| Office of the Provost-Marshal of Alleghany |
| August 20, 1862 |
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| Secretary of War |
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| On May 18 last the Yankees burned the
bridge across the Cow Pasture River, since which time trains have
ceased to ran on the Virginia Central Railroad west of Staunton. As
the attorney of the company I have urged the rebuilding of the
bridge at once, but the company declines, not knowing what the
fortunes of war may be or how soon the bridge, if built, may be
destroyed again. The Yankees have fallen back from Meadow Bluff
beyond the Sewells, and the Government must drive them beyond the
Kanawha Salt-Works, as it is indispensable the us to have the salt;
and, if so, the very sinews of our strength, the very arteries of
the existence of our army when it moves from Monroe to Greenbrier,
on the Kanawha road, is the Central Railroad, for the Government has
just completed and put in good order the road from River Depot to
Lewisburg; the Yankees have from Lewisburg to Gauley. I have seen
the engineer of the Central, who says that a good temporary bridge
can be put up in one month, and I write to advise that you order it
at once. If you think the advice is of a doubtful character, then,
with the maps of the State before you, I am content for you to
decide it.
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| I am, truly,
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| W. Skeer
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| Provost-Marshal of Alleghany and Comdg. Post at
Covington
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| P. S. -- H. D. Whitcomb, esq., superintendent of the
Virginia Central Railroad, at Richmond, could give you probable cost
and time within which a temporary bridge might be built.
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