OR, Series 1, Vol. 47, Part 2, Page 1322

Headquarters Military Division of the West
Augusta, March 4, 1865
 
General G. T. Beauregard
Charlotte, N. C.
 
General,
   I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your communication of the 20th ultimo, in relation to the troops and trains at Augusta, on the 27th ultimo. It was brought by Captain Hazzard, not Lieutenant Trenholm, who has not yet reported. I was therefore in the dark in respect to the condition of the army and affairs which Lieutenant Trenholm was charged to communicate. The orders and instructions embraced in your letter have all been carried out. The troops arriving here are being organized and equipped, and would have moved forward, in pursuance to your instructions from Charlotte of the 24th ultimo, to General Hill, received on the 2d instant, but the non-arrival of army trains and stores prevented. The trains are detained at Milledgeville in consequence of the high freshet in the Oconee, which has caused the pontoon bridge to be removed. Every effort is being made to hurry them up, in order that they can move with the troops. Your communication of the 13th ultimo, directing me to report with others of the staff, was not received until the 2d instant. I had made preparations to leave this morning, but last night your orders to General Young of the 27th ultimo were received, by which I am directed to remain here. General Young is preparing to carry out his instructions, but will be delayed for want of pontoon train. This was detained at Macon, in pursuance of orders from Lieutenant-General Taylor and General M. L. Smith. I send telegrams on this subject for your information.
   In pursuance of your letter of the 24th, orders have been issued to the staff of the Army of Tennessee to report to General Joseph E. Johnston at Charlotte. Major-General Elzey, chief of artillery, will remain here with the light batteries. I would respectfully suggest that it would be well, under existing circumstances, that the larger portion be removed to some interior point, not only on account of safety, but for convenience to forage, &c. After the departure of General Young and the trains and troops of the army Augusta will be uncovered. Nothing will be left but Cumming's small brigade of Georgia Reserves and Browne's Reserves. On the 28th [25th] instant Governor Brown sent a dispatch to General Fry, notifying that he intended withdrawing his militia; and on Sunday, the 26th, without any notification, the militia abandoned the lines and left. I telegraphed Governor Brown on the subject, but received no answer. I send you copy of communication from him to you on this subject. In this state of affairs it would be better to remove the artillery. All the artillery companies left in Mississippi have gone to Mobile, under orders from Lieutenant-General Taylor, except five companies sent to Demopolis. The order for its reorganization General Elzey informs me he did not receive, and was not aware of its existence until I called his attention to it and gave him a copy. The railroad has been completed to Atlanta from West Point {Atlanta & West Point RR}, and I have directed Major Hottel to transfer his force to the east of it and work eastwardly {on the Georgia RR?}, until he meets Captain Grant. Captain Grant reports that he cannot complete the work until the middle of April. The bridge over the Alcony will be finished in ten days. I should be glad to have your views in relation to the amount of stores to be kept on hand in this section, and the best points for their location; what lines of route are most likely to become important, in order that repairs may be looked after. Under existing circumstances, the route from Washington to Abbeville seems to have lost some of its value. The reconnaissance of that route shows the dirt road to be very bad and at present impracticable. I would call your attention to the fact that the gauge of the West Point and Montgomery road is the narrow one. It is highly important that this be remedied. There is no commanding officer at Columbia, and great confusion exists there. Beyond there is no courier line. I have ordered Colonel Rudler to that place as commandant, with instructions to establish a through line.
Respectfully, your obedient servant,
George Wm. Brent
Colonel and Assistant Adjutant-General

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