| Tallahassee, July 20, 1863 |
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| Hon. James A. Seddon |
| Secretary of War, Richmond, Va. |
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| *****
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| The correspondence between the Hon. David L.
Yulee, the president of the Florida Railroad Company, and myself has
been submitted to your consideration, and in connection with it I
now submit copies of a letter expressive of the views of your
predecessor, the Hon. G. W. Randolph; an order of Brigadier-General
Trapier; the proceedings of the late Executive Council, and of the
trustees of the beard of internal improvement fund in relation to
the removal of the iron from parts of that road. The views of
Brigadier-General Trapier and of Brigadier-General Cobb are on file
in your office, and herewith I hand you those of General Beauregard.
I know of no man reasonably claiming to be an officer of military
experience, or to have received a military education, who has
expressed an opinion at variance with the position maintained by me
that the connection of the two railroads alluded to, and the
extension of the Pensacola and Georgia Railroad to Chattahoochee,
are necessary to the defense of the State. Can the Confederate
Government obtain the iron necessary from any other source than
parts of the Florida Railroad? Is not the iron on the portions of
the track of that road alluded to in the correspondence liable to be
seized and destroyed, or used for the subjugation of that portion of
the State, unless the troops in East Florida can be largely
re-enforced? Has the Government troops to spare to re-enforce them?
These are matters worthy of consideration and prompt action. It is
true that Brigadier-General Finegan agrees with Mr. Yulee. The
simple question is, Shall what is necessary to the defense of
Florida be ordered agreeably to the views expressed by those highest
in authority, and to whom the welfare of the State has been
confided, or shall the State be left defenseless in compliment to
Mr. Yulee's and General Finegan's opinions?
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| I have the honor to be, respectfully |
| John Milton |
| Governor of Florida |
| |
| [Inclosure No. 1] |
| Confederate States of America, War Department |
| Richmond, April 3, 1862 |
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| His Excellency John Milton |
| Governor of Florida, Tallahassee, Fla. |
| |
| Sir: I have been informed that the line of
railroad connecting Cedar Keys and Fernandina is now comparatively
valueless to the Confederacy in consequence of both termini of the
road being in possession of the enemy. Under these circumstances I
should be pleased to receive your views of the expediency of
removing the iron and telegraph wire, and if you concur with me in
opinion I will direct the general commanding in Florida to have the
rails and wire removed.
|
| Very respectfully, your obedient servant |
| G. W. Randolph |
| Secretary of War |
| |
| [Inclosure No. 2] |
| Special Orders No. 90 |
| Hdqrs. Provisional Forces |
| Dept. of Middle and East Florida |
| Sanderson, March 10, 1862 |
| |
| Captain Buckman, First Florida Battalion, with his
company is hereby charged with the special duty of removing the iron
from the track of the Florida Railroad and the Jacksonville Railroad
{the Florida, Atlantic & Gulf Central
Railroad} as the trains on the latter shall cease running.
The iron will be transported to the junction of the Tallahassee
Railroad {the Pensacola & Georgia
Railroad} and the proposed Georgia connection, the
cross-ties, etc., burnt. Captain Hickman, assistant quartermaster,
will furnish the transportation.
|
| By order of General Trapier |
| R. H. Anderson |
| Major and Assistant Adjutant-General |
| |
| [Inclosure No. 3] |
| Special Orders No. 108 |
| Hdqrs. Provisional Forces |
| Dept. of Middle and East Florida |
| Tallahassee, March 18, 1862 |
| |
| Special Orders, No. 90, is hereby modified as
follows: The iron from the Florida Railroad will not be taken up
south of Callahan, and all the iron removed from this road will be
placed at Baldwin. The iron from the Jacksonville road will be
placed at Lake City.
|
| By order of General Trapier. |
| R. H. Anderson |
| Major and Assistant Adjutant-General |
| NOTE -- The foregoing order is in progress of
execution by Captain Lesley, substituted for Captain Buckman, to
whom Order No. 90 was directed.
|
| |
| [Inclosure No. 4] |
| Executive Department |
| Tallahassee, March 13, 1862 |
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| Resolution of Executive Council, Passed March 4, 1862 |
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| Resolved, That the Governor be authorized to
have taken up such portions of the railroad iron on the Florida
Railroad, when the troops shall have been removed from Fernandina,
as the public security demands, and remove the same to a place of
safety. |
| Adopted. M. D. Papy, Wiggins, and Simpkins voted yea. |
| A true copy from the minutes. Attest. |
| E. Barnard |
| Private Secretary of His Excellency John Milton |
| |
| E. Houston, Esq. |
| General Trapier having ordered the iron taken
up from Fernandina to Baldwin, you are requested to send the trains
necessary to assist in moving the rails as they are taken up to a
place of safety beyond the reach of the enemy. General Trapier has
authority from the Government. |
| John Milton |
| Governor of Florida |
| By E. Barnard |
| Private Secretary to His Excellency |
| |
| [Inclosure No. 5] |
| Hdqrs. Dept. of South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida |
| Charleston, S. C. July 6, 1863 |
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| His Excellency John Milton |
| Governor, Tallahassee, Fla. |
| |
| Sir: Your favor of the 29th ultimo has been
received, inclosing your correspondence with Brigadier-General
Finegan and Hon. D. L. Yulee relative to the removal of the iron
from parts of the Florida Railroad and its appropriation for other
purposes. After a careful perusal of the correspondence, which I
have inclosed to the War Department for its information and
consideration, I can but express my unqualified approval of the
position you have assumed--that the connection of the Albany and
Gulf Railroad {Atlantic & Gulf Railroad} with
the Pensacola and Georgia Railroad, and the prolongation of the
latter to the Chattahoochee--are indispensable to the proper defense
of the State of Florida. Where the required iron should come from is
a question that the State and Confederate governments alone are
competent to decide, but your views on the subject appear to me to
be conclusive. |
| Hoping that a spirit of pure patriotism will
open the eyes of all concerned to the necessity of prompt action in
measures so vitally important to the safety of your gallant State, |
| I remain, with high consideration, your obedient
servant |
| G. T. Beauregard |
| General Commanding |