Galveston, April 24, 1861
| |
| Hon. John H. Reagan |
| Postmaster-General, etc., Montgomery |
| |
| Sir, |
| Your letter of the 16th instant was duly
received by me at this point this a. m., it having been detained by
going up to Houston and being returned again. I find it to be
impossible for me now to reach Montgomery in time for the interview
at noon on the 26th. Yet we may have an agent or representative
there in a few days after. I feel that my presence here and in
Louisiana will keep me in a position to be of more service to our
country than if I were to leave at this juncture. I am now making
all my arrangements to put on between Texas and New Orleans, as soon
as our outside communication is stopped, which we may expect hourly,
a line of pony express between the railroads, so as to get the
Government dispatches and important letters through regularly in
from forty-eight to sixty hours. I will not wait for orders from
your Department to do this, but will act on the necessity and leave
it to you and the War Department to arrange about hereafter. All
public dispatches for the Confederate States Government forwarded to
me at Houston from all parts of Texas will be pushed through by
private bearers if necessary. In the meantime remember we will be
prepared to convey the mails all inland at a reasonable
compensation, and open a line for transport of munitions or war and
men in case of blockade. Please keep me advised. |
| Yours, respectfully |
| A. M. Gentry |
| Prest. of Texas & New Orleans Railroad Co.,
Houston, Tex. |
|