Richmond, Fredericksburg & Potomac R. R.
Co.
| President's Office |
| Richmond, Va., April 26, 1862 |
| |
| Hon. George W. Randolph |
| Secretary of War |
| |
| Dear Sir, |
| At the risk of seeming tedious, permit me to say
that my impression that you were mistaken last night in your
recollection of the extent to which Louis Napoleon used railroads in
transporting his army into Sardinia is this morning confirmed by a
gentleman who is a most experienced and well-informed railroad
officer, and is also the most devoted student of geography and
military history, with the most accurate and extraordinary memory
for every detail, however minute, of battles and all other military
operations, that I have ever met with. He is positive in his
recollection that not less than 100,000, and probably more, of that
army were gradually concentrated at Toulon and sent thence by sea to
Genoa, and the rest were during some six weeks being concentrated at
a little town (the name of which I now forget) on the confines of
France and Italy, whence they were transferred, partly on foot and
partly on a double-track railroad, into Sardinia. The capacity of a
double-track railroad, adequately equipped like the European
railways, may be moderately computed at five time that of a
single-track road like those of the Confederate States. For the
sudden and rapid movement of a vanguard of an army, to hold in check
an enemy till re-enforced, or of a rear guard to cover a retreat, or
of any other portion of any army which must move suddenly and
rapidly, and for the transportation of ordnance, ammunition,
commissary and other military supplies, railroads are available and
invaluable to an army. And when these objects of prime necessity are
attained they can advantageously carry more troops according to the
amount of the other transportation required, the distance, their
force and equipment, etc. But to rely on them as a means of
transporting any large body of troops, besides what is needed to
supply and maintain them, is certainly a most dangerous delusion and
must inevitably result in the most grievous disappointment and fatal
consequences. |
| Very respectfully and truly, yours, etc. |
| P. V. Daniel, Jr. |
| President |
| |
| P. S. -- As a railroad officer, interest would
prompt me to advocate the opposite theory about this matter, for
troops constitute the most profitable, if not the only profitable,
part of army transportation by railroads. But I cannot be less a
citizen and patriot because I am a railroad officer. |
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