| Jackson Tennessee |
| Novr 4th 1861 |
| |
|
To Milton Brown Prest.
|
| Mobile & Ohio R. R. Co. |
|
|
| Dear Sir, |
| You asked me why Government freights for
the Army from Nashville to this place have been shipped round by
Stevenson instead of direct to Decatur; and why it has been sent on to
the Grand Junction instead of being turned onto the Mobile & Ohio
R. R. at Corinth: |
| In reply I give you the following facts. A
very large amt. of freight for the army shipped from Nashville to this
place has been sent from Nashville to Stevenson & from there to
Grand Junction & from there to this place, of the reasons for
sending it round by Stevenson instead of the near route through by
Decatur I have no means of forming an opinion, but the motives that
influenced its being sent on to the Grand Junction instead of being
turned on to the Mobile & Ohio Road at Corinth may be inferred
from the following telegraphic correspondence: |
| As soon as I found that the freight in
question was being sent by the way of the Grand Junction, I sent the
following dispatch to Capt Bransford Ast Quarter Master at Nashville: |
| "Capt Bransford |
| Nashville |
| "Freights coming by Mississippi
Central is $32 a car more than by M&O R. R. why was the change
made? |
| W. DeHeart Agt A. C. S." |
| To which I received the following reply: |
| "Because Capt Ross supt of the
Memphis & Charleston Railroad telegraphed me that the freight
could not be got through on the Mobile & Ohio Rail Road. You can
order the freight by any route which may be the best all things
considered." |
| Immediately I telegraphed to Mr Mosby
Agent of the Memphis & Charleston R. R. at Corinth as follows,
"I have orders from Maj Bransford Q Master at Nashville to stop
the shipment of all goods marked A. C. S. from going further west than
Corinth & notified your Superintendent accordingly. I will not
receive any after tonight shipped by way of Grand Junction. Ship by
Mobile & Ohio R. R." |
| I at the same time sent the following to
Capt Ross the General Superintendent of the Memphis & Charleston
Road at Memphis, "I have orders from Maj Bransford Qr M at
Nashville to stop the shipment of all goods marked A. C. S. from going
west of Corinth. You will therefore please instruct your agent at
Corinth to that effect as they must be shipped direct to
Jackson." |
| To which Capt Ross returned the following
reply, |
| "I presume Quarter Master Bransford
knows his business. I shall decline to instruct agents as you request.
Freights for Jackson, Trenton & Humboldt were ordered via Junction to
prevent delay of freight & our cars at Corinth & for no other
purpose we have more than we can carry without it. |
| W. J. Ross Supt" |
| To this I replied |
| "My orders are not to receipt for
goods over Mississippi Central & shall obey orders." |
| To this Capt Ross Supt. replied, "I
dont care whether you receipt or not, we are obeying orders also from
Quarter Master Bransford the shipper and dont recognize your right as
receiver to instruct shipments & think we know our own business.
Hope other will come to the same conclusion." W. S. Ross
Supt |
| In this way shipments continued to come by
way of Grand Junction & I was driven to the alternative of
receiving it this way or abandoning it. On reflection I deemed it best
to receive it which I have done accordingly. I also deem it my duty to
add that the officers of the Mobile & Ohio RR informed me at the
time of the shipments that they were not only ready & willing to
receive the freight but that cars were actually sent to Corinth for
that purpose. |
| Yours most respectfully |
| Wm De Hart |
| Agent C. S. A. |