| Danville, Va. |
| April 10, 1865 |
| |
| L. E. Harvie {President,
Piedmont & Richmond & Danville RRs} |
| Danville, Va.
|
| |
| My Dear Sir, |
| The force employed in constructing
defense here is, I fear, much smaller than you suppose. Colonel
Rives has been instructed to attend to the matter, and if he can
materially aid you by so doing to turn over his whole force of
laborers to assist in the proposed change of gauge {of
the Piedmont RR}. You will
perceive that to leave the defenses incomplete may shorten the time
within which your rolling-stock must be removed. The greatest energy
will be required to complete the work in the shortest possible time
after it is commenced, or we shall lose in the use of the road
without assurance of saving the valuable means of transportation
which it is the object to transfer. |
| Very truly, your friend, |
| Jeff'n Davis |
|