General Orders No. 1
| Headquarters |
| Richmond, Va., March 20, 1862 |
| |
| To avoid the danger, if not the certainty, of
frequent collisions, and the consequent destruction of life and
property, as well as obstruction to all transportation, it is
absolutely necessary that the movements of railroad trains should be
under one undivided control. These considerations make it imperative
that all trains should be regulated in their movements and speed
only by their conductors and engineers, in accordance with the
regulations and time-tables of the company. All the operations of a
road should be controlled by its superintendent or other authorized
officer, and all orders for transportation of every kind and the
movement of every train will be directed through him when the
exigencies of the service demand a variation from the regular
schedule. Disregard of this rule will inevitably be attended with
disastrous consequences. |
| By order of General R. E. Lee |
| W. H. Taylor |
| Assistant Adjutant-General |
|