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Eng. Office, Gonzales, Tex. |
| 8
P. M. 27 Dec. 1863 |
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Capt. Thos Heerrmann |
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Adjt. Gen. Dept |
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| Capt., |
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A report from A. M. McKim Lea, Asst. Eng. in charge at Victoria, gives a
very unsatisfactory account of the progress made in destroying the
Railroad {San Antonio & Mexican Gulf RR}.
Seventeen miles out of twenty eight remained untouched on 24th inst The
several officers entrusted with the direction of the work are either
drunk, unfaithful or inefficient. Two, I know, were in the former
condition. Bad faith may well be suspected when such deleteriousness is
apparent. The inefficiency needs no comment. I showed them how to turn
the road over & break it up. They persist in drawing the spikes with
crow bars! This looks like collusion with Mr. J. O. Wheeler, President
of the Company, who is officially reported to me as acting "badly, very
badly, about the R. R. condescending to all kinds of meanness to retard
the work." His object is, apparently, to delay its destruction until
taken by the enemy in the hope of making terms with them. An
illustration may be found in his secretly removing the boxes from the
car wheels, & perhaps also in disabling the engines, though that may
have been only through a misconstruction of the Gen's orders. The result
is a disgraceful delay in the work, not chargeable, however, to the
Asst. left in charge by me who seems to have well fulfilled his duties
in supplying men, tools & food. |
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The negroes have nearly all run away, & I have ordered an inexorable
impressment of all able bodied male slaves in Chatham, Jackson,
Victoria, Goliad & De Witt counties for that work, & sent agents to
execute it. |
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Very Respy |
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Yr. obt. Sevt. |
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A. M. Lea |
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Lt Col & Chf Eng. |
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