UNITED STATES MILITARY RAILROADS.
R E F O R T
OP
BYT. BRIG. GEN. D. C. M<'CALLUM,
DIRECTOR AND GENERAL MANAGER,
FROM 1861 TO 1866.
WASHIN GTON
1866.
UNITED STATES MILITARY RAILROADS.
E E P O E T
OP
BVT. BRIG. GEN, D. C. M'^CALLUM,
DIRECTOR AND GENERAL MANAGER,
FROM 1861 TO 1866.
REPORT
of
BREVET BRIG. GEN. D. C. M'CALLUM.
Office of Director and General Manager
Military Railroads United States,
Washington, D. C., May 26, 1866.
Sir : I have the honor to submit the following report upon the military rail¬
roads of the United States under my charge during the war.
On the 11th day of February, 1862, I received the following order :
War Department,
Washington City, D.C., February 11, 1862.
Ordered That D. C. McCallum be, and he is hereby, appointed military director and
superintendent of railroads in the United States, with authority to enter upon, take possession
of, hold and use all railroads, engines, cars, locomotives, equipments, appendages, and ap¬
purtenances, that may be required for the transport of troops, arms, ammunition, and military
supplies of the United States, and to do and perform all acts and things that may be neces¬
sary and proper to be done for the safe and speedy transport aforesaid.
By order of the President, commander-in-chief of the aimy and navy of the United
States.
EDWIN M. STANTON,
Secretary of War.
Upon assuming the duties indicated by the above order I found only one rail¬
road in possession of the government, that from Washington to Alexandria,
seven miles long, and in charge of Captain R. F. Morley, assistant quarter¬
master.
Under an order from the War Department, dated January 10,1862, the track
had been relaid with new T-rails, the entire road-bed repaired, and a track laid
across Long bridge, over the Potomac river.
Previously all passengers and freight had been transferred across the bridge
by horse-power.
In Alexandria the tracks had been laid through the city to form a junction
with the Orange and Alexandria railroad.
The road was used regularly and continuously without interruption from this
time forward until the close of the war, qnd on the 7th day of August, 1865,
was surrendered to the Alexandria, Washington, and Georgetown Railroad
Company.
During the period of its military occupation the value of construction and re¬
pairs made upon it not properly chargeable to the cost of operation amounted
to .S107,328 88.
The transportation from February 9, 1862, to August 7, 1865, three years,
five months and twenty-eight days, was as follows :
Xumber of engines run over the road for other than local construction
purposes 8, 983
Number of loaded cars. 30,457
N umber of empty cars 20, 699
Total number of cars 51, 156
4
MILITARY RAILROADS OF THE UNITED STATES,
In March, 1S62, Major General McClellan instructed me to have a I^ie ex¬
amined for a railroad from Winchester, the terminus of the Harper's Ferry and
Winchester railroad, to Strasburg, a station of the Manassas Gap railroad in the
Shenandoah valley, and to make an estimate of the cost. This was completed
early in April, but the railroad was not built.
March 14, 1862, General McClellan instructed me to have five locomotives
and eighty cars loaded upon vessels in the harbor of Baltimore, and held subject
to his orders, with a view to using them in bis contemplated Peninsular cam¬
paign. They were purchased from northern railroad companies, loaded as
directed, and remained on the vessels until early in May, when they were sent
to White House, Virginia, and placed upon the Richmond and York River rail¬
road.
Another engine was added in June to the number, and all employed in trans¬
porting supplies between White House and four miles from Richmond. Upon
the withdrawal of the army of the Potomac to Harrison's Landing, June 28, all
the rolling stock was destroyed or damaged as far as practicable, to prevent it
from falling into the hands of the enemy.
Near the close of March, 1862, the Orange and Alexandria railroad was opened
to Manassas Junction, 26 miles from Alexandria, and in April to Warrenton
Junction, 39 miles. In August, after relaying six miles of track and bridging
Rappahannock river, the road was opened to Culpepper, 61 miles, which, at the
time, was the main depot of supplies for the army of Virginia. A few trains
were run to the Rapidau river, 80 miles. Upon the retreat of General Pope, in
the last days of August, the road was entirely abandoned, with the loss of seven
locomotives and 295 cars. In November it was re-opened for a few days to
Bealtoii, 46 miles, and to the town of Warrenton, to supply the army of the
Potomac on its march from Antietam to Fredericksburg.
The Manassas Gap railroad was opened early in April, 1862, to Strasburg,
sixty-one miles from Manassas and eighty-seven miles from Alexandria. It was
operated only a very short time to Strasburg, but continued in use to Front Royal,
fifty-one miles from Manassas, through May and part of June, when it was
abandoned. In November, 1862, trains were run over it to Front Royal for a
few days with supplies for General McClellan's army.
The Alexandria, Loudon, and Hampshire railroad was opened in the spring
of 1862, to Vienna, fifteen miles from Alexandria, and used for transporting
supplies to the fortifications south of Washington, and the camps along its
line. During the first two weeks of September it was the principal line of sup¬
ply for the army of the Potomac when encamped near Washington, after the
second battle of Bull Run, and previous to the Antietam campaign.
These four railroads comprise all that were operated as military lines from
Alexandria and Washington. They were subsequently used more or less at
various times, as will be mentioned hereafter, and continued to play an important
part in the operations of the army of the Potomac.
In April, 1862, the Richmond, Fredericksburg, and Potomac railroad was
opened from Aquia creek to Fredericksburg, fifteen miles, and operated to
supply the forces stationed at Fredericksburg. The road was abandoned Sep¬
tember 7, with the loss of one engine, fifty-seven cars, and a small quantity of
material. On the 18th of November, repairs were again commenced, and
the road was opened on the 28th to Falmouth, opposite Fredericksburg, and
was used to supply the ai-my of the Potomac until June, 1863. A very large
amount of work was required, not only to the railroad, but to tbe wharves
at Aquia creek, all of which had been burned when this line was abandoned by
our forces.
The limited accommodations for receiving and delivering freight and passen-
■" at Aquia rendered an increase of wharf-room and tracks necessary, and a
vharf, afterward named "Yuba Dam," was completed«in February, one
MILITARY RAILROADS OF THE UNITED STATES.
5
mile below tlie Aquia creek wharf, and the necessary tracks laid from the main
road to it. Vessels drawing ten and a half feet of water could land at the new
wharf at low tide, while there Avas only eight and a half feet at high water at
the old one.
This improvement proved to he a valuable acquisition to the means of sup¬
plying the army. The road continued to he used without interruption until
June, 1863, when it was abandoned with a small loss of material, but the
bridges, buildings, and wharves were soon afterwards burned by the enemy.
The eastern portion of the Norfolk and Petersburg railroad was taken in charge
July 22, 1862, and the gauge at once changed from five feet to four feet eight
and one half inches for forty-four miles. At Suffolk, twenty-three miles from
Norfolk, this line crosses the Seaboard and Roanoke railroad, running from
Portsmouth, opposite Norfolk A connecting track was laid between the two
roads in August, 1862, and these lines were afterwards operated together.
In May, 1863, about fifteen miles of track was taken up on the Norfolk and
Petersburg railroad west of Suffolk, by order of Major General Dix, and about
the same length on the Seaboard and Roanoke. The two roads were afterwards
operated to Suffolk until the close of the war, for local military purposes, and
were not identified with any of the great military operations or campaigns.
From July 22, 1862, to June 30, 1863, the transportation over them was as
follows :
Troops, 107,359 men; quartermaster's stores, 23,757 tons; subsistence stores,
9,043 tons; ordnance stores, 2,353 tons. Total stores, 35,153 tons.
In April, 1863, the Orange and Alexandria railroad was opened to Bealton,
and used a few days to supply a force on the Rappahannock. The portion
south of Bull Run was then abandoned, and about the 15th of June the Avhole
road outside the defences of Washington was evacuated. July 18, repairs
were recommenced and continued till the road was opened to Culpepper. Not
having been much damaged by the enemy, the amount of Avork necessary to put
it in running order was small. It Avas used until the first of October to supply
the army of General Meade after its return to Virginia from the Gettysburg
campaign.
Early in October it was again abandoned south of Bull Run, and was
thoroughly destroyed by the enemy from Manassas Junction nearly to Brandy
Station, about twenty-two miles. Repairs were commenced October 23, and
the damaged road opened October 30, to Warrenton Junction, eleven miles, and
to Culpepper November 16, to which point it was operated during the Avinter, and
until the final advance under Lieutenant Générai Grant, of the army of the
Potomac, May 4, 1864, when it Avas abandoned beyond Burke's Station, four¬
teen miles from Alexandria. Rappahannock river bridge, 625 feet long and 35
feet high, was rebuilt in nineteen working hours. The army of the Potomac
remained in winter quarters on the south side of the Rappahannock, and received
all its supplies for men and animals during the winter and spring over this single
track road.
The Manassas Gap railroad Avas reopened to White Plains, 23 miles from
Manassas, in August, 1863, and used for a few days to deliver supplies for Gen¬
eral Meade's army on the march from Gettysburg to Culpepper.
On the 2d day of July, 1863, military possession was taken of the Western
Maryland railroad from Baltimore to Westminster, in Maryland, 36 miles, which,
from its position, had become the line of supply for the army of General Meade
at Gettysburg. Sufficient locomotives, cars, fuel, supplies, and men to operate
it were brought from the military railroads of Virginia, the equipment belong¬
ing to the road itself being wholy inadequate. The road was restored to the
owners July 7, the army having moved of to the line the Baltimore and Ohio
railroad.
July 9, 1863, full military possession was taken of the railroad from Hanover
6
MILITAKY RAILROADS OF THE UNITED STATES.
Junction to Gettysburg, 30 miles, and it was operated as a military line until
August 1, to remove the wounded from the field of battle to distant hospitals.
During military occupation about 15,580 wounded men were transported over
it. The equipment and men for this work were likewise furnished from the mil¬
itary railroads of Virginia.
During the rebel occupation of central Pennsylvania, in June, all the bridges
were destroyed by them on the Northern Central railroad, between Hanover
Junction and Harrisburg, and several miles of track torn up on the Cumberland
Valley and Praiikliu railroads, between Harrisburg and Hagerstown,Maryland.
The Virginia military railroad construction corps rebuilt the bridges of the
Northern Central railroad. The materials for the same were furnished from the
government yard at Alexandria, Virginia. The railroad company afterwards
returned an equal quantity of material, the lumber amounting to 150,000 feet,
board measure. The same construction corps also relaid a portion of the dam¬
aged track of the Cumberland Valley and Franklin railroads.
