| Richmond & Danville Rail Road |
| Superintendents Office |
| Richmond December 5th/64 |
| |
| Lt Col F. W. Sims |
| Chief Rail Roads Bureau |
| |
| Colonel, |
| I have enquired into the cause of the
delay of Genl Youngs command on the Richmond & Danville &
Piedmont Rail Roads and in explanation make the following report: |
| The notice given to us was for the
transportation of 500 men. The command actually amounted to 650 men
and the number on the train was increased to 700 by Genl Youngs
permitting passengers on it, who had been refused by the
Conductor. |
| After leaving Richmond
the stack of the Engine got out of order and affected its steaming
so much that it could not make time with the unexpected load and was
consequently much delayed in reaching Danville. |
| After arriving at Danville it took the
troops nearly two hours to change cars, which delay together with
the previous delay in waiting for the R & Danville RR train,
left the Piedmont Engines out of wood and a further delay occurred
while wood was being obtained. We are unable to keep wood in
Danville on account of its being stolen as fast as it is delivered.
So it is kept at the nearest Station. |
| The heavy train necessitated the use of
the "Lee" one of our largest Engines and the average speed
of these engines being fixed at seven (7) miles per hour, the trip
with its stoppages would take eight hours which was lengthened to
nine (9) hours by want of water, the severe and unexpected cold spell
a few days previous having burst several of the pumps. |
| I enclose copies of the reports of the
assistant Superintendent on the Piedmont RR and of the conductor of
the train on the Richmond & Danville Rail Road. |
| I am perfectly aware that the working of
the Piedmont Rail Road since it was opened, has been far from
satisfactory to either the the Government or to the Public, but I am
satisfied that if all the circumstances regarding it were known, the
officers of the road would be cleared in a great measure if not
entirely from the blame now so freely bestowed upon them. I will
therefore avail myself of this opportunity of laying before you a
statement of the character and operations of the road. Most of them
probably known to yourself but new to others in whose hands this
paper may be placed, and, I do this not only with the view of
exculpating the officers of the road but with the hope that when the
necessities and difficulties of the road are known, the Government,
from the great interest it has in this route, may be induced to
afford the aid that is indispensable if the wants of the Government
and the Public are to be met. |
| The Piedmont Rail Road was hastily built
over unfavorable ground at a time when the labor and materials
required for the construction of a Rail Road were difficult to
procure, and the use of heavy grades, short curves, and narrow cuts
were necessary to expedite its construction. To get the use of the
road for transportation last Spring at a time when it was so much
needed it was opened for freight and travel by laying down the main
line hurriedly, several miles of it without chairs and with an
insufficient number of sills & spikes, but materials for the
completion of the road were prepared by the Engineer and it was
intended to go on with its construction after the main line had been
put in use. At the time we were called upon to work the road though
there were 25 miles of road without a siding or a water station, and
the track required a great deal of work to make it safe for the
passage of trains. |
| Soon after the opening of the track of
the Piedmont R. R. 40 miles of the Richmond & Danville RR
was destroyed by the Enemy and the labor and material intended for
the completion of the Piedmont RR was unavoidably devoted to the
speedy opening of the important line between it and Richmond. As a
consequence though much work has been done and the track kept in
very good order during the dry weather, the insufficient supply of
sills & spikes the narrowness of the cuts and newness of the
banks, will I fear make the road insecure for the passage of heavy
Engines during wet weather. |
| Since the opening of the road sidings
have been built, water stations put up, and much other work done,
but the scarcity of labor and material and the heavy transportation
thrown at once upon the route has made it impracticable for the
Company with their own resources, to put the road in a condition to
do properly the business required of it. |
| As regards the "Rolling Stock"
of the road you know how unsuitable & insufficient it is. the
heavy grades require the heaviest class of Engines, but the want of
ballast and the newness of the road beds, both of them unavoidable
defects make it impossible with 35 ton Engines such as the "Lee
& Hercules" to keep a good track, while our light engines
such as the Roanoke can only carry 3 or 4 cars over the road and
consume wood and water without producing adequate results. |
| A few days since Maj Gen J. F. Gilmer
enquired the condition of the track on the Piedmont RR and in my
answer I applied to him for a force of hands. If we can get ?00
additional hands to cut sills surface road beds and ballast the
worst places the track can be gotten in very fair order in a few
weeks, and having been utterly unsuccessful in my efforts to hire
hands through offering very high rates of pay, there is no resource
left but to seek for aid from the Government. |
| I am |
| Very Respectfully &c |
| Chas G. Talcott |
| Supt |