| Quartermaster General's Department |
| Richmond, Nov. 27th 1863 |
| |
| The President |
| Jefferson Davis |
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| The papers within are respectfully
returned to the President. The suggestions of Colonel Chestnut in
regard to the best method of preserving the efficiency of the Railways
of the Country have been maturely considered. Where Armies and their
supplies are separated by seven hundred miles, with only land
transportation to bring them together, railways assume an
importance never before attached to them; and, if they are not
fostered, our Armies cannot be kept in the field. I most respectfully
submit, however, that there seems to be no necessity that any new
organizations be formed for the purpose of building and repairing
rolling stock etc. The Corporations now in existence have shops and
tools in abundance for this purpose, but the difficulty arises from
the great scarcity of labor and materials, and the consequent
absorption of them by the Government to meet the exigencies of a state
of War. I was informed by the Presidents of the various Railway
Companies at a recent meeting at Augusta, that the rolling-stock was
wearing out because they could not use the rolling mills of the
Country; especially that at Atlanta, which was erected by the funds of
these Railway Companies. The wood work of cars can be done by almost
any Railway Company in the Confederacy; but the want of iron
and the use of machinery calls for the earnest attention of the
Government. Time is all important, for not many months can
elapse before it will be too late to apply the remedy. In this
connection, I venture to submit as not irrelevant, that every bar
of railway iron in the country, not now in use, and on railways that
can be dispensed with, should be reserved exclusively for the
repair and preservation of those great lines that are absolutely
necessary for transportation. The gradual absorption of those rails
(even the old rails which can be rolled over, for the track) is
cause for serious concern; and unless the ironclad Steamers, protected
by our land batteries, are more important than the railways of the
county; I most respectfully urge the prompt consideration of this
question. The iron and coal supply within the present limited
lines of our armies, it seems to me, are all needed in the
necessary manufactures of the Transportation and Ordnance Departments.
I trust I am not out of my sphere, in referring to the policy of the
Government, where the results so directly affect the duties and
responsibilities with which I am charged. |
| A. R. Lawton, Q. M. Genl. |
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