|
Live Oak Station Georgia |
| October 14th 1864 |
| |
| Hon Jams A. Seddon |
| Secretary of War of the Confederate States
of America |
| |
| In connection with the
application the Hon. Charles W. Russell on my behalf for a commission
from the Confederate Government. I beg leave to state for your
consideration a few facts in support of such application. |
| At the time of the passage of
the successive ????? by the state of Virginia I was a ??? student of
Ohio County five miles from the City of Wheeling western Virginia with a
wife and three children. For the active part which I took in case ?????
favor of the ordinance I was deno?? to the yankees authorized ????? with
arrest and punishment ????? to leave my family and become a refugee from
my home which I never had an opportunity to revisit. These and many more
I sacrificed. I have cheerfully made for our cause and considered it my
duty to do. |
| Soon after my arrival in
Richmond I could escape ????? Col St Johns of the Nitre and Mining
Bureau ????? Rail Road for the purpose of ????? that Rail Road ????? and
finished this work in a manner which gave satisfaction ????? and I
believe met with your approbation. |
| I was after this sent out to
Georgia to assist Capt Walker to remove the iron on the Brunswick and
Albany Rail Road ????? as short time elapsed before Captain Walker died
and the whole duty devolved upon me. This work was completed under my
direction ????? the iron over fifty six miles of the road from Brunswick
to Tebeaudo ????? |
| Since that time I have been
engaged in Florida in the ??? business in a subordinate capacity. Much
has not been done by reason of the want of practical knowledge in those
who hold the Superintendence of the works and I feel emboldened to say
that I could do great service to the Confederacy in Florida and
elsewhere. If I could receive a commission and power to act in the
matter. I consider myself competent to manage any Rail Road work that
the Commissioners may have to do. My experience has been such and my
reputation so well established from good management and strict attention
to public wants. I beg leave to refer you to the Hon C. W. Russell, Dr
Z. Kidwell, Mr ??son and Genl. Heymore. |
| I ask most respectfully that
you will be pleased to grant me the commission applied for on my behalf
by the Hon. C. W. Russell. |
| Should your honor decide
otherwise I beg that you will ????? |
| Respectfully |
| Your Obt Servant |
| J. H. Burns |
| {most of the letter
is very faint and is poorly microfilmed} |
| |
| {on back of the
letter} |
| Eng Bur |
| For Consideration |
| JAS |
| |
| Engineer Bureau 25 Oct '64 |
| Respy referred to Lt. Col. Minor
Meriwether, Commissioner &c. at Demopolis Ala. for expression of his
views as to the merits & qualifications of Mr. Burns, and especially as
to what part of his within letter within relates to his proposal for
working impressed negroes under contract with the commissioners. |
| By order Maj. Genl. Gilmer Chf Eng'r Bu. |
| J. H. Alexander A. A. G. |
| Oct 21/64 |
| |
| Demopolis 3 Nov 1864 |
| Mr Burns is a man of great energy and most
attentive to duty and seems well skilled in Railroad work, and I believe
him to be a man of good principles & good habits. He is somewhat
deficient in education, but nevertheless a capable & very useful man. |
| He proposes to remove iron by
contract, but cannot hire a sufficient force. We are removing it
with an impressed force. I would supply him the impressed force
necessary, and employ him to Superintend it at a salary of $750 per mile
(for each mile of iron removed) minus the cost of labor and provisions
which the Government ??? furnished, leaving him to hire all he can at
his own cost. This would be decidedly better for the Government, & would
comply with the spirit of the law. If he is not commissioned I will ???
??? above mentioned arrangement, if so authorized. |
| Respectfully |
| Minor Meriwether |
| Lt Col Engineers |