| Office of the Texas & New Orleans Rail Road Company |
| Houston, Texas, Sep 26th 1861 |
|
|
| Genl P O Hebert |
| |
| Sir, |
| In compliance with your request, I
herewith put in writing the verbal statement I had the honor of making
you a few evenings since. |
| The track of the Eastern Texas R R is laid
from the Sabine Pass to within 1 1/2 miles of the track of the Texas
& New Orleans R R at Beaumont, the gap not having been filled for
the want of Iron. Should the Federalists deem it worth their while,
they could easily I think, land at the Pass, seize the Rolling stock
of the Eastern Texas R R, and quietly and expeditiously move their
troops to Beaumont (30) miles by rail, Bu river it is (55). By seizing
the T&NO RR locomotive & cars on their arrival at this place
(say 2 PM) they might throw their forces into Houston during the night
and either take and hold the place as a point from which to annoy you
while making their assault on Galveston; or fire it, and return at
once to their ship, burning the R R Bridges on their way back. |
| By taking up two miles of the track of the
E. T. R. R. at the Pass, and laying it at the northern end of the
road, so as to form a junction with the Texas & New Orleans RR, or
by sending to Beaumont 200 tons of rails of the Eastern Texas RR, now
in bond at Galveston, so as to form said junction, the rolling stock
of the Eastern Texas R R could be moved over the Texas & New
Orleans R R to Houston, and the surplus iron not required for filling
the gap (say 1/8 mile) could be used for a side track on which to
place the rolling stock. |
| This arrangement would deprive the enemy
of facile means of transportation for their troops to this place, and
at the same time enable you, should you at any time deem it advantageous
to concentrate a force at the Pass at short notice. |
| The President of the Eastern Texas RR J.
Edwards Esq lives at Nagadoches. The Superintendent Mr Moore (I think)
and Chas Alexander, one of the most prominent directors live at Sabine
Pass. |
| Very Respy |
| W. W. Morris |
| End & Supt T&NORR |
|