| Engineer Bureau |
| June 9th, 1863 |
| |
| Endorsement on letter from Maj. Genl. S. G. French,
dated Petersburg, Va. May 25th 1863 relative to operations in the
direction of Suffolk and taking up of rail road iron. |
| "Resp returned to the Hon. Secretary
of War, no effort was spared to remove the iron from the Norfolk &
Petersburg Road and from the Seaboard {&
Roanoke} Road while Genl. Longstreet was
in command, but his efforts, assisted by the Engineers under his
control, were given to the collection of supplies, for the army, these
being considered of the first importance. Every thing possible with
the Engineers has been done to save the iron in question, and I am now
able to report that a large part of the iron from the Seaboard R. Road
is on the right bank of the Blackwater. |
| J. F. Gilmer |
| Col. of Engrs. & Chf of Bureau |
|