| From the Confederate Union (Milledgeville, Ga.) |
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| January 24, 1865 |
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| Railroad Lines |
| The occupation of Savannah says President
Davis' organ, renders very desirable some modification of our railroad
system in South Carolina and Georgia. |
| The railroad line from Wilmington to
Augusta makes a detour at Branchville precisely in the wrong direction,
because towards the coast. From Kingsville, by Columbia, to Augusta,
would be no farther than by Branchville to Augusta and would give a much
safer line. Cannot the link between Columbia, and Augusta be put in? The
distance as measured on the map, is about 75 miles. The railroad as it
stands, however, is from Augusta to Aiken, almost in a direct line to
Columbia; making Aiken's a point of junction, would shorten the distance
17 miles, or reduce the whole, say to 60 miles. We should thus have a
safe, and direct line from Augusta to Columbia, where a choice of roads
leading hither-ward would be had, by Wilmington, or Charlotte and
Danville. |
| Still further up is Abbeville, which is in
railroad connection with Columbia; and opposite to it in Georgia is
Athens, which is in connection with the Augusta and Atlantic railroad.
These points are by the map about 65 miles apart. If they too, were
connected, we should have another and a more interior line between
Georgia and the Eastern States. |
| It should be an object to remove the
superstructure of railroads no longer serviceable, and employ the
materials upon connections adapted to the changed state of affairs.
Large portions of the railroads leading to Savannah are now
unserviceable, and indeed, can be of advantage only to the enemy. Other
railroads are, or may become, in like condition. We should be as
studious to dismantle these as to bring off the baggage train of an
army; nay more so. Slaves ought to be impressed in sufficient numbers to
complete with dispatch the new connections which become eligible. If we
construct these with judgment and in time, it will not be in the power
of the enemy to cripple our communications. |
| {These ideas should have been put
forward in early 1862 to have any chance of completion} |
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