Atlanta, October 2, 1861
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| Hon. J. P. Benjamin |
| Secretary of War, Richmond, Va. |
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| Dear Sir, |
| In response to your telegram of yesterday
[September 30] I said that I would reply by letter. We have let the
East Tennessee roads have the use of our cars and engines this summer,
and they have abused and broken them till we shall be very hard
pressed for motive power and rolling-stock to do our winter's
business. If we could get material for the repair of our engines it
would be possible for us to repair them and still accommodate, but
much of the material necessary cannot be had in the Confederacy. If we
let our engines and cars go for further use off our road we shall very
soon be obliged to suspend our own business. We now have three or four
of our engines in the shop badly broken up by them, and we lack
material to repair. Some fifty or more of our cars are in like broken
and injured condition. I regret very much that we are not in condition
to accommodate, but I do not see how it is possible without
endangering the success of our own road and business. I am informed
that the South Carolina road, the Central road at Savannah, the
Georgia road at Augusta, the Memphis &
Charleston at Memphis, and the New Orleans and Jackson, all have
surplus cars and engines. We have kept up the transportation for the
Government over the line during the summer, and have suffered
severely by it. I now ask that you call on some other of the roads
to do their part. Any and all freights sent over the Southern route
will be promptly shipped to the extent of our capacity, and would
reach Richmond as cheaply and more promptly than they do over the
East Tennessee route.
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| I am, very truly, etc. |
| Joseph E. Brown |
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