| Headquarters Army of the Peninsula |
| Yorktown Va., November 25, 1861 |
| |
|
General S. Cooper |
| Adjutant-General, C. S. A. |
| |
| Sir, |
| I have lost and am losing
the services of the efficient body of engineers who have been in the
service of the State of Virginia since the war, and who have been
engaged in constructing most of thedefensive works on this
Peninsula. It is not possible to do without these officers, as the
line of our Army cannot furnish military engineers. These officers
are all of them well educated, and many (such as Mr. St. John and
Captain Rives) distinguished for great talent and energy. All have
devoted themselves also to military engineering, and all are highly
qualified for the duties required of them. ***** Mr. St. John, of
the engineers, under Colonel Talcott, is acting chief engineer in
this department, employed as engineer by Colonel Talcott, and
appointed by me to act as chief. His services are beyond price. His
energy and talent exceed any that I have ever witnessed. No
provision, I am sold, is made for him, but he remains steadfast to
his post, and I hope the President will have it in his power to
bestow upon him the commission of captain in one of the corps. He is
recommended in the strongest terms, I understand, both by Colonels
Leadbetter and Talcott, and mine, in his favor, cannot be made as
strong as his own merit. His loss will be irreparable. |
| ***** I hope, in view of the
great public interests involved and the excellence of the officers
themselves, that the President will have it in his power to
commission all of the engineers who have been and are employed on
this Peninsula. |
| The following are the names
of the officers who have served and are serving with me: |
| Mr. A. L. Rives, captain,
Virginia Engineers; I. M. St. John, chief of engineer department; E.
T. D. Myers, Captain Virginia Engineers; ***** |
| All of the above names, I
presume, are handed in to the office of the Chief Engineer, Colonel
Leadbetter. |
| I am, sir very respectfully, your
obedient servant, |
| Bankhead Magruder |
| Major-General, Commanding |
|