| Executive Department |
| Montgomery, Ala., March 6th 1863 |
| |
| Hon. James A. Seddon |
| Sec. of War |
| Richmond |
| |
| Sir, |
| I take great pleasure in
introducing to your acquaintance Hon. Robert Jamison Jr. of Tuscaloosa,
Ala. who visits Richmond upon business connected with the important Rail
Road interests of the Confederacy. Col. Jamison is one of the leading
public men of Alabama, and is President of the North East & South West
{Alabama} Rail Road. This road connects
into the Vicksburg and Jackson Rail Road {Southern
(of Mississippi) RR} and the Mobile & Ohio Rail Road at Meridian
Mississippi, & extends in a North Easterly direction through & across
the State of Alabama, & intersects the Memphis & Charleston Rail Road
near Chattanooga. It passes directly through the finest mineral region
in the Confederacy, ??ing for one third the distance in coal, iron, lime
&c. and in view of its connection & military importance there is no
other road in the Confederacy to be compared to it, which is now in
progress to completion. Col. Jamison will explain to you the present
condition of the road, & will submit for your examination a Geological
map of Alabama, which presents at a glance the course of the rod through
the mineral deposits of the State. |
| I cordially commend Col.
Jamison to your polite attention and confidence, and shall be gratified
at any encouragement or assistance which you may feel at liberty to give
his enterprise. |
| Respectfully |
| Yr ob svt |
| Jno Gill Shorter
{Governor of Alabama} |
|