As the war progressed, the nature, capacity and value of railroads were bet¬
ter understood on both sides, and more systematic and determined efforts were
made by the cueray against the lines used for transporting supplies to our
armies. The destruction of track and bridges was greater each subsequent
time the roads passed within their militar}' lines, and it became apparent that
extraordinary preparations must be made to meet it.
Early in 1863 a small construction corps was formed, consisting of about 300
men, which was the beginning of an organization afterwards numbering in the
east and west nearly 10,000. The design of the corps was to combine a body
of skilled workmen in each department of railroad construction and repairs,
under competent engineers, supplied with abundant materials, tools, mechanical
appliances, and transportation. They were formed into divisions, gangs, and
squads, in charge, respectively, of supervisors, foremen, and sub-foremen, furnished
with tents and field equipment. Storehouses were established at principal points,
with an ample stock of tools and materials.
With the opening of the campaign in Virginia in May, 1864, under Lieuten¬
ant General Grant, the Ale.xandria railroads ceased to bear any important part.
The Orange and Alexandria line was opened to Rappahannock river, 50 miles,
between September 28 and October 2, 1864, but at once abandoned back to
Manassas. It was operated to that station until November 10, when it was
abandoned back to Fairfax, 16 miles from Alexandria. It was operated for
that distance until the close of the war, and June 27, 1865, was surrendered to
the Board of Public Works of Virginia.
The Manassas Gap railroad was opened from Manassas to Piedmont, 34 miles,
between October 3 and 11, and operated until October 27, 1864. Between that
date and November 10 the rails were taken up between the above-named sta¬
tions and carried to Alexandria.
On the 9th ot May, 1864, repairs were again commenced on the railroad at
Aquia creek, and it was opened to Falmouth, 14 miles, May 17. Potomac
creek bridge, 7 miles from Aquia, 414 feet long and 82 feet high, was built
ready for trains to pass in 40 working hours. The road was operated until
May 22, principally for removing the wounded of the battles at Spottsylvania
Court House. On that day it was abandoned, and not afterward used as a mili¬
tary line.
The Richmond and York River railroad was opened about the first of June
from \Vhite House to Dispatch, 14 miles, and operated until June 10, when it
was finally abandoned, the track taken up by order of Lieutenant General Grant,
and the inaierials removed to Alexandria.
Rolling stock for the Aquia Greek and York River railroads was sent from
Alexandria, on barges prepared with tracks for the purpose, and taken away in
the same manner, without loss or injury, when the roads were abandoned.
MILITARY RAILROADS OF THE UNITED STATES.
7
Near the close of June, 1864, the City Point and Petersburg railroad was
occupied to Pitkin Station, 8 miles from City Point. Daring the fall and win¬
ter of 1864-'5, 18 miles of new railroad were built, passing around to the south
and southwest of the city of Petersburg, by which the armies of General Grant
were principally supplied.
The Richmond and Petersburg railroad was opened Aprd 4, 1865, from
Petersburg to the south hank of James river, opposite Richmond, 21 miles, and
was operated by this department until July 3, when it was turned over to the
Virginia Board of Public Works.
The Petersburg and Lynchburg railroad was repaired between April 4 and
11, to Burkesville, 62 miles from City Point, and used for a short time to sup¬
ply the armies of General Meade and the paroled soldiers of General Lee's army.
The gauge originally was five (5) feet, hut not having proper rolling stock at
hand, it was changed to four feet eight and one half inches. It was operated as
a military road until July 24, when it was turned over to the Board of Public
Works.
Shortly after the surrender of General Johnston's army, the Richmond and
Danville railroad was opened to Danville, 140 miles, and operated for military
purposes until July 4,1865, when it also was surrendered to the Board of Public
Works.
The Winchester and Potomac railroad was repaired from Harper's Ferry to
Halltown, 6 miles, between August 14 and 19, 1864, to Stevenson, 28 miles,
between November 2 and 24, and was used to supply the army of General Sheri¬
dan, operating in the valley of Virginia. The iron used in the reconstruction
of this line was principally that taken from the Manassas Gap railroad. The
bridges were all rebuilt. The road remained in charge of this department until
January 20, 1866, when it was restored to the railroad company.
The railroads in Virginia, Maryland, and Pennsylvania, used at any time
during the war as military lines, the terminal stations on each, while so used,
and number of miles operated, were as follows :
Names of Imes.
Terminal stations.
From-
To-
Alexandria and Washington
Alexandria, Loudon, and Hampshire
Orange and Alexandria
Warrenton Branch
Manassas Gap
Richmond, Fredericksburg, and Potomac...
Richmond and York River
Richmond and Petersburg
Clover Hill Branch
Richmond and Danville
South Side
Army Line and Branches
Norfolk and Petersburg
Seaboard and Roanoke
Winchester and Potomac
Western Maryland
Hanover Branch and Gettysburg
Total miles.
Alexandria
Alexandria
Alexandria
Warrenton Junction .
Aquia Creek
White House
Manchester
Clover Hill
Manchester
City Point
Pitkin, &c
Norfolk
Portsmouth
Harper's Ferry .. -.
Baltimore
Hanover Junction .
Washington
Vienna
Mitchell's
Warrenton
Strasburg
Fredericksburg.
Fair Oaks
Petersburg
Coal Mines
Danville
Burkesville
Humphrey, &c.
Blackwater. ...
Suffolk
Stevenson
Westminster
Gettysburg
The followiug tabular statements exhibit—
1st. The number of persons employed, the greatest number employed in any
one month of each j^ear, the average monthly number for the year, and amount
paid for their services.
2d. The number of locomotive engines, how procured, number added each
year, and final disposition made of them.
MILITARY RAILROADS OP THE UNITED STATES.
3d. The number of cars, &c.
4th. The length of bridges and tracks, built or rebuilt.
1. Number of persons employed, and amount paid for services.
Year ending—
Persons employed monthly.
Greatest number
in one month.
Average number
in one month.
Amount paid for
services.
June 30,1862
June 30,1863
June 30,1864
June 30,1865
Nine months ending March 31, 1866
Total
1,730
2,721
3,160
4,542
1,360
4,542
750
1,974
2,378
3,060
417
1,906
$345,743 50
777,628 31
1,277,968 34
2,296,145 73
162,475 07
4,850,960 95
2. Tjocomotive engines provided, and final disposition made of them.
Year.
Locomotives procured.
Locomotives disposed of.
Purchased.
Built.
Captured.
Total.
Lost or destr'd
in service or
in transit.
Sold.
Returned
to former
owners.
TotaL
For
cash.
To southern rail¬
roads, under
Ex. orders of
Aug. 8 and
Oct. 14.
1862
48
18
1
5
54
18
2
2
3
9
54
4
1863
3
9
51
4
1864
1865
3
1866
Total...
66
1
5
72
2
67
3
72
3. Cars proved,fd, and final disposition made of them.
Year.
Cars procured.
Cars disposed of.
Purchased.
Built.
Captured.
Total.
Lost or destr'd
in service or
in transit.
Sold.
Returned
to former
owners.
Total.
For
cash.
To southern rail¬
roads, under
Ex. orders of
Aug. 8 and
Oct. 14. •
1862
503
704
68
415
13
516
704
98
415
458
15
57
20
458
25
183
1,029
38
1863
10
126
958
38
1864
30
38
13
866
Total. -.
1,690
30
13
1,733
550
1,132
38
13
1,733
In addition to the rolling stock belonging to the department, in cases of emer¬
gency, the railroads north of Washington were freely drawn upon for a supply,
narticularly in the early part of the war.
MILITARY RAILROADS OF THE UNITED STATES.
9
4. The length of bridges and trach built or rebuilt.
The total length of bridges built and rebuilt upon the Virginia railroads, in¬
cluding those rebuilt in 18Ô.3 in Maryland and Pennsylvania, was as follows:
Trestle or temporary bridges, 33,336 lineal feet ; truss or permanent bridges,
1,595 lineal feet. Total, 34,931 lineal feet, or 6 miles and 3,251 feet.
The total length of track laid upon the same railroads was 177 miles and
2,961 feet. During the war, and after its close, 128 miles and 5,163 feet was
taken up.
The following is a list of the principal officers of military railroads of Virginia
during the war :
1862.
Superintendent of railroads running from Alexandria.
Engineer of repairs of railroads running from Alexandria.
Engineer of repairs of railroads running from Alexandria.
Engineer of repairs of railroads running from Alexandria.
Engineer and superintendent of Aquia Creek railroad.
Engineer and superintendent of Richmond and York River
railroad.
Engineer and superintendent of Norfolk railroads.
1863.
Superintendent of Alexandria railroads.
Engineer of repairs of Alexandria railroads.
Engineer and superintendent of Aquia Creek railroad.
Engineer and superintendent of Norfolk railroads.
Chief engineer military railroads of Virginia.
Construction engineer military railroads of Virginia.
1864.
Chief engineer and general superintendent of military rail¬
roads of Virginia to November 1.
Chief engineer and general superintendent of military rail¬
roads of Virginia after November 1.
, Superintendent of Alexandria railroads to October 10.
Superintendent of Alexandria railroads after October 10.
Superintendent of Norfolk railroads to October 10.
Superintendent of Norfolk railroads after October 10.
Superintendent of City Point railroad.
Engineer of repairs of City Point railroad.
Superintendent Harper's Eerry railroad (Winchester and
Potomac.)
1865.
J. J. Moore Chief engineer and general superintendent of military rail¬
roads of Virginia.
P. McCallum Superintendent of Alexandria railroads to March 10.
W. H. McCafferty ..Superintendent of Alexandria railroads after March 10.-
G. M. Huntingdon . .Superintendent of City Point railroad.
C. L. McAlpine Engineer of City Point railroad to May 1.
T. D. Hays Engineer of City Point railroad after May 1.
H. F. Woodward .. .Superintendent of Norfolk railroads to March 1.
J. H. Devereux
E. L. Wentz..
J. J. Moore
A. Anderson..
W. W. Wright
E. L. VVentz..
E. L. Wentz ..
J. H. Devereux
J. J. Moore
W. W. Wright
E. L. Wentz..
A. Anderson..
J. B. Clough..
E. L. Wentz
J. J. Moore
M. J. McCrickett....
P. McCallum
P. McCallum
H. F. Woodward —
G. M. Huntingdon..
C. L. McAlpine
J. G. Beggs
10
MILITARY RAILROADS OF THE UNITED STATES.
