| Wilmington & Weldon Rail Road Co. |
| Office Chief Engineer and Superintendent |
| Wilmington, N. C., Feby 16th 1864 |
| |
| Lt. Col. F. W. Sims |
| Q Master in charge R R Bureau |
| Richmond |
| |
| It becomes my very unpleasant
but imperative duty to ask your attention, and through you the attention
of the War Depart.to the charges and specifications preferred against
Capt. Jno. C. Pegram Asst Adjt Gen & now or then (Dec 5-/63)attached to
the Staff of Gen M W Ransom. |
| The attack was entirely
unprovoked, so far as I can learn. This Engineer McQuestian is one of
the most peaceable and inoffensive men in the service of this Company.
He drinks no liquor, & has never been heard of using profane or obscene
language. He was strictly obeying orders on the occasion referred to. I
mention the orders of our agents. |
| I ask that the case may be
investigated by a Court Martial. It is due to men who are more or less
(but frequently) abused by officers in the Army, when they are in the
regular discharge of their duties & often in total disregard of the
orders of Gen Lee & the War Dept. on the subject, of interference into
Railroad management. Our best men shrink from the duty of running
Engines, because of the overbearing conduct of many officers, and
generally the lower the rank, the more important they are to do
something beyond their own Military duties. |
| Had such an outrage occurred
in the army towards a citizen when I had the honor to serve under the
old flag, it would have cost the perpetrating officer his commission,
and I treat our new government will not be less jealous of the respect
its officers pay to the citizens of the Confederate States, that the old
one was in its best days. |
| I am Col. Your obt servt |
| S. L. Fremont |
| Chf Eng & Supt |
| |
| {on back of document} |
| Respectfully referred to Q. M.
G. for his consideration and action. It is hoped this investigation may
take place in order that the charges may be investigated ????? It is the
correct belief of RRd Supts that they have no redress in such cases. |
| F. W. Sims |
| Lt. Col. QM |
| |
| Respectfully referred to the Adgt &
Inspector Genl with the request that this officer be brought before a
Court Martial as soon as practicable. The officers of Rail Roads should
be protected against injury & insult |
| A R Lawton |
| Qr. Mr. Genl |
| 2 March '64 |
| |
| Res. referred to Maj Genl. Pickett, who is
requested to bring this officer to trial on the charges enclosed. |
| S. Cooper |
| A&I. G. |
| Mar 9/64 |
| |
| {Attached} |
| Charges & Specifications preferred against
Capt Jno. C. Pegram P A. C. S. |
| Charge I. |
| Conduct unbecoming an officer and a
gentleman. |
| Specification... In this that he Capt Jno.
C. Pegram, Asst Adgt Gen. P. A. C. S. to my did on or about Dec 5th
1863, at Weldon North Carolina, order one Heptinstall, being one of the
Provost Guard at Weldon to bring to him meaning his official, being the
Head Qrs. of Brig Gen. Ransom, the person of Chas. R. McQuestian a
citizen then employed by the Wilm & Weldon R. R. Co. as a Machinist and
Engineer of a Freight train Engine the property of said Railroad Co. The
said Heptinstall informing the said McQuestian that Capt Pegram desired
to see him at his office, did accompany the said Heptinstall, to the
said office (of Gen Ransom) while the said Pegram had armed himself with
a heavy club & concealing himself behind the door, When McQuestian
entered and without any sufficient cause or provocation did strike the
said McQuestian who had no expectation of an attack a heavy blow on the
head felling him to the floor, in a senseless condition, whereupon the
said Pegram jumped upon the body of the said McQuestian stomping him &
kicking him in the mouth, side & breast. Knocking out several teeth and
otherwise maiming & bruising the said McQuestian in an outrageous &
cruel manner disabling him from performing his duty as an Engineer or
Machinist for two or three weeks, and by the blow on his head seriously
endangering his life. |
| Charge II. |
| Violation of Gen. Orders No I of March 20,
1862, by General Lee |
| Specification. In this that the said Capt
Jno. C. Pegram Asst. Adgt Gen. P. A. C. S. did at Weldon on or about Dec
4 1863 order and attempt to compel the said acting Engineer McQuestian
then in the service of the Wil & Weldon R R Co. to run an Engine
attached to a train belonging to the said Railroad Co. across the high
bridge at Weldon to Garysburg over a Road the property of the Seaboard &
Roanoke R R Co without first having obtained permission of that Co.'s
Agent at Weldon to use their Road, and without the knowledge, authority
or consent of the Agents or Conductor of the said Wil & Weldon Rail Road
Co. This being after dark and one or more trains being expected coming
towards Weldon & no notification having been sent to Garysburg that the
train of said Wilm & Weldon R. Road Co would run to Garysburg that night
it would have been entirely hazardous to life, limb & property, to have
complied with the orders of the said Capt Pegram, which orders were in
direct conflict with the aforesaid orders of Gen Lee & violation of the
Rules & Regulations governing the running of trains by the said Wilm &
Weldon R. Road Co. |
| S. L. Fremont |
| Chf Engineer & Gen Supt |
| Wil & Weldon RRC |
| December 15th 1864
{should be 1863} |