| Engineer Bureau |
| Richmond January 5th, 1862 {should
be "1863"} |
| |
| Capt. L. P. Grant |
| Provisional Engineers |
| Atlanta, Geo. |
| |
| Captain, |
| The exigencies of service force me to call
on you for additional duty. The destruction of the Wataga and Holston
bridges East Tennessee {& Virginia} R.
Road, breaks a line of military communication vital to the army in the
west. It is essential that these bridges should be rebuilt, in some
form, at the earliest possible moment. I rely upon you to accomplish
this. |
| You will please proceed to the ground
without delay, and make all needful arrangements for the
reconstructions, and employ bridge builders and other men of skill to do
the work. You will procure materials from every possible source and
appeal to the rail road companies of Georgia and Tennessee to aid you in
every possible way within their power. |
| The expenses of construction will be paid
by the Government, and to this end funds will be placed to your credit
at an early day at Chattanooga, Tennessee. |
| You are authorized by the Secretary of War
to do every thing that will hasten the completion of the bridges --
appeal to other roads for assistance, urge full concert of action with
you, upon the East Tennessee Rail Road Co. to impress materials and
labor, and call on the commanders of troops for details of men, if
necessary. |
| An assistant Engineer will be sent to you
at once. |
| As soon as you can get the bridges under
full construction, you will meet Professor Thomassy at Atlanta, to
receive his views in detail, with drawings, of the works necessary to
the production of salt by solar evaporation. The Professor then will go
to Europe by authority of the War Department to employ persons skilled
in the manufacture of salt. |
| You are authorized to employ an assistant
Engineer to perform the local duties in preparation for the salt works. |
| I am sir, |
| Very Respectfully Your obt. Servt |
| J. F. Gilmer |
| Colonel of Engrs. & Chf Engr. Bureau |