| Executive Department |
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Tallahassee May 30, 1863 |
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Hon. David L. Yulee |
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Dear Sir, |
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I had the honor to receive your esteemed favor of the 23rd
inst, on the day before yesterday; and today to submit it to the
consideration of "the Trustees of the Internal Improvement Fund." The
Trustees appreciate the delicacy which may have heretofore restrained
you from making a generous offer of the Iron in part of the Florida Rail
Road to aid the Confederate Government to conduct successfully the
defences of the State in a war which threatens our political existence
and most sacred rights with destruction. To relieve you from all
embarrassment in the subject, the Board of Trustees promptly and
unanimously passed the Resolution, a copy of which is herewith enclosed. |
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I am much indebted to you for your kindness in supposing
that the letter addressed by me to Brigr Genl Finegan & transmitted by
him to you with a copy of Lt Gift's letter to me, was "a courteous
formality in the treatment of an official communication from an officer
of the Confederate Service." The reputation of Lt Gift as a brave,
patriotic and intelligent officer, would doubtless have justified the
courtesy if I had not been previously informed of the necessities of the
Confederate Government for the iron and its purpose to compensate the
owners for it, provided they were not alien enemies; as well as, the
desire of "the Trustees of the Internal Improvement Fund" to facilitate
any movements the exigencies of the war might require the Confederate
Government to make for the defence of the State. |
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Agreeably to recollection my attention was first invited to
the necessity for the removal of the Iron from Gainesville to Cedar Keys
by the proceedings of a public meeting at the former place in which you
were represented to me as having participated and to have expressed an
anxiety for the removal of the iron and a willingness for it to be used
if necessary by the Confederate Government. |
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Impressed with your generous patriotism at the time, now
that I have reason to know that the Confederate Government very much
needs Iron, and that the necessity is daily becoming more pressing in
the conduct of the existing and formidable war; and believing that the
enemy is fully appraised of this necessity and may therefore in the
execution of their purpose to subjugate Florida, and especially East
Florida; capture the Florida Rail Road and not only use it for conquest
over that portion of the State, but deprive the State of the most
tangible and convenient means at its disposal, for the Confederate
Government to make the connections necessary to secure the
transportation of troops and munitions of war for the defence of the
State, as well as to afford to the State, derived opportunities to
contribute to the subsistence of the armies in Confederate Service; it
affords me pleasure to give assurance of the solicitude of "the Trustees
of the Internal Improvement Fund" to cooperate cordially with you in
patriotic effort to aid the Confederate Government in making a judicious
use of the iron from Gainesville to Cedar Keys, & from Camp Cooper to
Fernandina. |
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It is probable "the Florida Rail Road Company" have the
implements for the removal of the iron without injury and that it would
afford them pleasure to turn over the implements for the purpose to "the
officer of the Confederate Service" to whom the duty of having the iron
removed may be assigned. |
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I have the honor to be |
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Very Respectfully, |
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John Milton |
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Governor of Florida & President of the Board of the Internal Improvement
Fund |
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