War Department, C. S. A.
| Richmond,
Va., April 14, 1864 |
| |
|
General
R. E. Lee |
|
Commanding
etc |
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| General, |
| I have the honor to acknowledge your letter of
the 12th instant, just received, and to thank you very sincerely for
the valuable suggestions it contained. They fortify me by the might
of your authority in the convictions of policy entertained and the
line of action I had adopted, to some extent, in pursuance of them.
The most earnest efforts are being made to command the full
resources for transportation of the railroad lines, and I have not
hesitated to stop passenger trains whenever by so doing Government
freight could be increased or expedited. The officer in charge of
railroad transportation has been sent out, and is now absent on a
mission, with all the power the Department could confer, to secure
the fullest concert of action and the employment of all the means
that could be commanded for transportation. The Piedmont Railroad is
being pressed to early completion, but, unfortunately, the recent
floods oppose embarrassing impediments, which may delay it two weeks
longer than I confidently anticipated. I still hope it may be
completed in the early part of next month.
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| I am thoroughly convinced of the importance of
depleting the population of Richmond, and have, on more occasions
than one before the reception of your letter, urged on the President
the exercise of his influence and authority to accomplish the
removal of the population, so far as they could be spared from the
necessary work of the city. Such steps have not as yet been taken,
for the difficulties and embarrassments attending it must be
acknowledged to be of a very grave character. It is next to
impossible to make, by the action of the Government, adequate
provision for the shelter and support of the numbers which would
then be thrown homeless and indigent upon the country, and even
those who had means of self-support would find it very difficult to
obtain accommodation and supplies. Refugees have begun to be
regarded with less of sympathy than of apprehension, for they are
looked upon as diminishing the means and increasing the privations
of the communities to which they may flee. Still, I fear necessity
requires that, to a considerable extent, the removal of the useless
population from the city should be attempted, for without such
measure I do not see the possibility of accumulating the requisite
reserve of supplies to enable us to meet partial reverse and bear
brief interruption of communication.
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| The prisoners of the enemy and our own paroled
men are nearly all removed, and the rest will speedily follow. The
hospitals and work-shops will be cleared of all who can be spared,
and such machinery and stores as are not of immediate necessity I
have directed to be prepared and gradually removed. It will be
difficult to induce either the people of the city or our officers to
make the requisite exertions and sacrifices which a prudent
precaution demands, for they repose such confidence in the valor of
our troops and the generalship of their commanders as to be
incredulous of approaching danger. Still, I hope your counsels and
the influence of the Department will not be wholly without avail in
inducing the "efforts, self-sacrifice, and labor, until the
crisis has been safely passed," which a prudent forecast of all
contingencies demands.
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| Experience of the past and a just reliance on
our means of defense, employed with the skill and energy which have
heretofore guided us, may well entitle us to expect, under the
blessing of Heaven, deliverance from the worst efforts of our
malignant foes: but we should not be the less prepared to be
grateful and happy in triumph for having realized our danger and
arranged to meet and repair the consequences of a reverse.
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| Very truly, yours, |
| James A. Seddon |
| Secretary of War |
|