Quartermaster-General's Department
| Richmond, Va., September 23, 1861 |
| |
| Hon. J.P. Benjamin, Acting
Secretary of War |
| |
| Sir, |
| I have received your letter of the 22d instant
in reply to a report I made you in reference to the detention of
railroad cars at Manassas, which I supposed was the main object of
your first inquiry on this subject. Your letter to which I now have
the honor of replying remarks, "We have now a definite issue
before us, to find out the delinquent, and to pursue the
investigation until the question is satisfactorily answered." I
inclose herewith a letter from the superintendent of the Central
Railroad and one from Maj. W. S. Ashe, assistant quartermaster,
specially charged with the superintendence of railroad
transportation, from which I gather the fact that the road was idle
for some time, and sought to transport public stores Without
receiving them, and that on a sudden a requisition was made for the
transportation of 1,000 barrels of flour, which the road had not the
capacity to accomplish.
|
| Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
|
| A. C. Myers |
| Acting Quartermaster-General
|
| |
| [Inclosure No. 1] |
| |
| Richmond, September 23, 1861 |
| Col. A. C. Myers, Quartermaster-General |
| |
| Dear Sir: Your letter, inclosing one
from the Secretary of War, asking information relative to the
detention in the transportation of flour, was duly received. Not
having heard of this detention, I sent the letter to the
superintendent of the {Virginia} Central Railroad for the information desired.
His reply to the inquiry I inclose you. I am confident that he is
right in stating that a few weeks back he sought transportation of
provisions, observing that his cars were going out empty of
Government freight, and he would like to have it sent so as to reach
him gradually. This fact, if I mistake not, I brought to your
attention.
|
| I will, in addition to what he states, remark
that it is almost impossible, without previous notice, to transport,
on the moment, such a large amount as 1,000 barrels of provisions.
It appears from the response of the superintendent that a portion of
them went off on the same day the order was given, the balance on
the next and the ensuing day. Although this dispatch was not such as
was desired, yet I think it was so prompt, that it relieves the
company from any charge of dereliction of duty. |
| I avail myself of this opportunity to
call your attention to the absolute necessity of having cars loaded
with freight discharged as soon as practicable. Every moment's delay
is felt more than any person who is not acquainted with railroad
schedules can conceive of. This should not only be done at the
various destinations of freight, but also here in Richmond. I am
satisfied that a depot situated near the line of the railroad should
be established, so that cars so loaded could be discharged without
the aid of wagons, &c.
|
| With respect,
|
| W. S. Ashe |
| |
| [Inclosure No. ]
|
| |
| Virginia Central Railroad, General Superintendent's
Office |
| Richmond, Va., September 23, 1861 |
| |
| Maj. W. S. ASHE, Quartermaster, &c |
| |
| Sir: In answer to the letter from Acting
Secretary of War to Col. A. C. Myers, Quartermaster-General, I
respectfully submit the following information: |
| There are three causes why the
Government freight has been detained to some extent, as follows: |
| 1st. The want of rolling stock. This
road was provided with barely stock enough for the transportation of
produce, &c., in ordinary times, and even then we had delays
from want of cars at certain seasons. Now we have the armies of the
West, the Northwest, and of the Potomac, the population of a
considerable city, to supply. I think I am reasonable in saying that
75 per cent. of the supplies for this army is taken over some
portion of our road. |
| 2d. The Government freight is irregular.
Two weeks since (I write from memory) I applied to you, as you may
recollect, for freight to transport, for I feared the very state of
affairs which has since occurred, and for want of Government freight
we were transporting goods and merchandise for private parties. Then
came this rush upon us, to be followed by another leisure spell. |
| 3d. Want of storage room at several of
the points where goods are sent from by wagons to the army at
Manassas, Fairfax, and Millborough. At these points goods have
remained in the cars, because they could not be unloaded for want of
storage. It is not long since one of my employees, one who is
considered a reliable man, saw thirteen trains at Manassas; eleven
of these were loaded. Some of the trains probably came from
Lynchburg. But as we have never sent more than two freight trains
from Richmond to Manassas, you must see that there has been
detention at one tiptoe, to say the least. I have no doubt there was
good cause for it. I know that the cars have been detained at
Millborough. There were probably fifty loaded cars there on Friday
last. You have been obliged to issue orders to have them unloaded
without a shelter for the goods. In future I suppose this cause of
delay will not trouble us. |
| But with all the delays I can assure you
that the detention in Richmond has not been serious. My impression
is that it has not exceeded forty-eight hours, except in the case of
the flour mentioned. The order for that came the 18th. We sent
seventy barrels that day, and the last of the
lot was loaded the 31st and went off this morning. |
| We are taking no private freights
without permission from the quartermaster's office. |
| Very respectfully, |
| H. D. Whitcomb |
| General Superintendent |
|