President's Office
| Richmond, Fredericksburg & Potomac R. R. Co. |
| Richmond, July 17, 1861 |
| |
| His Excellency Jefferson Davis, President of the
Confederate States |
| |
| Dear Sir, |
| Since my interviews with you of
Saturday and Sunday evenings, desiring to leave nothing undone in my
power which can promote your efforts for the public defense, I have
had made by the city engineer of Richmond, who is also a skillful
and experienced railroad engineer, surveys and estimates both of the
time and expense required to construct merely temporary connections
for military purposes only between the railroads running north and
south and terminating in Richmond and Petersburg. Those estimates I
herein inclose to you. For the estimate of time given by him some
days less than a week must be added for preparations and gathering
the requisite materials and force of men. The connections so
constructed would not be adapted to the transportation over them of
loaded trains, or even of unloaded ones, consisting of more than one
or two cars (at least in Richmond, where in frosty weather it might
be at times wholly impracticable), and for this reason, as well as
because of the haste and want of permanence in their construction,
and because they would not relieve the companies of the expense of
omnibus and wagon transportation through the cities, these
connections would be of no value to the roads connected, and would
have to be constructed at the expense of the Confederate Government
-- an expense which, however, might be lessened, when these
connections shall cease to be needed by the Government, by the value
of the materials used, which the companies connected would doubtless
buy at an assessed value. These connections, however, even
constructed in the way proposed in the accompanying estimates, will
suffice for the transfer of the cars and machinery by horse power
from any of the Southern railroads from which they can be spared to
the railroads north of Richmond leading to Strasburg, Manassas
Junction, or Aquia Creek. Even engines may, perhaps, at times be carried
over them either alone or with one car, and loaded cars may be
brought over them by horses. Should you deem this work of sufficient
importance to justify the comparatively moderate expense (which
would probably little exceed the expense of wagon transportation
through these two cities, otherwise to be incurred), I know of no
one who, from his character, energy, skill, and experience, would
more promptly and satisfactorily have the work done that Mr.
Washington Gill, the engineer of this city, by whom the surveys and
estimates have been made. His position gives him special facilities
for engaging men and material, although a detail of men from the
Army might much expedite the work. Any further information you may
desire touching this matter (in which I have no interest except as a
citizen) it will give me pleasure to give you. |
| With high respect and regard, your friend and obedient servant |
| P. V. Daniels, Jr. |
| P. S. -- I omitted to say that the ordinance of the
State convention gives full power to construct this work to the
Confederate States, irrespective of the consent of the cities. |
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