| Engineer Bureau |
| Richmond, Nov. 13, 1861 |
| |
| Lieut. Chas. T. Mason |
| Va. Corps of Engrs. |
| |
| Sir, |
| The following order has lately been issued: |
| "Col. Danville Leadbetter Provisional Army is
hereby assigned to the command of the troops to be stationed for the
protection of the Rail Road between Bristol, Va. and Chattanooga,
Tennessee {the East Tennessee & Virginia RR
and the East Tennessee & Georgia RR}. He will reconstruct bridges, repair & keep open the
line of communication between those points, & will call upon Rail
Road companies for such aid as he may require to carry out the
order." |
| The Col. before his departure requested me
to select for him, as an assistant, from the Va. Corps of Engineers,
an engineer of experience & capacity. After due inquiry you have
been selected to fill the above important position & you are
hereby directed to report to Col. Leadbetter at Bristol, or in that
neighborhood as promptly as possible. |
| Lieut. Derrick will attend to the shot
furnace now under construction. |
| Very respectfully yours |
| Alfred L. Rives |
| Acting Chief Bureau |
|