| Goldsboro Septemb 20th 1864 |
| |
| Lint. Col. F. W. Sims |
| Rail Road Bureau |
| Richmond |
| |
| Dear Col., |
| I have this morning endorsed a letter of
Mr. Harvey to Col. Fremont as to his course respecting transportation for
Govt. I must say there has been much misrepresentation about it. There
is now in Col. Fremont a ???? than his acts to condemn. ??? a soldier he
imagines he is yet Commanding Troops or rather his abrupt & rough treatment of persons generally
bad as to between so. When Gen H. A. Wise
complained of Col. Fremonts {Superintendent,
Wilmington & Weldon RR} conduct & management of his
trains which
was referred to me by you to investigate & expend it was my
intention to go thoroughly into the matter investigating his conduct to the very
bottom that he might be removed on the report & suspicion about him
delivered. I met, however, ??? at this place the day after, I th?? ???
I recd the papers from you where he informs me that Col. Fremont had
been appointed by the Board of Internal Improvement of No. Ca. to
represent the
States steak in the annual matters of the of the stockholders of the
W&W R Road ??? I never investigated or reported. I believed that the large
interest of the State in his Road & his endorsement particularly our Governor, would clear up
all suspicion as to his loyalty in supervision management of his Road.
It was both an extraordinary appointment & no doubt was made to
endorse him. Another reason why I did not look into the matter I did not
deem it
political at that time to come in conflict with our ??? who ??? aiding the
Govt in every way to ??? to his own company with some of ????? Mr
Harvey was the Agent of our Roads & at my suggestion he was also
appointed by Col Fremont to act at Goldsboro as agent of the W&W {Wilmington
& Weldon RR} Road for govt transportation. Thus it gave me some control, through Mr
Harvey over his Passenger Trains. Col. Fremont never did inf?? to
borrow promptly cars requisition I made upon him for trains or cars
when he had them. You cant ??? but little conaption, unless you ??? at
this place for a month of the interruption of the transportation of Govt
freight by the movement of ???. I feel better today than I have in
three months but am not ??? ???. |
| Yours truly |
| George A. Whitfield |
| Is it too late to congratulate you in your promotion if
not I now do so. |
|