| Columbia, May 6th 1864 |
| |
| Major S. B. French |
| CS |
| Richmond VA |
| |
| Major, |
| I received tidings from Major
Guerin up the the period of my departure on the morning of the 4th but
the distance I proposed to visit was the most important in the state,
and I had the advantage of the Company of the tithe Qr Master who knew
every thing & every body on the line of my journey. By dint of hard
travel & facilities afforded me by Capt Vance I was enabled to traverse
the greater part of the Greenville {& Columbia}
Road & visit Laurens & Anderson by
branches therefrom, with time enough to look in at the various Depots &
store houses & examine the bacon as it had accumulated, and get back
this afternoon. |
| Captains Me?? & ??son district
Commissaries, had received no orders from Major Guerin to this cont??
shipments to him at Charleston, the former had shipped within a week 60
or 70000 lbs {3 1/2 to 4 1/2 car loads}, one car load in ten went off the day of my arrival at
Laurens. Both officers however will at my request suspend further
shipments until they shall hear from Major Guerin & will hurry up
packages as rapidly as they possibly can. Capt Simkins has mills
convenient to him at Anderson & can readily get plank & boxes, and Capt
Mears engaged while I was with him all the materials he may need for the
same purpose next week. They assure me there will be no difficulty in
the way of transportation to Columbia. At this point, from the fact of
some of the Georgia through trains throwing off their cargoes at the
Junction instead of taking them to Charlotte, there has been some ??? &
accumulation. Forty car loads went off yesterday & this evening there
are 4000 bags {corn? if so, 26 1/2 car loads}
at the Junction. Capt Sharp is the best business man I
have seen in his department & is straining every means to report clear.
Captain Simmons reports on the lines of the Greenville road & branches
in his district, 209,000 lbs bacon {13 car loads}, & Capt Means estimates his quantity
at 120,000 {7 1/2 car loads}, it is still coming
in, & much more yet to come. I urge them not to stop with tithe
bacon, but to buy all they can get hold of, as well as all the corn &
flour they can. |
| I was pleased to find on my
arrival here a letter & a telegram from Major Guerin both very
satisfactory, tho' he moved slowly. I met too with Capt More ACS whom
the Major sends to facilitate me in my business. He had been to
Chesterville & given proper instructions to Major Trout. The Major
(Trout) had ordered transportation for his bacon to this point. But I
have arranged for a train of cars to be with him on Monday & take it on
in Bulk under Guard to Major Lowe to whom I have telegraphed to be in
readiness to receive, pack & despatch it to you. |
| Major Trout reports to me "bo(?)
270,000 lbs bacon {17 car loads} not yet
packed at Chesterville, also a large quantity at Winnsboro' and some
small quantities at Rock Hill & Fort Mills most not packed." He cannot
procure packages readily, & is subject to much delay. I propose to go to
Chester tomorrow. I have just despatched to you "I find over 300,000?
bacon {pounds?, if so 19 car loads}
Greenville road & branches & which is being boxed with all expedition &
will go forward within ten days via Charlotte. 200000 lbs
{12 1/2 car loads} on Charlotte road which
I go to look after tomorrow. Over 300,000 lbs {10
car loads} are probably in Charleston. I suggest that you order
the bulk of this via Wilmington. Major Guerin can ??perate from this &
the Savannah road" |
| When I was in Charleston last
week Major Guerin told me he had about 250,000 lbs
{16 car loads}, since then he will have received from Capt Means
60-70000 lbs {3 1/2 to 4 1/2 car loads}
besides his receipts from other sources & a good deal is forwarded to
him from this stats by the S?? river, besides his receipts from other
sources. Capt Simmons has at Anderson 300 beeves fattening & expects to
get as many more shortly. Major Trout has over 100 beeves. Capt Wither
shows has 60,000 lbs Bacon {4 car loads} in bulk here. In an emergency
he might supply Major Guerin and I urge the Capt to look around him &
buy whatever he can both bacon beef as well as flour & corn. |
| I have written you hurriedly
with my suggestion of movement that presented itself. |
| Very Respectfully |
| W H Smith |
| Major & CS |
|