| Richmond June 13th 1862 |
| |
| H. D. Bird, Supt. S. S. R. R. Co. {South
Side Rail Road} |
| Petersburg |
| |
| I regret very much, that supposing one
to be ignorant of the number of troops ordered forward by myself,
you should communicate our movements in the way you have done. I was
not aware that you were sending forward sick, when I had written to
you to suspend all transportation except that of troops. I knew that
the Yankee prisoners could not interfere with the troops, because
they had been stopped at Lynchburg. |
| It was to prevent the detention of
troops at the Junction while trains of empty cars were coming back,
that I telegraphed to your agent and to you. If that telegraph has
been carried out, there can be neither collision nor the disastrous
delay proposed on your road. |
| You were furnished the means of
establishing telegraph communication with intermediate points on
your road for other roads it has been done in a few hours. You were
also authorized to impress the rolling stock of the Norfolk &
Petersburg Road and were only expected to furnish wood and water for
the trains sent from Richmond. |
| G. W. Randolph |
| Sec. of War |
| |
| Sent by telegram |