
Unless I get such an order it will be next to impossible for me to
purchase supplies, as the Farmers positive refuse to sell unless they
have permission from the Government fearful lest it may forfeit
their Bond. I have in the neighborhood of 350 hands (Negroes) engaged
in repairs of Road & Bridges and as Train hands & ware house
hands. Unless they are fed it will be impossible to keep them on the
Road & unless repy on the Road it will be impossible to operate
the Road successfully. I shall require about 45,000 lbs of Bacon &
about 5000 Bushels of Corn. In case I have to purchase hogs &
fatten them to kill, I shall require a much larger quantity of corn to
enable me to feed the hogs. |
| The favor I have to ask is
that you will lay the matter before the Secty of War or before the
Quarter Master General. Press my claims upon them & use your
influence to procure from either of them a Certificate giving the
Quarter Master & Commissarys of this district permission to
furnish me with such supplies as I need for the use of the Road, and
to pay Government prices. (Or whatever the articles may of cost) for
all supplyes received, by which means the Government will loose
nothing & I will be supplyed without having to enter the market in
competition with the Government & possibly advance the prices of
such few articles as may be left in the market for Sale. Should the
Government prefer giving me a certificate authorizing me to purchase
what is needed from bonded Planters and authorizing bonded Planter to
sell me such supplyes as I needed, it will answer my purpose fully as
will as I can readily procure the Supplyes if I can but procure the
consent of the Government for bonded Planters to sell me what I need,
by giving the above necessary your attention & urging it &
letting me know the results of your efforts at your earlyest
convenience |
| You will much oblige |
| Yours Very Respey |
| J. J. Fulton |
| Genl Supertd |
| {General
Superintendent, Atlantic & Gulf RR} |
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