| Augusta, Feby 1, 1864 |
| |
| Major S. B. French |
| CS |
| Richmond VA |
| |
| Major, |
| I arrived here last evening
from Savannah and reported to learn that there had been a block, owing
to the very heavy accumulation of freight for nearly every ??? of the
Government, and that Capt Sims has dispatched to the RRd agent at Macon
to stop shipments this way until further orders. He was emba?? too by
three of his chartered trains at Wilmington having bee delayed by taking
private freight thru for Columbia. I learned however that 18 cars
of Comy Corn went forward on Saturday & 15 this morning through to
Charlotte, and 16 cars more will be here tomorrow from Major Allen. Capt
Sims tells me that he has chartered several other trains which he is
daily exhausting, and he will exert himself to get off all the corn as
soon as possible, say in all this week; his orders now are to give
preference to Qr Masters and Comy Corn as the former is supplying
the other department in Richmond. Capt Sims is a smart energetic man,
and will I doubt not do what he can, but he is terribly pressed: Iron
plates are required for a Gun Boat at Wilmington, a million feet of
boards are wanted for a Laboratory being built at Columbia & so on: and
he has orders to ship some 700 bales Cotton weekly to Wilmington, & by
the terms of his contract with the Rail Roads, they have the
privilege of shipping an equal quantity of Cotton for private
account! Besides this, Money will buy & secure
transportation in spite of all his vigilance, and the Capt. was very
much astonished when I told him that I had seen at the Columbia Junction
on the manifests of some of his Charlotte trains goods entered that were
for private account. He promises to investigate them. Capt Sharp at
Columbia told me that, had he been open to bribing, he could have
realized $100,000 since he has been the Supt of the Charlotte & So Ca
Road by passing private goods over it, and that he was offered $10,000
on one lot o cotton. The article is worth 45 or 50 cts in Columbus and
$1.50 at Petersburg, so you see what inducements there are to book the
Roads. But with all this, there is not adequate motive power &
rolling stock in the country to meet, with any degree of promptness,
all the requirements of the government, and this, with the great
pressure upon the roads and their dilapidated condition cannot soon
engage the attention of our authorities. The Navy Department with its
extensive shops mechanics & appliances, could, in the course of a few
months put in working condition all the broken down cars, engines that
were brought out from Roads now within the enemy's lines, and bring up
the heavily accumulation of work at nearly all the shops of our Rail
Road Companies. With the assistance of the Navy Department, Rails could
be made, & some short connecting roads could be built that would greatly
return transportation. To do this however would require a suspension to
a great extent of the legitimate operations of that Department, and
which could only be expected from an absolute necessity. This is the
suggestion of officers of the government familiar with the subject, and
you will excuse me for calling it to your notice, as the only means now
available, for relieving the embarrassments of the government in the way
of transportation. |
| During my stay at Columbia, I
was so impressed with Mason Allen that I could write you but very
briefly & would not reply in detail to your letter of the 21st ulto. You
will notice that shipments from Major Allen are coming forward, marked
as you direct. Commissary corn must have been appropriated by the Qr
Masters Dept at Richmond. I have today with the assistance of Capt
Cranston gone through the books of the S Ca Road from the 1st Decr ulto
to the present time & find that there have been shipped to Major
Claiborne in the month of December 6185 sacks corn
{41 car loads} 165 sacks of Peas {1 1/4 car
loads} 30 bbls Molasses {2 car loads}
& 30 casks whiskey {1 car load} via
Charlotte & by Wilmington 3220 s. corn {21 car
loads} & 5 of Peas: and Jany via Charlotte 3309 sacks corn
{22 car loads} 218 of Peas
{1 2/3 car loads} & 132 bbls Molasses
{8 1/4 car loads}: via Wilmington 3471 s.
corn {23 car load} 327 of Peas
2 1/2 car loads} & 170 bbls Molasses
{10 2/3 car loads}. To Capt Willford have
gone ford via Charlotte 845 sacks of corn {5 1/2
car loads} & by way of Wilmington 3442 of corn
{23 car loads} & 104 of Peas
{1 car load}. Making as shipped to Richmond
from the 1st Decr to the present time 20,472 sacks of corn
{135 1/2 car loads; 2 1/4 car loads per day}
519 of Peas {4 car loads} 332 bbls
Molasses {21 car loads} & 30 casks whiskey
{1 car load}. Capt Cranstons acct shows
that there should be at the Depot here 3021 sacks of Comy corn
{20 car loads} & Capt Jones' estimate of Qr
Masters corn is about 6000 sacks {40 car loads}.
I have seen enough to satisfy me that Qr Master & Rail Road Agents are,
in these times, however will disposed their intentions, not to be
depended upon. Capt. Cranston here is, to their annoyance ??? following
them up & as going forward Commissary property. The Department is well
represented in him & I honor regard the importance of his continued
vigilance. Major Allen cd not furnish me with a full statement of all
his shipments from his District, he promised to send it to me at
Columbia where I proceed in the morning, the I shall re examine Dicts &
shipments & so on through Charlotte Raleigh Gaston & Petersburg, and my
aim shall be trace the great discrepancies. I am astonished to learn
from you that not a sack of corn had been rcd. at Richmond up to the
date of your letter, the 21st ulto. I shall be pleased to hear from you
at Raleigh with any suggestions or instructions. It may be well to go to
Wilmington where I apprehend there must be some delinquency or neglect,
but it will be well to trace the upper route through first. |
| Major Allen I regard as a
gentleman of high character & intelligence and a most energetic &
efficient officer. The immense supplies of subsistence stores that he
has procured from his small District, and which he is getting it would
seem in an increasing rate, from his ??ness; and he is, with the aid of
other influential men, awakening the sordid planters to a sense of the
character & objects of the war that is now raised upon them, this it is
to emancipate their negroes & gain possession of their lands. And he
relies that he can prevail upon them to yield half their negroes'
allowance of Bacon to the army. This alone will be a very important
item. The slave population of his District is not far from 200,000. But
without this, he is confident if relieved from requisitions from the
armies of Genl Johnson & in the east, to meet your demands or
requirements for corn & bacon. If Major Campbell comes up to the
expectations of Major Allen, he will have a country more abounding in
corn & hogs, he will be able to meet the requirements of Northern
Georgia to gather from. By the letter of Major Cummings to the
purchasing Comy here to which I alluded on a former letter to you
understand it with me as only a stimulant to renewed activity of his
report. But Major Campbell will be much embarrassed from the deficiency
of transportation. N available wagons & the only outlet from the narrow
guage road from Montgomery to West Point, which is pressed by the
transportation of Iron Coal & for the Navy Department. I found that it
would be the case. I shall lay over here tomorrow & do all in my power
to protect the corn & hurry it to its destination. |
| Hoping to hear from you in the
mean time & referring to my dispatch of today. |
| I am Very Respectfully |
| W H Smith |
| Major & CS |
|