| Milledgeville, January 16, 1864 |
| |
| General
Joseph E. Johnston |
|
|
| Dear Sir, |
| It affords me pleasure to acknowledge
the receipt of your letter of 5th instant, by which I am informed
that you will make an effort to have part of the engines and cars
which have been taken from the Western & Atlantic Railroad and
lost by the military restored to the road. This would be a great
relief and would enable us to transport supplies to your army
without further embarrassment. |
| I have informed the
Quartermaster-General at Richmond that it is necessary for him to
send to the State road two good engines and trains of cars in place
of part of those lost, to enable us to do the necessary carrying for
your army. I wish you to insist upon this in your correspondence
with him, as it will greatly aid me in procuring the trains. |
| I have submitted your complaints of want
of efficiency in our railroad officers to the superintendent, who is
of opinion you are misinformed, and that the officers and employees
are doing all in their power with the means at their command. |
| He further informs me that your supplies
at the time of the complaint went forward promptly as fast as
delivered to us by connecting roads below, except in the case of
beef cattle, which he had not stock cars to carry. If you would
impress a few stock cars from some of the roads below Atlanta and
place them on the State road to carry beef cattle it would greatly
facilitate the business. I think cars of that class have been sent
to South Carolina by some of our roads to engage in carrying cotton
with which to run the blockade, much of it for private speculation.
If your commissaries drive the cattle in future, as you suggest,
that will obviate much of the difficulty, though I fear you may not
find it easy to procure food for them on the way through the country
from Atlanta to Dalton. |
| I think your suggestions in reference to
the employment of negroes to do much of the labor now done in and
about the army by soldiers are wise, and I regret that I have no
power to furnish them. If Congress would provide for calling a
sufficient force of negroes for these purposes into the field,
apportioning the number among the different States, it would be a
judicious movement. In that case the planters of Georgia would
cheerfully furnish their quota. |
| It is probable I may find it necessary
to convene the Legislature of the State early in the spring. If so,
I will submit this question for their consideration, as I have no
power to act without further legislation. I beg to renew the
assurance that I will in all matters within my power render you
every possible assistance. |
| With high consideration and esteem, I am, very
respectfully, your obedient servant, |
| Joseph E. Brown |
| |
| P. S.--I will send you a copy of the late act of our
Legislature in reference to deserters. I shall do all in my power to
have it executed. |
| J. E. B. |