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Abington Va. Nov 16th 1864
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| General A. R. Lawton |
| Richmond, Va. |
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| In obedience to your orders dated Nov 7th
1864, I have examined into the duties connected with the post of
Dublin, Montgomery Springs and New River and beg leave to submit the
following suggestions. |
| That the duties connected with the Post of
Dublin, Montgomery Springs and New River necessarily extends over so
much territory that it is impossible for one officer to give it the
personal attention and superintendence that the nature of the service
demands. New River Post embraces in its duties the navigation by
Batteaux of New River for sixty miles, with store houses at Central
Depot on Va. & T RR and at the narrows 30 thirty miles below
Central depot and Capt V. G. de ?. Isle is at this time transporting
???? load?? ??, which is 30 miles above Central Depot (The River can
be made very useful to the "Nitre & Mining Bureau's) |
| Montgomery Springs is 30 thirty from
Dublin and is connected with the Va & T RR by a "Grave Rail
Road two and a half miles in length. |
| Their are twenty eight large buildings accommodating
four to seven hundred patients. To properly supply the large amount of
"fuel," the issue of clothing, receiving the effects
of deceased soldiers, the issuing of transportation, the constant
repairing necessary in transporting this metal (to May Meadows Depot
and Wytheville, by proper management all this metal could be
transported to Central Depot by Bateaux on New River, placing it
thirty miles nearer Richmond. This would be a saving to the Government
of thirty miles of rail road transportation and release the teams now
in use, to be used at other points in this department, where they are
greatly needed. The Batteaux navigation is not an experiment, boats
can at the lowest stage of water carry six thousand pounds. I would
recommend that a sufficient number of Batteaux be transferred to the
Nitre & Mining Bureau to perform this service. |
| I also enclose the suggestions of Maj.
Thos L Brown on which I fully concur. |
| Very Respectfully |
| G R R D?? |
| Maj & QM |
| Abingdon |
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