| C. S. Navy Department |
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Office of Orders & Detail |
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Richmond April 6th 1863 |
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Hon. James A. Seddon |
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Secretary of War |
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Sir, |
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By direction of the Secretary of the Navy, I have the honor
to bring to your notice difficulties complained of in a letter from
Lieutenant C. ap R. Jones, (a copy of which is annexed) in charge of
Naval Ordnance Works at Charlotte, N. C., in the transportation of coal,
and to ask such action of the War Department as may be necessary to
remove them. |
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Col. Wm. M. Wadley, the General Agent of transportation,
has given orders, I learn from his assistant or sub agent, Captain
Hottel, not to allow empty cars to pass over the rail roads. This order
prevents the return of the Navy Coal cars from Charlotte to the Clover
Hill Mines, thereby seriously embarrassing the coal supplies for the
former place. |
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The rail roads, from Lieut. Jones' report, do not now
permit their own cars to leave their own roads; through freight must,
therefore, be trans-shipped at the termination of each road. Hence the
importance, nay necessity, for having the movements of coal cars under
the exclusive control of the Navy Department. |
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I would therefore respectfully request that instructions be
issued by telegraph as well as in writing from the War Department,
requiring every facility to be afforded for forwarding the Navy coal
cars, whether filled or empty, between Charlotte, N. C., and this
place. |
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If the difficulties in regard to transportation be not
promptly removed the Naval Works at Charlotte will have to suspend work
for the want of coal. |
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I have the honor to be |
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Very Respectfully |
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Your obt Servant |
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Jno. R. Mitchell |
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Commander in chg etc |
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{on back of document} |
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There is certainly some misunderstanding as to what I have said in
respect to coal car: I think it is now about two months since that some
of their cars were at Raleigh, and at the same time a large accumulation
of supplies for the army. I then said that these supplies must have
preference. I have promulgated, generally, the idea that cars should go
loaded in both directions as a matter of ??? in transportation. |
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When I left Raleigh for the west I directed Mr Hottel to give the works
of the Navy department at Charlotte as possible ??? in the way of
transporting coal and he has recently told me that he has complied with
my directions. |
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Wm M Wadley |
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AAGen |
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19th April 1863 |
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