| January 13, 1865 |
| |
| Maj. Gen. George G. Meade |
| Commanding Army of the Potomac |
| |
| General, |
| Our men came in last night from the
Chickahominy, where they had met an agent who left Richmond
yesterday. ***** One of our correspondents, an engineer on the
{Richmond &} Danville railroad, sends
word that on that road eight trains a day have been run each day
lately. He says that within the past two weeks transportation has
been provided over the road for 16,000 men from General Lee's army.
It is understood that it is intended to convey Hoke's division,
Kershaw's division, and the brigades lately sent from Early's corps
to Wilmington. He sends some facts as to the number of men that
could be transported in a train and the number of trains that
carried them, in order to show that his information of the number
sent south is correct. He adds that there are now forty-five engines
on that road, fifteen of which are not in use, that cars and other
transportation have been taken from the Petersburg railroad and
engines have been withdrawn from the
{Virginia} Central and added to the Danville. By the last
freshet the Danville and Greensborough Railroad
{Piedmont RR} is very badly damaged
between these two points. It is a matter of rumor that fifteen days
would be required to put the road in repair. The superintendent of
another railroad leading out of Richmond, whose name and position
are known to the commanding general, says that perhaps it may be
repaired in ten days, but that probably fifteen will be required.
***** On account of the failure in the supply of lead, the rebels
are thrown back to the resources of that kind which come over the
Central road, and our friends say that if the road was destroyed
near Staunton the supply would be completely broken up. The
information before communicated in regard to railroad supplies is
renewed as follows, namely: That the railroad companies in the South
have contracted for block tin, zinc, and other necessaries of like
nature to be sent to them in some way through Norfolk; it is
understood that the supplies are to come from a firm or firms in
Philadelphia; that the negotiation is to be perfected by the
exchange of cotton, which is to go down the Blackwater in small
boats. This information comes from a different source from that by
which it was formerly received. ***** |
| Geo. H. Sharpe |
|