P. B,. Tompkins .... Superintendent of Norfolk railroads after March 1.
O. H. Dorrance Superintendent of Harper's Ferry railroad to April 20.
D. T. Shaw . .Superintendentof Harper's Ferry railroad after April 20.
0. H. Dorrance Superintendent of Richmond and Danville railroad.
MILITARY RAILROADS OF THE SOUTHWEST.
In obedience to War Department Special Order No. 562, dated December 19,
1863, paragraph 33, I proceeded to Tennessee and examined the condition of
the railroad lines operated to supply the armies then encamped in the vicinity
of Chattanooga, and submitted the following report :
Chattanooga, January 19, 1864.
Sir: I am instructed by Major General Ilallcck to report the present condition of affairs
connected with the United States military railroad service in the department of the Cumber¬
land, and in doing so, I beg to state that while the duty is an unpleasant one, the interest of
the service and my personal reputation demand a plain statement of the case.
By order of General M. C. Meigs, Quartermaster General, a large number of men were
engaged and forwarded with tools and equipments to Nashville, Tennessee, there to report
for duty. Having myself been ordered to report to Genera] Meigs at Chattanooga, I called
upon Mr. J. B. Anderson, general manager, &c., Nashville, Tennessee, and informed him
that I had been ordered to aid him in repairing the railroad between Bridgeport and Chatta¬
nooga.
This I at once proceeded to do. When this duty was completed, presuming that the whole
force would then be put upon the whole line between Nashville and Chattanooga, it was ten¬
dered to Mr. Anderson, but for some reasons to me unknown, he declined to adopt this
course ; it was therefore ordered by Major General Thomas, with the concurrence of Mr. An¬
derson, that the force be taken from the Nashville and Chattanooga line and put upon the
repairs of the road between Chattanooga and Knoxville, Mr. Anderson taking the whole re¬
sponsibility of repairs of the road in use, and to make such requisitions for men and tools as
might be in my power to meet.
The road between Nashville and Chattanooga is still in bad condition, and, in my opinion, no
energetic means have been taken to put it in repair ; the iron and cross-ties on the McMinnville
and Trenton branches are to be taken up, and used in repairing the main lines, but as yet, as
far as my knowledge extends, no movements of that sort have been made ; and altbough the
trains are run only at the rate of eight miles per hour between Nashville and Chattanooga,
accidents are frequent. In my opinion it will be true economy to relay the whole line with
new rails as soon as the latter can be procured.
I would recommend that the rolling-mill partially constructed by the rebels at this place
be completed as soon as possible, for the purpose of re-rolling the wom-out rails, coal being
contiguous and abundant. This would not only be economy, but would enable the govern¬
ment to have rails on hand for any probable contingency. The cost of re-rolling the old
iron would not be greater per ton than the expense of transporting new rails from the sea¬
board to this point, thus saving the original cost of the iron, besides the great advantage of
having the rails on hand when and where required. It is reasonable to assume that the
railroads south of this are badly worn out, which furnishes an additional argument in favor
of the rolling-mill. I am informed that this point will be used as an important base of sup¬
plies ; this will cause a large amount of rolling stock to centre here, requiring the necessary
shops and machinery for repairs. I cannot discover that measures have been taken to meet
this want. The shops at Nashville are very deficient, and immediate means should be taken
to increase the facilities there.
When the Northwestern railroad and the line from Chattanooga to Knoxville are com¬
pleted, the following lines will be in operation :
Miles.
Northwestern railroad, from Nashr-ille to the Tennessee river 72
Nashville to Chattanooga 151
Nashville to Stevenson, nia Decatur 185
Chattanooga to Knoxville Ill
Whole distance 519
To work these linos I am informed there are on hand, or will be soon, seventy (70) loco¬
motives and six hundred (600) freight cars. This supply is entirely inadequate. I may say
here that on certain emergencies we have had in use between Washington and Culpepper
sixty (60) locomotives and eight hundred (800) cars—a distance of seventy miles. It is true
this was an extreme case, but one not unlikely to occur on all military railroads. The rail-
MILITARY RAILROADS OF THE UNITED STATES.
11
road from Aquia creek to Falraoutli, distance fourteen (14) miles, required at times four¬
teen locomotives and one hundred and sixty-five (165) cars.
The ordinary supply of rolling stock in use upon the various railroads in this country will
average one (1) locomotive and (13) freight cars to every two miles in length of road in use,
and on many lines the supply is even greater.
Thus, according to the ahove statement, the seventy locomotives will be barely sufficient
to stock one hundred and forty (140) miles, and six hundred cars sufficient only to stock
one hundred (100) miles of railroad; add to this the liability of destruction by raids, and the
necessity of being prepared, if possible, for sudden and rapid movements, it is apparent that
with the present equipment no advance of the army can be made, if I am correct in assuming
that it must depend upon railroads for supplies. There should be on hand in this department
not less than two hundred (200) locomotives and three thousand (3,000) cars, which should
be added to as the army advances southward from Chattanooga.
I regret to ho compelled to report the railroad organization of this department as decidedly
defective, and, as far as I have been able to discover, there is a lack of well-directed energy
and seeming want ot ability to comprehend the magnitude of the undertaking. The experi¬
ment of supplying an anny over a long line of raikoad through an enemy's country is yet to
be tested.
The most perfect organization and the best practical talent in the country will be indis¬
pensable to success. A construction corps of at least one thousand (1,000) men, under a
competent head, with a full supply of tools and materials, will be as essential as the perma¬
nency of the roadway. 'Ihe line should be worked in divisions of proper length, each
division put in charge of an experienced officer directly responsible to the head of the
operating department, with such a system of reports by telegraph and otherwise as will at
once detect delinquencies, and as will insure perfect discipline and full co-operation through¬
out.
In conclusion, permit mo to s.ay that I have thus briefly given my views in the case,
which nothing hut a plain sense of duty to the War Department and the service could have
induced me to do.
I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient serv.ant,
D. C. McCALLUM, Colonel, A. D. C.
Hon. E. M. Stanton, Secretary of War.
The following order was received on the 4th of February, 1864 :
[General Orders No. 3.]
Headquarters Military Division of the Mississippi,
Nashville, Tennessee, Tebruary i, 1664.
By authority of the Secretary of War, Colonel D. C. McCallum, aide-dé-camp United
States army, is hereby appointed general manager of all railways in possession of the gov¬
ernment, or that may from time to time be taken possession of by military authority in the
departments of the Cumberland, the Ohio, the Tennessee, and of Arkansas, with all the
powers and authonties conferred and duties imposed upon and invested in John B. Ander¬
son, as general manager of said railways, by special order of the Secretary of War, of date
War Department, Louisville, Kentucky, October 19, 1863, (as modified by paragraph four.
General Orders No. 13, from these headquarters,) and will at once enter upon the discharge
of the duties of general manager of railways, as aforesaid.
John B. Anderson is hereby relieved from duty as general manager of said railways, and
from all connexion with the same, and will turn over to said Colonel McCallum all property,
moneys, contracts, and papers, of every kind and description, belonging to government, or
in anywise appertaining to or concerning said railways.
By order of Major General U. S. Grant:
T. S. BOWERS, Assistant Adjutant General.
Upon assuming the duties thus imposed, I found most inadequate means to
accomplish the purposes for which the railroads had been opened. The main
army was at Chattanooga and its vicinity, and all its supplies for men and food
for its animals were received from Nashville, one hundred and fifty-one miles
distant, over the Nashville and Chattanooga railroad.
This road was necessarily the main line of supply during the subsequent cam¬
paigns from Chattanooga toward Atlanta, and from Knoxville toward southwest¬
ern Virginia, and at this time was in the worst condition. The track was laid
originally on an unballasted mud-road bed in a very imperfect manner, w/th a
light U-rail on wooden stringers, which were badly decayed and caused almost
12
MILITARY RAILROADS OF THE UNITED STATICS.
daily accidents by spreading apart and letting the engines and cars drop
between them. The total length of the roads in use was as follows:
Nashville to Chattanooga 151 miles.
Nashville (south) to Darks's mill 39 "
Stevenson to Huntsville 60 "
Chattanooga to Charleston 42 "
Total 292 "
Upon examination it was found there was on the above roads the following
rolling stock :
47 United States military railroad locomotives that could be made
available.
3 locomotives borrowed from Louisville and Nashville railroad.
Total, 50 locomotives, of which eleven (II) were disabled and in the shop for
=; repairs, leaving fit for service thirty-nine (39.)
437 United States military railroad freight cars.
About 100 cars borrowed from Louisville and Nashville railroad.
Total, 537 cars, of which four hundred (400) were in running order, the remainder
= being disabled.
My attention was first directed to the most efficient organization of the men
employed. Two distinct departments were projected ; the " transportation de¬
partment," embracing the operation and maintenance of all the lines in use, and
the "construction corps," for the reconstruction of the railroads which might
fall into our hands as the army advanced.
The following orders and instructions were is.sued to the princijral officers in
charge of these respective organizations :
[General Orders No. 1.]
Oi'Kicn of Gexeral M.\n.\or:r MrLiT.\ry Raiero.xds U. S.,
Xashvillc, Fehruarij 10, lc04.
A. Anderson is Lereby appointed general superintendent of transportation and maintenance
of roads in use, and W. W. Wright, chief engineer of constraction in the military division of
the Mississippi. The3- will ho respected accordingly.
D. C. McCALLUM,
Colonel U. S. Army, General Manager Railroads U. S.
Approved :
U. 8. GRANT, Major General.
Office of General Manaoer Military Railroads U. S.,
Xashrille, Tennessee, February 11, 1864.
Sir: You are herehy appointed general superintendent of transportation on United States
military railroads in the military division of the Mississippi.
Your duties will he confined to the management of transportation on all railroads in use in
this military division, together with all necessary repairs of the same.
You will have, with the approval of general manager, full authority to engage the services
of all persons, for whose acts you are held responsible, and will have full power to dismiss
any subordinate when, in your judgment, the interest of the service will he promoted thereby.
You will also, with the approval of the general manager, have authority to establish rates
of compensation of all persons serving under you.
You will, at an early day, present to the general manager, for his approval, a plan of the
organization of your department.
You will have authority to make requisitions for supplies upon the assistant quartermaster
detailed to service on military railroads in the military division of the Mississippi.
MILITARY RAILROADS OF THE UNITED STATES.
13
You have power to mako requisitions for men anil materials, or both, upon the chief engi¬
neer in charge of construction in this division, when, in your opinion, the emergency calls
for such assistance.
