OR, Series 4, Vol. 1, Page 1025

Confederate States of America
Quartermaster-General's Department
Richmond, March 26, 1862
 
The President
 
Sir,
  The Secretary of War has referred to me a letter addressed to you by Mr. Henry Wood, president of the Roanoke Valley Railroad Company, to which I have given careful consideration. In reference to the subject to which that communication relates I have the honor to submit the following statement, based upon examination and inquiries instituted by my direction with a view to obtain reliable information in regard to the most advantageous route for a line of transportation between the railroads of Virginia and North Carolina: The track of the Roanoke Valley Railroad and all the bridges upon its line are in very bad condition. The rolling-stock of the company consists of only two engines and five or six cars, all of which are represented to be in bad order. The affairs of the company are much embarrassed, the road being under mortgage and unable to pay the interest upon its bonds, its earnings being barely sufficient to meet current expenses. Its condition in this respect may be worthy of consideration in connection with the proposition of Mr. Wood that the Government should complete the entire line of that road. It is submitted that there exists at this time no public necessity for the construction of the Keysville connection, and that if made it might soon become entirely useless in view of the possible results of the enemy's movements in North Carolina, for should Raleigh be taken the connection thus established would be cut off. Should Weldon fall into the hands of the enemy there would still be a connection by way of Gaston, and a river route by way of Clarksville, in regard to which last it may be remarked that with forty boats suitable for the navigation of the Dan more transportation can be carried than will or can be taken from the junction to Clarksville. The Danville route by the way of Haw River and New's Ferry or Barksdale, it is estimated, can be constructed in less time than the connection between Clarksville and Keysville. This route will not be more than ten miles longer, is not difficult of construction, being free from rock, and will require neither bridges nor culverts except a single bridge over the Dan River. It will, moreover, be at least fifty miles above Raleigh. In reference to the military reasons which bear upon this subject it will be perceived that if the enemy take Wilmington or Goldsborough, the main line of railway through North Carolina will be cut off. If Raleigh be captured the connection by Gaston to Petersburg will no longer be available, nor will that by way of Clarksville and the river route. But if the Danville road be extended before the connection thus established can be endangered, the enemy will be obliged to penetrate through a hilly and broken country into the interior fifty miles west of Raleigh. It is proper to state that arrangements have already been made for both water and land transportation from Clarksville to South Boston on the Dan, which will be amply sufficient to forward all freights which can be brought to the former place. Should the enemy's movements endanger this route or require its abandonment, the line of wagons can be transferred so as to establish immediately transportation between the Danville and North Carolina railroads, thus preventing a serious interruption of communication. I respectfully return herewith the letter of Mr. Wood.
I have the honor to be, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant
A. C. Myers
Quartermaster-General
 
[Inclosure]
Office of the Roanoke Valley Railroad Company
Clarksville, March 7, 1862
 
His Excellency Jefferson Davis
President of the Confederate States of America
 
  The following statement of facts is respectfully submitted to Your Excellency as information believed to be valuable to the Government of the Confederate States: The Roanoke Valley Railroad is completed from the town of Clarksville, in Virginia, to the Raleigh & Gaston Railroad at Ridgeway, in North Carolina. Under an act of the General Assembly of Virginia the Roanoke Valley Railroad Company commenced the work of extending their road to a place called Keysville, one of the depots on the Richmond & Danville Railroad, in the county of Charlotte, in this State, thus to connect by this route the railroads of North Carolina and of the other Southern States with the Richmond & Danville Railroad at the said depot, which is almost exactly midway between the city of Richmond and the town of Danville. Reference to any good railroad map of Virginia and North Carolina will afford a better view of the connection and the facilities for transportation afforded by it than any written description could give, and such reference is respectfully asked. The entire work of the proposed extension was under contract and was progressing satisfactorily, and a very large portion of it was outlay done, when the present war began and the company was thereby compelled to suspend the operations on it. At that time ten miles of the road next to Keysville had been graded and was ready to receive the superstructure, and three miles and three-quarters of the rails actually laid on that part. Two miles of the road next to Clarksville had also been graded, and all the masonry for the bridge across the Roanoke River at that part of the line, reaching 1,200 feet, and the only costly work on the whole line, was completed. The whole residue of the line not so graded had been grubbed and cleared, and all the cross-ties for the whole track had been delivered along the line ready for use. The whole line is thirty miles in extent. It will be seen, therefore, that to complete the entire line, and thus unite the Richmond & Danville Railroad to the railroads in North Carolina and south of it, along this line, nearly central between Richmond and Danville, will only require about eighteen miles of grading to be done, which is all of light character and requiring very little, if any, masonry, the superstructure of the bridge over the Roanoke River to be erected, and the iron to be procured and laid on twenty-six miles and a quarter of the road. The Richmond & Danville and the Roanoke Valley Railroad Companies can furnish the rolling-stock necessary for running the road the moment it is ready, and it is confidently believed that the whole work which remains to be done can be completed and the railroad put into actual operation by the Government in a few months. It is understood that the Government is now contemplating the construction of a plank road from Clarksville to some point on the Richmond & Danville Railroad, with a view to the proposed connection by that means. No doubt is entertained that the connection can be made by completing the proposed railroad as suggested with as much facility and at very little, if any, more cost than the plank road connection and with the great advantage of railroad transportation. The Government seems already aware of the advantages of this connection in a military point of view, and a glance at the map of the country would sufficiently demonstrate it. This representation is made on behalf of the Roanoke Valley Railroad Company, who will co-operate in any manner the Government may desire, or acquiesce in any means which may be adopted for the execution of the work.
Very respectfully, your obedient servant
Henry Wood
President of Roanoke Valley Railroad Company

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