War Department, C. S. A
| Richmond, January 24, 1863 |
| |
| P. V. Daniel, Jr., Esq. |
| President Richmond, Fredericksburg & Potomac
Railroad, Richmond, Va. |
|
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|
Sir,
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| I have just received a letter from
General Lee complaining of the serious delays in transportation over
your railroad. You are fully aware of the importance of prompt and
regular communication with the army near Fredericksburg, and I must
request that you will use every effort to remedy the delays reported
by General Lee. |
| Your obedient servant |
| James A. Seddon |
| Secretary of War |
| |
| {Endorsement/reply -- not
published in the Official Records} |
| Respectfully returned to the Secretary
of War with the information that on being informed at a late hour
last night of Gen. Lee's complaint & desire for further
transportation the remnant of the night was spent unloading cars of
private freight, in loading all the Commissary stores sent up
to the Depot (there being none detained here) & in sending them
off early this morning. Until the last two day for more than a week
two daily freight trains have gone to Gen. Lee's army with only one
half to one third as much commissary stores as they could
carry because no more had been ordered by the Commissaries or
Quartermasters of the army. That army can be kept supplied by
continuous & regular transportation over this [railroad] but not
by fitful efforts to do in a day the work omitted in ten. |
| With great respect |
| P. V. Daniel Jr Presdt |
| R. R. & P. R. Rd Co. |
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