_ As the duties of the general manager will occasionally cause his absence from this military
division, you will at such times, and in order to insure prompt action, obey any order ema¬
nating from the general-in-chief of this military division, or generals in command of the de¬
partments of the Cumberland, the Ohio, and the Tennessee, in all matters appertaining to the
branch of duties in your charge.
Very respectfully, your obedient soiwant,
D. C, McCALLUM,
Colonel C. S. Army, Military Director anil General Manager Railroads U. S.
A. Anderson, Esq.
Office of General Manager Military Railroads U. S.,
Nashville, Tennessee, February 11, 1864.
Sir ; You are hereby appointed chief engineer of United States military railroads in the
military division of the Mississippi.
Your duties will be confined more especially to the reconstruction and opening of new lines
of railroad. For this purpose you will have the entire charge of the construction corps. You
will have authority, with the approval of the general manager, to engage all persons, for
whose acts you are held responsible, and will have full power to dismiss any person employed
under you, when, in your judgment, the interest of the service will be promoted thereby.
You will, with the approval of the general manager, have power to establish rates of com¬
pensation of your subordinates, and will, at an early day, report to the general manager for
his approval a plan of organization of all the forces in your charge.
You will have authority to make requisitions for supplies, tools, &c., upon the assistant quar¬
termaster detailed to special duty in the military division of the Mississippi, and located at
Nashville.
It will also be your duty to honor requisitions made 'upon you for men and materials, by
the general superintendent of United States military railroads in the military division of the
Mississippi for the purpose of repairs of lines in use, but you will in no case withdraw your
forces for said repairs without the consent and approval of the general in command of the de¬
partment where your forces may be located, or the general-in-ehief of this military division.
In order to ensure prompt action, you will, in the absence of the general manager, obey the
orders of the general-iu-chief of this military division, or the generals in command of the de¬
partments of the Cumberland, the Ohio, and the Tennessee.
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
D. C. McCALLUM,
Colonel V. S. Army. Military Director and General Manager Railroads U. S.
W. W. Wright, Esq.
The transportation department embraced the following divisions or sub-
departments :
1. Conducting transportation or managing the movements of trains.
2. Maintenance of road and structures, or keeping the roadway, bridges,
buildings and other structures in repair, building new structures, rebuilding old
ones when and where necessary.
3. Maintenance of rolling stock, keeping in order the locomotives and cars,
and managing the shops where such work was done.
For conducting transportation, each principal line was operated by a super¬
intendent of transportation, who was held responsible for the movement of all
trains and engines over it.
Subordinate to the superintendent were one or more masters of transportation,
according to distance operated, who were constantly moving over the road to
see that the employes attended properly to their duties while out with their
trains. At principal stations where locomotives were changed or kept in reserve,
an engine despatcher was stationed to see that the locomotives were in good
order for service, that they were properly repaired and cleaned when at the station,
to supervise and control the engineers and firemen, and to assign the requisite
crews to engines.
Maintenance of road and structures for each line was in charge of a superin¬
tendent of repairs, with the necessary supervisors, road-masters, foremen, &c.
14
MILITARY RAILROADS OP THE UNITED STATES.
Maintenance of rolling stock was in charge respectively of the master ma¬
chinist, who managed repairs of locomotives, and the master of car repairs,
under whose charge all repairs to cars were made.
The above officers were independent of each other and reported directly to
the general superintendent.
The maximum force employed at any one time in the transportation depart¬
ment of the military division of the Mississippi was about twelve thousand men.
Allusion has already been made, in reviewing the Virginia railroads, to the
circumstances under wliich the first construction corps originated. In the present
case it was found to require a much broader development than it had previously
received at the east, in order to insure beyond contingency the prompt rebuild¬
ing, in the shortest possible time of any length of road that might pass into our
hands.
The construction corps of the military division of the Mississippi was organ¬
ized in six divisions under the general charge of the chief engineer, and at its
maximum strength numbered nearly five thousand men.
To give the corps entire mobility, enable it to move independently, and per¬
form work at the same time at widely different points, each division was made
a complete whole in itself, and equipped with tools, camp equipage, and field
transportation, in order that the whole or any part of the same might be moved
at once in any direction where ordered, and by any mode of conveyance, by
rail, with teams and wagons, or on foot.
The following is the organization of one division of the construction corps.
United States military railroads, as it existed in the military division of the
Mississippi.
The number of divisions was Increased or diminished to suit the requirements
of military movements.
Each division was under the command of a division engineer, and was divided
into subdivisions or sections. Each subdivision was under the immediate com¬
mand of a supervisor. The two largest and most important subdivisions in a
division were the track-layers and bridge-builders. A subdivision was com¬
posed of gangs, each under a foreman. Gangs were subdivided into squads,
each under a sub-foreman.
A division completely organized was composed of the following-named officers
and number of men :
No. of men.
Division engineer 1
Assistant engineer 1
Rodman 1
Clerk 1
Messengers 2
6
Subdivision No. 1.
Supervisor of bridges and carpenter work
Clerk and time-keeper 1
Commissary 1
Quartermaster 1
Surgeon 1
Hospital steward 1
Foremen (one for each 50 men) 6
Sub-foremen (one for each 10 men) 30
Mechanics and laborers 300
Blacksmith and helper 2
Cooks 12
356
MILITARY RAILROADS OF THE UNITED STATES.
15
Subdivision No. 2.
Supervisor of track
Clerk and time-keeper
Commissary
Quartermaster
Surgeon
Hospital steward
Foremen (one for eacli 50 men) G
Sub-foremen (one for each 10 men) 30
Mechanics and laborers 300
Blacksmith and helper 2
Cooks 12
356
Subdivision No. 3.
Supervisor of water stations 1
Foreman 1
Mechanics and laborers 12
Cook 1
15
Subdivision No. 4.
Supervisor of masonry 1
Foreman 1
Masons and helpers 10
Cook 1
Subdivision No. 5.
Foreman of ox brigade 1
Ox drivers IS
Cook 1
13
20
Train crew.
Conductors 2
Brakemen 4
Locomotive engineers 2
Firemen 2
Cook 1
11
Total 777
The commissaries had charge of drawing, caring for, and issuing rations.
The quartermaster had charge of tools, camp equipage, &c.
Each foreman was responsible for the tools and other government property
issued to his gang.
Each supervisor reported the time made by the men in his subdivision,
through his division engineer, to the chief time-keeper, who was stationed at the
headquarters of the chief engineer.
The surgeons were appointed by the chief engineer, and were paid out of a
private fund voluntarily contributed by the men for hospital purposes.
Sub-foremen were appointed by the foremen, subject to the approval of the
division engineer. Foremen were appointed by the division engineer, subject to
the approval of the chief engineer.
Division and assistant engineers were appointed by the chief engineer, subject
to the approval of the general manager.
After completing the organization of the working forces my attention was
16
MILITARY RAILROADS OF THE UNITED STATES.
next directed to providing an adequate supply of locomotives and cars, with the
necessary shops, tools, and materials to keep them in working order. In my
report of January 19, 1864, I had estimated the rolling stock necessary for the
business anticipated on the lines that would probably be operated from Nashville
at 200 locomotives and 3,000 cars, while only 47 available locomotives and 437
cars were on hand. From the imperative necessity of providing the additional
equipment at the earliest possible time, the following order was given by the
Hon. Secretary of War to the locomotive manufacturers of the country :
War Department,
Washington City, March 23, 1864.
Gentlemen: Colonel Daniel C. McCallum, general manager of government railways in
the Department of the Cumberland, of the Ohio, and of the Tennessee, has been authorized by
this Department to procure locomotives without delay for the railways under his charge.
In order to meet the wants of the military departments of the government you will deliver
to his order such engines as he may direct, whether building under orders for other parties,
or otherwise, the government being accountable to you for the same. The urgent necessity
of the government for the immediate supply of our armies operating in Tennessee renders the
engines indispensable for the equipment of the lines of communication, and it is hoped that
this necessity will be recognized by you as a military necessity, paramount to all other
considerations.
By order of the President :
EDWIN M. STANTON, Secretary of War.
It is proper and just to state that the requisitions of this order were met by
all in a spirit of zealous patriotism. The manufacturers at once placed all their
available force at work upon the engines and cars ordered, which were completed
and delivered in an unprecedented short time.
The following table shows the rate of delivery at Nashville of engines and
cars from the manufacturers :
I
Received.
Months.
1864.
-Febmary
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
Locomotives. Cars.
1.1
7
10
23
24
26
158
183
334
244
132
182
267
231
Months.
October .
November.
December.
1864.
January.
February.
March
April
May
1865.
Total.
Received.
Locomotives. Cars,
19
1
1
140
195
132
101
85
85
78
100
66
2, STJ
Notwithstanding the large additions made to the rolling stock in February,
March, and April, it was still inadequate to supply the wants of the service, and
it was necessary to use extraordinary measures to increase it. The gauge of
the Tennessee railroads being five feet, and only the roads in Kentucky having
a corresponding gauge, they were the only source from which rolling stock
could be obtained, and their engines and cars were temporarily impressed into
the government service, and sent south of Nashville.
The following number of engines and cars were thus obtained, and used
through May aud during parts of April and June :
Engines. Cars.
Louisville and Nashville railroad 17 120
Louisville and Lexington railroad 2 15
Kentucky Central railroad 2 60
Total 21 195
MILITARY RAILROADS OF THE UNITED STATES. 17
The fifteen cars belonging to Louisville and Lexington railroad, and the sixty
cars of the Kentucky Central railroad, were subsequently purchased by the
government.
To maintain the locomotives and cars in good working order extensive ma¬
chine and car shops were built at Nashville and Chattanooga. These shops
were supplied with machinery partly seized or purchased in the country, and
partly obtained from northern manufacturers.
The shops at Nashville particularly were on a large scale, as at times one
hundred engines and more than one thousand cars were there at once, it being
the main terminal station of five hundred miles of road running from it east,
south, and west. Extensive storehouses also were built at Nashville and Chatta¬
nooga, and kept supplied with all necessary materials to rebuild or repair track,
bridges, buildings, engines, or cars to any reasonable extent.
Tlie general intention was to make these two cities the great centres toward
which all operations should converge ; where supplies of all kinds could be ob¬
tained in case the roads were cut in their rear ; where repairs of any kind or to
any extent could be made, and in case communication was destroyed between
them, operations could be conducted from either with facility in any direction.
The following tabular statement exhibits the development of these lines during
the five months from February 4, to June 30 ;
II
UNITED STATES MILITARY RAILROADS, MILITARY DIVISION OF THE MISSISSIPPI.
