| Between the 5th & 9th Day of May 1862 a Pile Driver
reported to me as belonging to the R. & Y. R. R. R. Co., was
burned by my directions at Cumberland on the Pamunkey river under the
orders to me of General Jos. E. Johnston Commanding C. S. A. to
destroy all vessels on this river if necessary to prevent their
falling into the hands of the enemy. On the evening of 7th or 8th of
May a gunboat of the enemy advanced to Cooks Island within a few miles
of Cumberland & the agent of the R. & Y. R. R. R. the next
morning scuttled this pile driver & abandoned it. On my reaching
Cumberland a few hours after this was done, I found the pile driver
uninjured except having one or more holes bored in its bottom very
near the New Kent shore & in water so shallow that I think the
water had not reached its floor. With slight repairs & a little
exertion in getting this pile driver afloat I regarded it as in
condition to be as serviceable to the enemy as before it was scuttled.
In this condition & position I directed it to be burned. Several
sloops & schooners in the service of the Confederate States were
on fire when I reached Cumberland. These were burnt by Lieut Tapscott
under my orders to do so if necessary to prevent them falling into the
hands of the enemy. The pile driver was, not, valued. |
| Given under my hand this 7th day of August 1862 |
| Chas. S. Carrington |
| Major & Q. M. |
| |
| We the undersigned, J. R. Childs Master Carpenter of
the Virginia Central Rail Road Shops, N. S. Walker Machinist of the
Lester Machine Works, and J. C. Rome Capt. of the Steamer West Point
at the request of Capt. J. B. White Asst Qr Master Confederate States
Army & Alexd Dudley Prst R. & York River Rail Road, have ascertained
the value of the Pile driver above mentioned to be, Thirty eight
hundred and Eighty Dollars. |
| Engine |
$1700 |
J. R. Chiles |
| Lighter |
1500 |
Nathl. S. Walker |
| Fixtures |
680 |
J. C. Rome |
|
$3880 |
|
|
| Approved |
| ????? |
| QrMrGnl |
|