| Received at Richmond Dec 22 1863 at ... o'clock,
... minutes, |
| By telegraph from Charleston 27. To
Maj F. W. Sims |
| |
| Weave hears that one of our trains has been seized at
Wilmington. Please order it released at once. Such proceedings
greatly interferes with the public service & destroy our ability
to forward Govt cotton as any other. Our cars were all blocked in at
Florence & until got back we could do nothing. They had no govt
cotton on when sent we have none of theirs{.}
Expecting these cars back {I} had
commenced forwarding Govt cotton today but will now stop until I
hear of their being released as I cannot spare loss got the
work on my own road these I now have govt is defeating itself while
I am trying to serve you. |
| A F Ravenel |
| {File data on reverse}
A. F. Ravenel {President, North Eastern RR} |
| Charleston Dec 22 1863 |
| States that their road has been cliecked{?}
by the seizure of their train at Wilmington |