Statement of lines operated from February 4, 1864, to June 30, 1864.
GO
Name of line.
In use February 4, 1864.
From—
To—
MileB.
In use June 30, 1864.
From—
In use at any time from February 4, 1864, to
June 30, 1864.
From—
To—
Kashville and Chattanooga
Shelbyville Branch
McMinnviJle and Manchester
Nashville, Decatur, and Stevenson.
Do do
Mt. Pleasant Branch
Nashville and North Western ......
Chattanooga and Knoxville
Knox ville and Bristol
Chattanooga and Atlanta
Cleveland and Dalton
Rome Branch
Louisville City
Nashville.
Chattanooga.
Nashville..
Stevenson-
Dark's Mills.
Huntsville —
39
60
Nashville.
Nashville.,
Chattanooga.
Stevenson.
200
Nashville
Wartrace...
Tullahoma .
Nashville...
Chattanooga..
Charleston .
42
Nashville....
Chattanooga.
Tennessee River...
Knoxville
78
112
Chattanooga-..
Cleveland
Kingston
River Landing.
Big Shanty
Dalton
Rome
L. &. N. R. R. Depot.
Total.
292
1Ü7
27
17
2
694
Chattanooga.
Shelbyville..
McMiunville.
Stevenson...
Columbia
Nashville
Chattanooga—
Knoxville
Chattanooga.. -
Cleveland
Kingston
River Landing.
Mt. Pleasant
Tennessee River...
Knoxville
Bull's Gap
Big Shanty
Dalton
Rome
L. &.N. R. R. Depot.
d
!z!
Hi
t?1
Ö
xn
H
>
H
t?1
OS
MILITARY RAILROADS OF THE UNITED STATES.
19
Besides the lines mentioned above, the Memphis and Charleston railroad was
opened from Memphis to Grand Junction, fifty-two miles, and the Mobile and
Ohio railroad had been used from Columbus to Union City, twenty-six miles.
The operations in Western Tennessee and Kentucky and in North Mississippi
were distinct and separate from those at Nashville, and although under the con¬
trol of the general superintendent at the latter point, they required and received
very little attention as compared with the lines leading to the front.
The Nashville and Chattanooga railroad, 151 miles, was the great main line,
over which passed all the supplies for the armies of the Cumberland, the Ohio,
and the Tennessee, through the campaigns which terminated with the occupation
of Atlanta. Over this single line of railroad the provisions, clothing, and camp
equipage for the men, forage for animals, arms, ammunition, and ordnance stores,
re-enforcements, and all the varied miscellaneous supplies required for a great
army engaged in an active campaign, were sent to the front, and by it ^ere re¬
turned the sick, wounded, disabled and discharged soldiers, refugees and freed-
men, captured prisoners, and materials deemed advisable to send to the rear.
Portions of the road had been in use for military purposes since April, 1862,
but I have not in my possession any data of the operations of this or any other
military line of the southwest prior to February, 1864.
About 115 miles of track were relaid with new iron, .cross-ties, and ballast,
from February, 1864, to the close of the war. Sidings were put in at intervals,
to be not more than eight mile.'' apart, each capable of holding five to eight long
freight trains, and telegraph stations were established at most of them. In all,
nineteen miles of new sidings were added to this road, and forty-five new water-
tanks erected.
During the spring and summer of 1864 a few occasional guerilla raids were
made upon it, but they caused little damage to property or detention to trans¬
portation. About September 1, 1864, the rebel General Wheeler destroyed
seven miles of the road between Nashville and Murfreesboro'. In December
General Hood destroyed seven and three-fourths miles of track, and five hun¬
dred and thirty feet of bridges between the same stations. In both cases the
road was promptly repaired, and trains were running in a few days.
The road was turned over to the company September 15, 1865.
The next railroad in importance for military purposes was the Western and
Atlantic, from Chattanooga to Atlanta, 136 miles. It was opened to Ringgold,
Georgia, twenty-one miles from Chattanooga, in March, 1864. Early in May
the work of reconstruction was commenced south from Ringgold, and kept pace
with the movements of Sherman's army. The line was opened through to
Atlanta in August, 1864, immediately after the evacuation of the town by the
rebel army. In the reconstruction of this road 22J miles of track and 4,081
lineal feet of bridges were rebuilt.
The most important single structure was Chattahoochee bridge, 780 feet long,
and 92 feet high, which was completed by the construction corps in four and a
half days. While occupied as a military road, this was more infested by guerillas
than any other during the war. Every device possible to apply was used to
throw trains from the track, and though occasionally successful, the preparations
to guard against such attempts were so complete that few of them caused loss of
life, or more than a few hours' detention.
Early in October, 1864, General Hood passed around General Sherman's
army, and fell upon the railroad at several points in its rear. He destroyed 35^
miles of track, and 455 lineal feet of bridges ; but in thirteen days after he left
the line it was repaired, and trains were run over its entire length. Twenty-five
miles of the track and 230 feet of bridges in one stretch between Tunnel Hill
and Resaca were reconstructed in 7J days. This was accomplished by working
from each end of the break, and at the same time working both ways from Dal-
20
MILITARY RAILROADS OF THE UNITED STATES.
ton, wliich was reached by trains with material by way of Cleveland after re¬
laying I¿ miles of track.
When General Sherman commenced his march to Savannah, in November, the
road between Atlanta Eliid Dalton, 100 miles, was abandoned. The track from
Atlanta to Etowah river, 46 miles, was torn up and destroyed, and from Resaca
to Dalton, 16 miles, the rails were taken up and carried to Chattanooga.
By order of Major General Thomas the road from Dalton to Atlanta was re¬
constructed, and between May 10 and July 4, 1865, 66 miles of track were
laid, 36 miles repaired, and 3,553 lineal feet of bridges rebuilt.
On the 25th day of September, 1865, it was turned over to the State of
Georgia, to whom it originally belonged.
The East Tennessee and Georgia railroad from Chattanooga to Knoxville, 112
miles, was opened through in May, 1864, upon completion of Tennessee river
bridge at Loudon. It had been used for three months previous by transshipping
stores and passengers across the river in flatboats. It was operated with great
regularity during the entire military occupation of that region, except in August
and September, 1864, when General Wheeler tore up twenty-five miles of track.
It was speedily repaired, and not molested afterward.
The Dalton branch, from Cleveland to Dalton, 27 miles, was operated in con¬
nexion with the main line, and was of great service on several occasions.
On the 28th day of August, 1865, the road and branch was restored to the
company.
The East Tennessee and Virginia railroad from Knoxville to Bristol was used
and abandoned for short distances near Knoxville during 1864. The fai-thest
point reached during the year was Bull's Gap, 56 miles from Knoxville.
By order of Major General Thomas repairs were commenced near Knoxville,
March 4, 1865, and the road opened to Carter's' Station, 110 miles, April 23.
Between those dates 12 miles of track were rebuilt, 94 miles repaired, and 4,400
lineal feet of bridges constructed.
It was turned over to the company August 28, 1865.
NasJi ville, Decatur, and Stevenson line, 200 miles.—This is formed of the
Nashville and Decatur railroad, 120 miles from Nashville south to Decatur, on
Tennessee river, together with the eastern portion of the Memphis and Charles¬
ton railroad from Decatur to Stevenson, 80 miles. Stevenson is at the junction
of the latter railroad, and the Nashville and Chattanooga being 113 miles distant
from Nashville Although the distance via Decatur is 87 miles greater than by
the direct road, such was the pressure for transportation it was necessary to
send return trains by that route from the front until the capacity of the Nash¬
ville and Chaltanooga line was sufficiently increased to accommodate the business.
In June, 1864, all through trains »were transferred to the main line.
The Nashville, Decatur, and Stevenson road was used for loeal purposes
during the summer of 1864. About the 1st of September General Wheeler tore
up several miles of the track between Nashville and Columbia, and late in Sep¬
tember General Forrest destroyed several bridges, and tore up a portion of the
track between Athens and Pulaski. The whole length of track destroyed in the
two raids was 29J miles. That between Nashville and Columbia was at once
repaired, but between Pulaski and Athens it was not rebuilt until February, 1865.
During Hood's Nashville campaign, in November and December, 1864, all the
bridges then standing between Nashville and Decatur Avere destroyed, with six
miles of track. The work of reconstrnction was commenced December 19, three
days after the battle of Nashville, and completed to Pulaski February 10, 1865.
In addition to relaying the track, 1,055 lineal feet of bridges were built, con¬
suming 1,045,675 feet timber, board measure.
Near the close of February, and again in March, most of these bridges were
swept away by extraordinary floods, and were rebuilt, some of them twice, and
MILITARY RAILROADS OP THE UNITED STATES.
21
many of them three times, and they were finally replaced by permanent truss
bridges.
The road from Stevenson to Decatur was restored to the company September
12, and between Nashville and Decatur September 15, 1865.
Nashville and Northwestern, 78 miles.—At the beginning of the war this road
had been completed to Kingston Springs, 25 miles from Nashville, and some
■york had been done upon it thence to Tennessee river.
It remained in this condition until after the following oyder was issued :
[Special Older.]
War Department,
Louismllc, Kentucky, October 22, 1863.
Ordered: 1. That the construction of the Northwestern raiiroad from Nashville to the
Tenne.ssee river, at Reynoldsburg, as a military railroad, for the transportation of troops,
army supplies, and for other military purposes, be placed in charge of Andrew Johnson,
military governor of Tennessee, with full power to procure material, to employ a competent
engineer, and other officers, agents, and workmen necessary to complete said line of railroad
■without delay. All officers, agents, and workmen, and contracts for materials necessary to
the construction of said road, shall be under his general direction and control, subject to the
approval of the Quartermaster General.
2. Oflicers of the quartermaster's department shall be designated by the Quartermaster
General to draw rations and provide supplies for the forces engaged upon the work, and the
expenses incurred from time to time under this order when properly certified by the engineer
in charge of the work, and by Andrew Johnson, military governor of Tennessee.
3. Chief oflScers of commissary department at Nashville will furnish such rations and sup¬
plies for the forces engaged in constructing the Northwestern railroad as may be necessary
upon requisitions from the quartermaster referred to in this order.
4. The general manager of the military railways will provide, upon the requisition of An
drew Johnson, military governor of Tennessee, such engines and cars, (so far as it may be
consistent with the transportation of army supplies.) for construction purposes, as may be
necessary, and also to move fuel and other supplies to Nashville for the government, and such
other purposes, and on such terms as may be approved by the Quartermaster General.
