Confederate States of America, War Department
| Richmond, Va., February 22, 1862 |
| |
| Capt. A. L. Rives |
| Acting Chief Engineer Bureau, Present |
| |
| Sir, |
| A law recently having been passed by
Congress appropriation $1,000,000 for connecting the Richmond &
Danville and North Carolina Central Railroads, surveys of
exploration under the direction of the Engineer Department, C. S.
Army, are hereby authorized and ordered with the view of determining
promptly the most satisfactory connection. An officer of the
Engineer Corps, Provisional Army, S. S., will conduct them, and is
authorized to secure such assistance, equipage, etc., as may be
required. He will examine instrumentally two leading routs with
sufficient detail to enable the President to select advisedly, the
more minute surveys necessary to a final location being postponed
until such selection is made. One of these routes is from Danville
to Greensborough direct; the other from Barksdale Station, Richmond
& Danville Railroad, to a point on the North Carolina Central
not far from the Company's Shops, near Graham. |
| Your obedient servant |
| J. P. Benjamin |
| Secretary of War |
|