| Richmond, Fredericksburg & Potomac Railroad Company |
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President's Office |
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Richmond, May 8th 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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To avoid taxing your recollection and your numerous and
onerous duties with the subject of my oral communication to you this
morning, prompted by the urgent occasions for your immediate action, I
beg leave now respectfully to repeat it in writing. |
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In repeated former written communications, I explained to
you the difficulty amounting almost to an impossibility of keeping the
locomotives on the road supplied with fuel, resulting from the long
occupation of it by the enemy, and the exhaustion of the resources of
the adjacent country by the subsistence & supply of two hostile armies
of most unusual magnitude. |
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It has consequently been necessary more than once, to
procure aid from the Government in collecting wood for the locomotives.
This aid with every possible exertion on the part of this company,
regardless of expense, has barely sufficed to prevent the total
suspension of transportation on this road for want of fuel. * |
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Recently, as you are aware, the Station, Woodhouse and wood
nearest to Richmond were burned by the Enemy, compelling a dependence
for the supply usually furnished at two stations on that afforded
at the single one at Ashland. And yet the scanty supply at this last
named place has within the past week been repeatedly diminished by
detachments of our own troops, taking the wood for their camp fires,
frequently even in the wood house, where the Superintendent extinguished
yesterday seven fires; although often other wood which was not
seasoned & saved, no capable of being used for locomotives, but very
sufficient for camp fires, might be close at hand. This case but
illustrates others similar to this of weekly & almost daily occurrences
and unless the practice can be speedily anpted(?), the total suspension
of transportation, even now often much restricted for want of fuel,
must inevitably, and at any moment may be the consequence. This evil
with the acknowledged difficulty of suppressing it, demands speedy,
and in the opinion of officers of higher rank the severest
measures for its suppression, penalties enforced, not merely
warnings & general orders are needed. |
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Asking your prompt attention to it I am with high respect your obt.
Servt. |
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P. V. Daniels, Jr. Presdt &c |
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* In a less degree, though still greatly, this difficulty of precious
fuel is experienced on other Railroads. |
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