5. As soon as the line is connected through between Nashville and Reynoldsburg it shall
be turned over to the general manager of government railways as a military road, and be used
for military purposes in the same manner as other railroads in the possession of the govern¬
ment are, or may be, hereafter operated under orders of the government as military lines.
6. Major General Grant will furnish such military forces as may be necessary for the pro¬
tection of the road and the working parties engaged thereon.
EDWIN M. STANTON.
Secretary of War.
On the 17t,h day of February, 1864, the supervision of the work of construc¬
tion was placed in my charge by order of Major General Grant. (Special
Order 43, headquarters military division of the Mississippi, 1864.)
The road was connected through between Nashville and Tenndfesee river on
the tenth day of May, 1865. On the 9tli of August it was turned over to this
Department to be operated as a military line, by an order of Major General
Sherman, issued by the authority of the President of the United States. At
the terminus on Tennessee river, named Johnsonville, Extensive arrangements
were made to receive and transfer freight from steamboats to cars. Ample
buildings and platforms were erected, and powerful hoisting machinery intro¬
duced. During the months of August, September, and October, the season of
low water in the Cumberland river, large quantities of supplies for the army
were received and shipped over this road. It was very much exposed to
attacks from guerillas, who at times inflicted considerable damage, and inter¬
fered with its operation. On the 4th of November General Forrest planted
batteries on the west bank of Tennessee river, and succeeded in destroying all
the valuable buildings at Johnsonville, with their contents. On the 30th of
November the road was entirely abandoned, and tbe movable property on it
taken to Nashville. Duripg General Hood's occupation of the country, from
December 1 to 16th, all the bridges were destroyed. Repairs were commenced
January 2, and the road completed through, February 13. Two thousand two
22
MILITARY RAILROADS OF THE UNITED STATES.
hundred lineal feet of bridges were rebuilt. In February, March, and April
most of these bridges were swept away by floods, and rebuilt ; some of them
three times. In May and June, 1S65, all were replaced by permanent truss
bridges.
On the first of September, 1865, the road was turned over to the railroad
company.
Nashville and Clarlcsville, 62 añiles.—This line was formed of the Edgefiel4
and Kentucky railroad, 47 miles from Nashville, and 15 miles of the Memphis,
Clarksville and Louisville railroad. It was repaired and opened in August,
1864, by order of Major General Sheiman, in order to have another railroad
communication with water navigable in summer, to aid in supplying the Nash¬
ville depot.
Important bridges were destroyed by floods at various times, and rebuilt,
until in April, 1865, when its use as a military road was abandoned, except ou
the 28 miles nearest Nashville. It was turned over to the company September
23, 1865.
After the war was closed, the railroads leading south from Nashville were
kept in active operation for some months, transporting paroled prisoners to
their homes, and returning those who had been confined in camps north of the
Ohio river, together with the movement of the Union troops to be mustered out,
or take up new positions in Tennessee and Georgia.
RAILROADS IN WESTERN TENNESSEE AND KENTUCKY.
In 1862 several lines and many miles of railroad were operated for military
purposes from Memphis, Tennessee, and Columbus, Kentucky, but no reports or
statements of their Business have been in my bands.
No part of the road was in operation from Memphis when I took charge, but
during the years 1864 and 1865 the western portion of the Memphis and
Charleston railroad, and a part of the Mississippi Central, were operated as
follows :
1864. Miles.
February 26. Opened to Germantown. 15
March 26. Abandoned back to within 5 miles of Memphis.
June 11. Opened to White's Station 10
" 29. Opened to Grand Junction 52
August 2. Opened to Holly Springs 75
" 6. Opened to Tallahatchee river 100
" 1^. Abandoned to Grand Junction .52
" 23. Reopened to Tallahatchie river 100
" 24. Abandoned to Grand Junction 52
September 6. Abandoned to White's Station 10
October 15. Abandoned entirely.
December 20. Opened to Colliersville 24
1865.
January 1. Abandoned entirely.
Februaiy 28. Opened to Germantown 15
March 4. Abandoned entirely.
" 24. Opened to Colliersville 24
April 2. Opened to Lafayette 32
May 13. Opened to Moscow 39
" 14. Opened to La Grange 49
" 20. Opened to Grand Junction 52
June 30. Opened to Pocahontas 75
September 12. Turned over to the company.
MILITAEY EAILEOADS OP THE UNITED STATES.
23
Each time it was abandoned it was badly damaged by the enemy ; bridges,
trestles and cattle-guards were burned and miles of track torn up.
At Columbus, Kentucky, I found the Mobile and Ohio railroad open to Union
City, 26 miles. It was abandoned about the first of May, 1864, at the time of
Forrest's raid upon Union City, and not afterward used, except in the immedi¬
ate vicinity of Columbus, until May, 1865. It was reopened to Union City
May 15, and to Crockett, 35 miles, May 31, and restored to the company
August 25, 1865.
arkansas.
The Memphis and Little Rock railroad, between Duvall's Bluff and Little
Rock, 49 miles, was the only line operated in this State. It did not come under
my control until May 1,1864. It was then in very bad condition, in conse¬
quence of the nature of the soil and neglect or want of skill in keeping up the
necessary repairs.
It was operated as a military line until November 1, 1865, when it was
restored to the company.
Statement of railroads operated in Tennessee, Georgia, Mississippi, Kentucky,
and Arkansas.
Name of line.
Number of miles operated within the
following periods.
1864.
>»
e3
E
■S
b
1865.
Turned over to the
owners.
Kashville and Chattanooga
Nashville, Decatur, and Stevenson .
Nashville and Northwestern
Nashville and GlarksvUle
Shelby ville Branch
McMinnvilie and Manchester
Mount Pleasant Branch
Chattanooga and Knoxville
Cleveland and Dalton
Knoxville and Bristol
Rogersville and Jefferson
Chattanooga and Atlanta
Borne Branch
Atlanta and Macon
Memphis and Charleston
Mississippi Central
Mobile and Ohio
Memphis and Little Rock
Louisville City
151
200
9
35
12
112
27
56
151
200
78
62
9
151
200
78
62
151
200
78
112
27
17
107
17
26
136
17
II
52
112
27
110
12
136
17
112
27
no
12
136
17
75
Total.
329
942
35
49
2
1,066
35
49
2
1,032
151
200
78
62
9
35
12
112
27
110
12
136
17
11
75
68
35
49
2
1,201
September 15,1865.
September 15,1865.
September 1,1865.
September 23,1865.
September 15,1865.
September 15,1865.
August 28.1865.
August 28,1865.
August 28,1865.
September 25,1865.
September 12,1865.
September 12,1865.
August 25,1865.
November 1,1865.
United States Military Railroads.
Division of the Mississippi, embracing the roads in Tennessee, Georgia, Ken-
tucky, Alaiama, Mississippi, and Arkansas.
In the following tabular statements are given—
1. The greatest number of persons employed in any month of the year,
average monthly number, and amount paid for services.
24
MILITAKY KAILEOADS OF THE UNITED STATES.
2. The number of locomotive engines, bow procured, number added each
year, and final disposition made of tbem.
3. The number of cars, &c.
4. The length of track and bridges built or rebuilt.
1. Number of -persons employed, and amount paid for service.
Year.
Persons employed monthly.
Amount paid^ for
services.
Greatest number in
one month.
Average number per
month.
1864
16, 364
17, 035
11,580
10, 061
$6,316,861 45
6,513,384 15
1865
Total
17,035
10, 787
12,830, 245 60
2. Locotnotive engines provided, and final disposition made of them.
Year.
Locomotives procured.
Locomotives disposed of.
Purchased.
Captured.
Total.
Lost or destr'd
in service or
in transit.
For
cash.
Sold.
To southern rail¬
roads, under
Ex. orders of
Aug. 8 and
Oct. 14.
Returned
to former
owners.
Total.
1862
18
20
154
2
35
14
17
53
34
171
2
1863
1864
2
2
224
34
1865
161
63
2
1866
32
Total
194
66
260
2
32
161
65
260
3. Cars provided, and final disposition made of them.
Year.
Cars procured.
Cars disposed of.
Purchased.
Built.
Total.
Lost or destr'd
in service or
in transit.
Sold.
Returned
to former
owners.
Total.
For
cash.
To southern rail¬
roads, under
Ex. orders of
Aug. 8 and
Oct. 14.
On band Feb. 1.
1864
755
1,081
1,547
J 864
1,081
1,522
160
243
32
160
243
2,980
1865
25
1866
536
2,311
IUI
Total
2, 603
25
3,383
435
536
2,311
101
3,383
4. The length of bridges and track built and rebuilt.
The length of bridges built and rebuilt was 97,544 lineal feet, or 1S§ miles.
The length of main track laid was 39111(^0 miles.
The length of sidings laid was 42jyô miles, making a total of 433jVö miles.
MILITARY RAILROADS OF THE UNITED STATES.
25
The following list embraces the names of the General Officers.
1864.
A. Anderson, general superintendent, to November 1.
E. L. Wentz, general superintendent, after November 1.
W. J. Stevens, superintendent railroads running from Nashville.
Colonel L. P. Wright, superintendent railroads from Chattanooga, to July 1.
W. C. Taylor, superintendent railroads from Chattanooga, after July 1.
A. F. Goodhue, engineer and superintendent railroads at Memphis, Tennessee,
and Columbus, Kentucky.
W. W. Wright, chief engineer.
John Trenhath, Auditor.
Colonel John C. Crane, assistant quartermaster, disbursing ofiScer.
1865.
W. J. Stevens, general superintendent.
E. B. McPherson, assistant superintendent.
J. B. Van Dyne, chief master of transportation.
A. W. Dickinson, superintendent Nashville railroads, to July 25.
George H. Hudson, superintendent Nashville railroads, after July 25.
W. R. Griffin, superintendent Nashville, Decatur, and Stevenson railroad.
A. A. Talmadge, superintendent Chattanooga railroads.
A. J. Cheney, superintendent Knoxyille and Bristol railroad, to September 1.
A. J. Cheney, superintendent Chattanooga and Atlanta railroad, after Sep¬
tember 1.
A. Hebard, chief engineer repairs, Nashville railroads.
A. F. Goodhue, engineer and superintendent of railroads West Tennessee, Ken¬
tucky, and Arkansas.
Colonel L. P. Wright, superintendent Memphis railroads.
W. W. Wright, chief engineer.
L. H. Eicholtz, acting chief engineer, January 1 to July 1.
John Trenhath, auditor.
Captain F. J. Crilly, chief quartermaster and disbursing officer.
MISSOURI.
