OR, Series 1, Vol. 30, Part 4, Page 493

War Department, C. S. A., Engineer Bureau
Richmond, Va., August 13, 1863
 
Capt. L. P. Grant
Corps of Engineers, Atlanta, Ga.
 
Captain,
   Under instructions from the honorable Secretary of War I have to request that you will proceed, at the earliest moment that you can leave the works on which you are now engaged for the defense of Atlanta to the temporary direction of your civil assistants, to the headquarters of General Joseph E. Johnston, at Morton, Miss., and confer with him as to the practicability of rebuilding in a short time the railroad bridge over Pearl River, at Jackson, Miss., with a view to securing the rolling-stock on the Mississippi {Central} Railroad and as much of the iron rails as possible in the vicinity of Jackson. Your absence from the works at Atlanta must be as short as possible, but the importance of saving all the rolling-stock from railroads abandoned is so great that the Secretary of War urges that no effort be spared to collect all that can be reached. I must, therefore, call on you as an engineer of many years' experience in all railroad constructions to go for a few days to the locality to advise as to the most expeditious method of accomplishing the much desired results.
   The engineers serving with General Johnston can then with his authority execute the work. I will send a copy of these instructions to General Johnston with a letter asking his full assistance and support. It is believed that you can engage, if you have not already done so, such assistants at Atlanta as can direct the works there during the short period of your absence.
Very respectfully,
J. F. Gilmer
Colonel of Engineers and Chief of Bureau

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