NA, ENG 8/8A/1863

Engineer Bureau
Aug 8th 1863
 
Dr. Wm. A. Smith
Prest. R. V. R. R. Co.  {President, Roanoke Valley RR}
C. W. Pencill Esq on Committee
 
General,
   The communication of the 9th inst. recommending that immediate steps be taken to complete the extension of the Roanoke Valley R. R. from Clarksville to Reynolds, distance 31 miles, instead of removing the rails from the portion of the road south of Clarksville has been referred to this Bureau by Col. Chas. F. M. Garnett commissioner & in reply I have to state that it will not be practicable for the Government to procure iron for the proposed extension & supply the want of the main lines of railway throughout the Confederacy. Every effort is now being made to press the construction of the Piedmont Road which will be safer & shorter connection with the South & southwest than the one suggested by you.
   More than one half of the grading on the Piedmont line has been completed & with the negroes of force now promised by parties from the State of Georgia the remainder can be finished sooner than the 31 miles from Clarksville to Reynolds could be, were it possible to promise iron for the latter. The orders for removing the iron from the Roanoke Valley R. R. cannot be revoked.
I am Gentlemen
Very Resplly your obt servt
J. F. Gilmer
Col Engrs & Chf Bu.

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