In October, 1864, orders were received to have the bridges rebuilt on the
Pacific railroad of Missouri and its southwestern branch, which had lately heen
destroyed by the rebels. This work required the construction of 1,680 lineal
feet of truss bridges, and was completed early in April, 1865, at an expense of
$170,564 65, including the cost of replacing trestles carried away by floods and
other incidental expenses.
NORTH CAROLI.NA AND ATLANTIC COAST,
Under orders received from Major General McClellan four locomotives and
one hundred freight cars were sent to Major General Burnside, at Newbern,
North Carolina, in the months of June and July, 1862. On the passage two
locomotives were lost with the vessel off Cape Hatteras, and two others were
afterward sent to replace them. One engine proving unserviceable was subse¬
quently returned to Alexandria, Virginia, leaving three locomotives and one
hundred cars for service. The road was worked under orders and by officers
appointed by the general commanding the Department, and did not come under
my jurisdiction. I am therefore unable to give any account of its operation.
When it was ascertained to what point of the coast General Sherman was
directing his march from Atlanta, preparation was at once made to furnish him
with railroad facilities. A portion of the construction corps from the division of
the Mississippi that had rebuilt the railroads during the Atlanta campaign were
26
MILITARY RAILROADS OP THE UNITED STATES.
ordered in December, 1864, to proceed to Baltimore by railroad from Nashville,
and embark for Savannah. Upon reaching Hilton Head, information was
received that General Sherman would not use the railroads near Savannah, and
orders were given to proceed to Newberu, North Carolina, and open the railroad
to Goldsboro'.
Eleven miles of the Savannah and Gulf railroad were opened and operated
with rolling stock captured at Savannah for local military purposes, and to
supply the citizens of the town with fuel. The tracks and buildings of the
Georgia Central railroad within the city limits also were used. Five servicea¬
ble and nine unserviceable locomotives and 213 cars, about one-half of them
damaged and unfit for service, were captured at Savannah. On the 20th day
of June, 1865, all the railroad property was restored to the original owners by
order of the Department commander.
A detachment of the Virginia construction corps was sent to North Carolina
by order of General Grant, and landed at Newbern January 30, 1865. The
railroad at that time was in charge of the depot quartermaster at Newbern, and
was in operation between Morehead City and Batchelor's Creek, 44 miles.
This construction force at once commenced rebuilding the bridge over that
stream. Un the 6th day of February, the detachment sent from the military
division of the Mississippi landed at Morehead City and relieved the force
from Virginia, which returned to City Point.
The railroad was repaired as fast as the army advanced, and was opened to
Goldsboro', 95 miles, March 25, the day following the arrival of General Sher¬
man and bis army from Savannah.
To provide another line of supplies, the railroad from Wilmington to Golds¬
boro', 85 miles, was repaired and opened through April 4.
On the 10th of April movements were resumed toward the interior, and the
railroad was opened April 19, to Raleigh, 48 miles from Goldsboro'. It was
opened soon after to Hillsboro', and used until the parole of General Johnston's
army was completed, when it was given up west of Raleigh.
The total length of railroads opened and used in this department was as
follows ;
Name of line.
Terminal stations.
Length
in miles.
Transferr'd to com¬
pany.
From—
To—
Atlantic and North Carolioa
Wilmington and Weldon
Morehead City...
Wilmington
Goldsboro'
do
95
85
88
25
293
October 25.1865.
August 27,1865.
October 22,1865.
May 3,1865.
Raleigh and Gaston
Raleigh
Cedar creek
On these roads, 25 miles 2,172 feet of main track was rebuilt, and 5 miles
1,460 feet side track was laid, or 30 miles 4,632 feet of track in all. On the
same roads 3,263 lineal feet of bridges were built, consuming 825,750 feet tim¬
ber, board measure. At Morebead City a wharf was built by the construction
corps, covering an area of 53,682 square feet, and consuming 700,000 feet tim¬
ber, board measure.
In the following tabular statements are embraced the principal items of inform¬
ation in regard to these lines ;
MILITARY RAILROADS OF THE UNITED STATES. 2 7
1. Nu77iher of persons employed.
The greatest number of persons employed monthly in the year 1865 was.. 3, 387
2. Loco7nolive engines provided, and final disposition made of them.
Year.
Locomotives procured.
Locomotives disposed of.
Purchased.
Captured.
Total.
Lost or destr'd
in service or
in transit
Sold.
Returned
to former
owners.
Total.
For
cash.
To southern rail¬
roads, under
Ex. Orders of
Aug. 8 and
Oct. 14, 1865.
1862
5
2
5
2
2
2
1863
1864
1865
10
21
31
9
3
3
21
33
3
1866
17
21
38
2
12
3
21
38
3. Cars provided, and final disposition made of the7n.
Year.
Cars procured.
Cars disposed of.
Purchased.
Captured.
Total.
Lost or destr'd
in service or
in transit.
Sold.
Returned
to former
owners.
Total.
For
cash.
To southern rail¬
roads, under
Ex. Orders of
Aug. 8 and
Oct. 14, 1865.
1862
100
3
103
20
38
20
38
1863
1864
1865
139
180
319
1
79
101
183
285
79
1866
239
183
422
59
79
101
183
422
The following ofEcers were directly in charge of operating the military railroads
in North Carolina :
W. W. Wright, chief engineer and general superintendent, to July 1.
Colonel J. F. Boyd, general superintendent, after July 1.
J. B. Van Dyne, superintendent.
E. C. Smeed, engineer of repairs.
RAILS AND ROLLING-MILL.
The greatest necessity next to that of rolling stock was a supply of rails.
These were obtained by purchase, manufacture, and by taking up lines unneces¬
sary for military purposes.
28 MILITARY RAILROADS OF THE UNITED STATES.
The following roads were thus taken up entire for the distances specified :
Kailroad.
From—
To—
In Virginia,
Seaboard and Roanoke
Norfolk and Petersburg
Manassas Gap
Kiehmond and York River .
In military division of Mississippi.
Winchester and Fayetteville..
McMinn ville and Manchester -
Mount Pleasant Branch
Total.
Suffolk
Suffolk
Manassas
\NTiite House .
Decherd
Near Manchester.
Columbia
Blackwater
Blackwater
Piedmont
Chickahominy river.
Fayetteville
McMinnville
Mount Pleasant.
During the war the quantity of rails purchased and manufactured was as
follows :
Year.
Quantity of rails.
Number of tous purchased.
Manufactured at the Chattanooga
rolling-mill.
1862
Tons.
6, 086
6,030
8,165
1,500
Pounds.
1,723
1,790
1,446
1,352
Tons.
Pounds.
1863
1864
1865
3,818
1,184
21,783
831
3,818
1,184
The prices paid for purchased rails varied from $40 per ton, the lowest price
paid in July, I8C2, to $130 per ton, the highest price paid in June, 1864.
Soon after taking charge of the railroads in the military division of the
Mississippi, the following communication was addressed to the commanding
general :
Office of General Manager Military Railroads United States,
Nashville, Tenn., February 17, 1864.
General : When the track of the Nashville and Chattanooga railroad is relaid, we will have
on hand three hundred and two miles of old rails, weighing eleven thousand eight hundred
and sixty-four (11,864) gross tons. At present rates new rails delivered at Chattanooga will
cost one hundred and forty-five ($145) dollars per ton.
There is at Chattanooga a rolling-mill partially built by the rebels, which if completed—
say at a cost of thirty thousand (30,000) dollars—these old rails can be re-rolled at a cost of about
fifty (50) dollars per ton, coal being contiguous and abundant. This would not only be a large
saving to the government, but what, in my opinion, is of greater importance, the rails would
be on hand ready for use when and where required. The following represents the case:
11,864 tons of new rails delivered at Chattanooga, at $145 per ton 719,250
11,864 tons of old rails re-rolled, at a cost of $50 per ton $593,200
Cost of mill estimated at 30,000
623,200
In favor of rolling-mill 1,096,050
By advices recently received the stock of railroad iron in the market is small, and the de¬
mand large. In fact, should an emergency arise requiring a large amount of iron, it is
MILITARY RAILROADS OF THE UNITED STATES.
29
doubtful whether it could he had at any price. I therefore respectfully ask, unless military
reasons forbid, your permission to complete the rolling-mill at Chattanooga.»
I have the honor to he, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
D. 0. McCALLUM,
Col. V, S. A., General Manager Military Railroads U. S.
Major General U. S. Grant,
Commanding Military Division of the Mississippi, Nashville, Tenn.
The following order was the response to this letter :
[Special Order No. 43.]
Headquarters Military Division op the Mississippi,
Nashville, Tenn., February 17, 1864.
Colonel D. C. McCallum, general manager of military railroads within this military divi¬
sion, is hereby directed to proceed at once to complete and set at work the rolling mill at
Chattanooga, Tennessee.
By order of Major General Grant :
T. S. BOWERS, Assistant Adjutant. General.
Upon a more extended and thorough examination it was found that many im¬
portant parts of the machinery provided by the rebels for the rolling-mill were
not at hand. They were, in fact, still within their lines, and no probability existed
of obtaining them uninjured within any reasonable time, if at all ; therefore it was
decided to build entirely new machinery throughout, and of the most improved
pattern used in rolling-mills of the north
The mill building, partially completed by the rebels, was declared by the mili¬
tary authorities too far from the fortifications at Chattanooga to be safe, and
after careful investigation of the question the building was abandoned anda new
one erected in a secure location. To reach the site selected, and properly ac¬
commodate the mill, required building one and two-thirds miles of railroad. Thus,
instead of completing a partially-built work, an entirely new and very superior
rolling-mill, in point of machinery, was the result.
The total cost of the mill complete and ready for work was as follows :
Rolling-mill building $125, 857 81
Machinery, including transportation 120,000 00
Quarters for workmen, officers, and other buildings 21,212 00
Railroad to mill, materials, and labor 23,259 70
Total cost 290,329 51
The mill, with its out-buildings and railroad, were built by the construction
corps, all of the timber used was got out by them, and nearly all the work was
done at times when there was a lull in active operations in the field. As this
force was necessarily kept on hand for emergencies, and their legitimate place
was at the front, the work done by them in building the mill may be regarded
as almost clear gain to the government. More than $100,000 of the above sum
was paid for labor thus expended.
Owing to the great pressure upon the manufacturers of machinery, the scarcity
of labor, difficulty of obtaining proper materials, and of procuring transportation
to Nashville on the over-crowded railroad lines of the north, the mill did not go
into operation until April 1, 1865.
