| Memphis, Sept 5 1867 |
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| Amos Woodruff, President
{Memphis & Ohio RR} |
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| Dear Sir, |
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Allow to make to you a report of the rolling stock sent
South in 1862. One was made to Old Board of Directors in 1865 when the
work of reconstruction was talked of.
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When I succeeded Mr. Dodamead as Superintendent of the road
I found the rolling stock of the company in a very bad condition
incident to Military transportation. A great many of the cars upon other
roads -- and were continually being called upon by Military authorities
to assist in transportation of troops and supplies upon other roads made
it impossible to get at a true report of the condition or account of
Rolling Stock belonging to the Company, and there being none left by Mr.
Dodamead It was not known what there was when it became evident that
this city would be evacuated. An order was sent me as follows --
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Order No 1
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Also the letter - No 2
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which instructions I obeyed as far as possible in the limited time as
fast as the cars could be got over to the Miss & Tenn Depot they
were delivered to the order of F. S. Richards Genl Supt of that road who
had all of them loaded and sent to stations on other roads.
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On the morning of 6th of June I went with what remained at
the Depot viz -- 6 Locomotives, 5 Pass Cars, 6 Box Cars, 4 flat cars, 2
Baggage Cars to Batesville, Miss 2 Locomotives, 3 Passenger Cars, 1
Baggage car and a number of freight cars having gone before.
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There was left here on the road one nice Passenger Car
several Box Cars loaded with sugar some platform cars, and 4 Locomotives
needing repairs and 1 in Running order. The Sugar cars were all Bist (?)
to Memphis the sugar sold by the order of the Feds, the cars the engine transferred
to the U. S. Military and I believe destroyed upon the line of the M.
& C. R. R. {Memphis & Charleston RR}. The treasurer of the road used the train a few times on
this road.
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I first stopped at Batesville, Miss where I remained about
two weeks in the mean time getting as many of the cars together as I
could. I was then ordered to east of the line of the Mobile & Ohio
Rail Road and selected a place 1 1/2 miles north of Meridian, where I
had to put in the siding myself & then proceeded to find our cars as
fast as possible and put them away.
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From the letters of instruction I had as well as verbal you
will observe that I had no authority to use the stock. I was to take
care of it as well as I could which I did I was compelled by an order
from Military commanding Dept to lease to Southern RR of Miss 6
Locomotives for use upon their road in Jan 1863 I remained at Meridian
until Aug 1863 then removed to a place near Mobile, Ala, where I
remained until ??? (Jan?) 1864 when it became very evident that the
Military would take the stock and use it upon any road they chose I
leased it to roads that I saw had best means to take care of it
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I leased to the A. & T. R. R. Selma, Ala {Alabama
& Tennessee River RR}
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3 Locomotives
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2 Passenger Cars
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1 Baggage "
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5 Box Freight "
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12 Platform "
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which were returned to us except one Locomotive 2 Box Cars ten Platform
Cars. Our account with that company is not settled, some of the cars
were burned and the Locomotive was injured by Fire during Wilsons raid
upon Selma. The difference between us is the War Risk I have held
them to all risks they claiming exemption
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I leased to the Southern Road 6 Locomotives -- which were
all returned and a settlement made with that co.
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One Locomotive was used one month upon Mobile & G. N.
R. R. {Mobile & Great Northern RR}
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One train was contracted out to haul sugar at good rates to
private parties & made one trip only.
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I leased to the Charlotte & South Carolina R. R.
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2 Locomotives
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5 Passenger Cars
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46 Freight "
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Before the Bridges were done to enable to return the stock
a judgment was obtained in the Court of North Carolina by Sewepson on
the coupons due, but unpaid and a garnishment was served upon the C.
& S. C. R. R. and answered by them holding the property of the we
are resisting the jus't.
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We received from them one Locomotive, 5 Pass Cars 13 Box
Cars
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That co now answers that they have 1 Locomotive, 26 Frt
cars and an unsettled account with this co amounting to $36,000.
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I obeyed the order of Q. M. Genl. & let R. & D. R.
R. {Richmond & Danville RR} have one Locomotive which has been returned no settlement with that
co as yet
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{end of document in the archives. It was obviously
written by S. B. Jones, Superintendent}
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