Engineer Bureau
| Richmond, January 7, 1863 |
| |
| Capt. E. T. D. Myers |
| Chief Engineer Piedmont Railroad, Danville, Va. |
| |
| Captain, |
| Inclosed is sent authority from the
Secretary of War recently granted for you to take possession of 50
per cent. of the unlaid iron belonging to the Western North Carolina
Railroad, the Raleigh & Gaston Railroad, the Atlantic &
North Carolina Railroad, and the Virginia Central Railroad; also
authority to take possession of all the iron in the Clarksville and
Keysville road {the Roanoke Valley Railroad},
the Port Walthall road {a branch of the
Richmond & Petersburg Railroad}, and the York River road {the
Richmond & York River Railroad} beyond the Pamunkey. |
| I presume, captain, it is unnecessary to urge
upon you the importance of appointing promptly energetic agents to
secure this iron without delay. The enemy seems to be systematically
threatening our great lines of communication, and your link may in
consequence become one of vital consequence. |
| Very respectfully, |
| J. F. C. Gilmer |
| Colonel of Engineers and Chief of Bureau |
|