| Clarksville Tennessee |
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January 11th 1862 |
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To Genl A S Johnson |
| Bowling Green |
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| The Military Board at Clarksville beg
leave to represent the following state of facts for your consideration.
It is exceedingly expensive to furnish the army at Hopkinsville with
provisions and munitions of war during the winter season over the deep
roads from this place to Hopkinsville. |
| The Roads will soon be impassable, the
Turnpike being only partially finished. If that point should be
attacked, it could scarcely be reinforced in time from Clarksville. To
supply this defect we state the line of Rail Road (the Nashville &
Edgefield {Edgefield & Kentucky RR}) is
graded & ready for the cross ties and iron rails from the junction on
the Ky & Turnpike line to Hopkinsville a distance of 25 miles. The Road
could be put in running order in 30 days. The only difficulty is the
want of Rails. We are informed the {Nashville &}
Northwestern Road running from Nashville to Hickman on the
Mississippi River is unfinished & has on hand in Nashville a large
amount of Rail Road iron, which it will not use during the war. If this
iron can be appropriated by purchase or other wise to the the road from
the State line to Hopkinsville the Road could be finished in again say
in 30 days and a line of communication could be opened between this
place & Hopkinsville whereby provisions, arms & men could be transported
in a few hours and at comparatively small expense. |
| In addition to this the Coal Banks near
Hopkinsville would be thrown open to the markets of Nashville &
Clarksville which will afford the necessary fuel to the manufacturers at
Nashville & the machine shops & foundries about to be built at
Clarksville. We esteem this Road of vast importance & the speedy
completion a military necessity. |
| We therefore presume to bring the whole
subject to your consideration & suggest that you authorize this iron to
be used for the purposes aforesaid immediately. |
| One thousand men Col Wm A Quarly informs
us could be detailed to work on this road daily. |
| Your most obt |
| Humb Servt |
| Fisher A. Hannum Rep |
| Military Board |