NA, SWR 2/19/1862

Richmond February 19th 1862
 
Hon. J. P. Benjamin
Secretary of War
 
Sir,
   In conformity with a resolution of the Rail road Companies of the District embracing the State of Virginia, the State of Tennessee East of Knoxville and the State of North Carolina north of Weldon in Convention assembled today, I have the honor to communicate to you the following resolutions adopted by said Convention.
Very respectfully
J. B. Winston Secy
 
   Resolved as the sense of this Convention that in the present condition of the Country it is necessary in order to preserve the efficiency of Rail Road transportation that military power and authority should be conferred on the Presidents of the several Rail roads to organize & control a force of men not subject to draft to guard & protect the bridges on their roads against open force or secret incendiarism.
   Resolved that the Governor of the State be requested if he has authority to do so, to detail a force for that purpose from the counties in which said bridges are located and if he has no such power that he be respectfully requested to ask that such power be granted to him by the Legislature.
   A true copy from the minutes.
J. B. Winston Secy.

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