| Headquarters Army of Northern Virginia |
| December 28, 1864 |
| |
| His Excellency Z. B. Vance |
| Governor of North Carolina |
| Raleigh |
|
|
| Governor, |
| I beg leave to call the attention of
Your Excellency to the great danger we incur from the condition and
management of our railroads, with the hope that you may be able to
remove some of the difficulties under which we labor. General Hoke's
division was ordered to Wilmington
as soon as it was known that the enemy was threatening that place.
The first brigade left
Richmond
by the {Richmond &} Danville
road on Tuesday morning, 19th instant. The other brigades followed
as soon as they could be marched from below Richmond
and placed on the trains. The first brigade did not reach Wilmington
until the 25th, and by the afternoon of the 26th only 400 men of the
second brigade of 2,000 had arrived. At that time General Bragg
telegraphed that the remainder of the division had passed the
Piedmont road, where most of the delay occurred, and would arrive
rapidly. Yet he reported yesterday evening that up to that time only
the first two brigades were with him below Wilmington
and that the rest had probably reached the city. Your Excellency
will readily perceive the danger we were exposed to. Fortunately,
the delay was not fatal, as it might well have been. I have
requested an investigation of this matter with a view to
ascertaining whether the unprecedented delay was occasioned by any
circumstance within the control of the military authorities, but I
have thought that the State authorities can do something to aid us.
I am informed that freight and passengers are shifted at
Greensborough from the trains of the Piedmont road to those of the
Greensborough road {the North Carolina RR}, and vice versa, occasioning much
inconvenience and unnecessary delay, as the two roads have the same
gauge. I trust that Your Excellency will endeavor to ascertain what
can be done to facilitate transportation by raft, and give all the
assistance in your power. The delay is not only dangerous and
injurious, but has given rise to painful suspicions, which in
justice to those connected with the management of the roads should
be removed. |
| With great respect, your obedient servant, |
| R. E. Lee |
| General |
|