| Office Chief Q. M. Dept ET & SWV |
| Abingdon August 19th 1864 |
| |
| On the 22d June last I
accompanied Brig Gen Morgan from Abingdon to Glade Spring Depot on the
train. When we left Abington it was understood that the train was to
proceed to New River that night, but upon arriving at Glade Spring
Depot, Mr Goforth, Superintendent of E. T. & Va. RR
{East Tennessee & Virginia RR} refused to
allow the train to proceed any further. Stating that he had been ordered
to run his train on regular Schedule time and believed that dump & crank
cars were then on the road. |
| About 9 Oclock Gen Morgan
issued an order to Mr Goforth which he gave to Edw Cocke my clerk to go
to Mr Goforth. After some time Mr Cocke returned and stated that Mr
Goforth refused to obey the order and refused to come to the depot to
see Gen Morgan in regard to it. Whereupon Gen Morgan ordered Maj C W
Gassett to arrest Mr Goforth, which he did, after some difficulty in
finding him. |
| I had then procured a train of
hay this turned which was ready to start but Goforth ordered the train
hands not to obey any order of Gen Morgan, and upon the Conductor
refusing to proceed he was also arrested by order of Gen Morgan. |
| I induced the engineer to
proceed with the train to Wytheville that night for which he was
afterward discharged by the authorities of the road. |
| Mr Goforth showed no
disposition whatever to be accommodating but obstinately refused to obey
every order and seemed determined to thwart Gen Morgans intention of
going to New River. Gen M was exceedingly anxious to visit the lead
mines also, to prepare for their defense, as raiding parties were
hovering in that neighborhood. There was also a special messenger on the
train with dispatches to Richmond and another for Greensboro No Ca for
the purpose of hurrying on Commissary Stores and it was necessary that
those messengers should be at Wytheville that night to take the mail
stage at 4 Oclock in the morning. otherwise they would have been delayed
several days till the next Stage. |
| These gentlemen were not placed
in charge of an armed guard. After Maj Goforth was ordered under arrest,
he commenced interfering with the train hands, when Gen Morgan sternly
ordered him to desist that he was under arrest and had nothing further
to do with the train. After some delay we procured a locomotive to
return to Abingdon, with one car loaded with meal, from Bristol, Gen
Morgan Maj Garrett, Maj Llewellyn & ??? in that car. Mr Goforth & the
Conductor rode upon the locomotive. |
| For the train to Abingdon I
gave Maj Goforth an order previous to his arrest, he made no objection
to furnishing it and I receipted to him for it, the train was to proceed
on to Bristol which it did. |
| Maj Goforth & the Conductor
were left at Abingdon & were not placed under guard at any time but only
ordered to report to the Commandant of the post, and was released by Gen
Morgan the next morning. |
| ??? ??? |
| Maj & Ch Q M |