It was employed in manufacturing rails for the United States until October
5, 1865, when it was sold to the highest bidder, after two month's advertisement,
for $175,000. It was in operation six months and five days, and in that time
manufactured 3,818 tons and 1,184 pounds of new rails, at a cost of—
For coal, 145,897 bushels $36, 474 25
For labor 98, 776 39
Total 135,250 64
Average cost per ton, $35 42.
30
MILITARY RAILROADS OF THE UNITED STATES.
These were disposed of as follows :
Total 3, 818
Tons.
Pounds
466
2,066
. 3,351
1, 358
3, 818
1, 184
The quantity sold realized in cash the sum of #269,128 58.
ROLLING STOCK.
In the preceding statements an account is given of the quantity of rolling
stock provided for each department, and the final disposition made of it. Those
statements embrace only the number in active service in each case. In the fall
and winter of 1864 an additional supply was provided in view of probable
wants for the spring campaign of 1865, but the close of the war rendered it
unnecessary, and it was subsequently sold at the points where manufactured, or
where it had been stored to await events. Thirty-five (35) locomotives, and
four hundred and ninety-two (492) cars, of five-feet gauge, were built for the
military division of the Mississippi and North Carolina. Fifty (50) cars, of four
feet eight and one half inch gauge, also, were provided for Virginia and North
Carolina.
Ten (10) platform cars, of four feet eight and one half inch gauge, had been
purchased at an early day and used on- the railroads of the western States, to
transport cars of the five-feet gauge from the manufacturer's works to Jefiferson-
ville, opposite Louisville.
Locomotives five feet-gauge, provided and not used, 35.
Cars, five-feet gauge, for military division Mississippi and North Carolina... 519
Cars, four feet eight and a half inch gauge, for Virginia and North Carolina 50
Cars, four feet eight and a half inch gauge, for car transportation 10
Total 579
Of these engines and cars, one of the ten cars was destroyed in service, and
all the rest sold fur cash.
The following tabular statements exhibit the entire rolling stock of the mili¬
tary railroads during the war :
Locomotives.
Tear delivered.
How obtained.
How disposed of.
Purchased
and built.
Captured.
Total.
Lost or de¬
stroyed.
For
cash.
Sold.
Under Ex. or¬
ders of Aug.
8 and Oct.
14.
Returned
to former
owners.
Total.
1862
72
40
154
47
40
14
17
35
112
54
171
82
4
4
3
11
360
41
1863
3
9
95
39
1864
2
1865
164
101
2
1866
Total
106
312
419
6
146
164
103
419
MILITARY RAILROADS OF THE UNITED STATES. 31
Fiscal year.
Cars.
How obtained.
How disposed of.
Pur¬
chased.
Built.
Cap¬
tured.
On hand in
military di-
vis'n Miss.
Feb. 1, *64.
Total.
Lost or de¬
stroyed.
Returned
to former
owners.
Sold.
Total.
Under Ex. or¬
ders of Aug.
8 and Oct.
14.
For
cash.
1862
603
704
1,149
2, 655
16
619
704
1, 934
3,073
478
53
217
265
32
478
63
343
478
4,968
1863
10
126
1864
30
25
755
1865
393
213
297
1866
2,589
2, 050
Total ...
5, 111
55
409
755
6,330
1,045
.510
2,589
2,186
6,330
Note.—The cars sold in the years 1863 and 1864 were damaged, disabled, and unfit for service.
In the above tables the rolling stock borrowed and impressed into service
from northern railroads is not included.
In the general office of military railroads in Washington have been the fol¬
lowing officers :
W. H. Whiton, in charge April 1, 1862, to July 1, 1865 ; H. K. Cooper,
in charge after July 1, 1865 ; J. A. Lawrence, accountant to October 15, 1863 ;
E. J. Kellogg, after October 15, 1863 ; Captain (now Brevet Brigadier General)
H. L. Robinson, assistant quartermaster, has acted as disbursing and purchasing
officer for the railroads in the east during the entire war.
generai. remarks.
With few exceptions, the operations of military railroad s have been conducted
under orders issued by the Secretary of War, or by army commanders in or out
of the field.
It was made the duty of the director and general manager to arrange the
military railroad organization upon a basis sufficiently comprehensive to permit
the extension of the system indefinitely ; to perfect the modus operandi for
working the various lines , to determine as to the number of men to be employed
in the several departments, and the compensation to be paid therefor ; the amount
and kind of machinery to be purchased, and the direction as to the distribution
of the same.
The following important order of the Secretary of War, the wisdom of which
has been so abundantly vindicated by experience, is here inserted as defining, in
part, the position of the military railroad organization, which seems not to have
been clearly understood by many, in and out of the service :
[Special Order No. 337—Extract.]
War Department, Adjutant General's Office,
Washington, November 10, 1862.
# . * # * #.# #
Commanding officers of troops along the United States military railroads will give all
facilities to the officers of the roads, and the quartermasters, for unloading cars so as to pre¬
vent any delay. On arrival at depots, whether in the day or night, the cars will be instantly
unloaded, and working parties will always he in readiness for that duty, and sufficient to
unload the whole train at once.
Commanding officers will be charged with guarding the track, sidings, wood, water-tanks,
&c., within their several commands, and will be held responsible for the result.
Any military officer who shall neglect his duty in this respect will be reported by the
quartermasters and officers of the railroad, and his name will be stricken from the roUs of
the army.
32
MILITARY ÏIAILR0AD8 OF THE UNITED STATES.
Depots will be established at suitable points, under tbe direction of the commanding gen
eral, and properly guarded.
No officer, whatever may be his rank, will interfere with the running of the cars as directed
by the superintendent of the road.
Any one who so interferes will be dismissed from the service for disobedience of orders.
By order of the Secretary of War :
E. D. TOWNSEND,
Assistant Adjutant General.
The above order was given in consequence of several attempts having been
made to operate railroads by army or department commanders, wbich had,
without an exception, proved signal failures, disorganizing in tendency, and de¬
structive of all discipline. The great benefit resulting from this order was more
especially exhibited during General Sherman's campaign from Chattanooga to
Atlanta, and in this, my final report, I desire to put on record, for the benefit
of those who may be called upon to conduct military railroad operations in the
future, the following :
Having had a somewhat extensive railroad experience, both before and since
the rebellion, I consider this order of the Secretary of War to have been tbe very
foundation of success ; without it the whole railroad system, which has proved
an important element in conducting military movements, would have been not
only a costly, but ludicrous failure. The fact should be understood that the
management of railroads is just as much a distinct profession as is that of the art
of war, and should be so regarded.
The difficulty of procuring a sufficient force of competent railroad men, both
in the construction and transportation departments, was almost insurmountable.
Owing to the peculiar nature of the service, and the rapid expansion of the rail¬
road system, the supply of railroad operatives in the country has always been
limited ; many had entered the army in various positions, thus diminishing the
actual number in civil life, while the stimulus imparted by tbe war to the
business of northern railroads had greatly enhanced the value of the services of
those who remained at their posts, thus rendering the home demand for skilful
labor far in advance of tbe supply. When the large number of men necessary
to equip these military lines were sought for, it was extremely difficult to induce
those who were really valuable to leave secure positions and enter upon a new
and untried field of action.
The difference between civil and military railroad service is marked and de¬
cided. Not only were tbe men continually exposed to great danger from the
regular forces of the enemy, guerillas, scouting parties, &c., but, owing to the
circumstances under which military railroads must be constructed and operated,
what are considered the ordinary risks upon civil railroads are vastly increased
on military lines.
The hardships, exposure, and perils to which train men especially were
subjected during the movements incident to an active campaign, were much
greater than that endured by any other class of civil employés of the govern¬
ment—equalled only by that of tbe soldier, while engaged in a raid into the
enemy's country. It was by no means unusual for men to be out with their
trains from five to ten days, without sleep, except what could be snatched upon
their engines and cars while the same were standing to be loaded or unloaded,
with but scanty food,'or perhaps no food at all, for days together, while con¬
tinually occupied in a manner to keep every faculty strained to its utmost.
Many incidents during the war, but more especially during the Atlanta cam¬
paign, exUibited a fortitude, endurance, and self-devotion on the part of these
men, not exceeded in any branch of the service. All were thoroughly imbued
with the fact, that upon the success of railroad operations, in forwarding sup¬
plies to the front, depended, in great part, the success of our armies ; that al¬
though defeat might be tbe result, even if supplies were abundantly furnished
MILITARY RAILROADS OP THE UNITED STATES.
33
it was evident there could be no advance without ; and I hazard nothing
in Baying, that should failure have taken place either in keeping the lines in re¬
pair, or in operating them. General Sherman's campaign, instead of proving, as
it did, a great success, would have resulted in disaster and defeat; and the
greater the army to supply, the more precarious its position. Since the end of
the rebellion, I have been informed by railroad ofScers who were in the service
of the enemy during the war, " that they were less surprised at the success of
General Sherman, in a military point of view, than they were at the rapidity
with which railroad breaks were repaired, and the regularity with which trains
were moved to the front;" and it was only when the method of operating was
fully explained that it could be comprehended.
In the beginning of the war military railroads were an experiment ; and al¬
though some light as to their management had been gleaned by the operations
of 1862 and 1863, yet so little progress had been made that the attempt to sup¬
ply the army of General Sherman in the field, construct and reconstruct the
railroad in its rear, and keep pace with its march, was regarded by those who
had the largest experience, and who had become most familiar with the subject,
as the greatest experiment of all. The attempt to furnish an army of one hun¬
dred thousand (100,000) men and sixty thousand (60,000) animals with sup¬
plies from a base three hundred and sixty (360) miles distant, by one line of
single-track railroad, located almost the entire distance through the country of
an active and most vindictive enemy, is without precedent in the history of
warfare, and to make it successful required an enormous outlay for labor and a
vast consumption of material, together with all the forethought, energy, pa¬
tience, and watchfulness of which men are capable.
This line, from the fact of its great length, was imperfectly guarded, as troops
could not be spared from the front for that purpose. This rendered the railroad
service one of great risk and hazard, and at times it was only by the force of
military authority that men could be held to service. As an item showing the
real danger attending military railroad operations, it may be stated that during
the last six months of the fiscal year ending June 30, 1865, the wrecking train
picked up and carried to Nashville sixteen (16) wrecked locomotives, and two
hundred and ninety four (294) car-loads of car wheels, bridge iron, &c. These
wrecks were caused by guerillas and rebel raids.
The Chattanooga and Atlanta, or Western and Atlantic railroad extends from
Chattanooga to Atlanta, 136 miles, with a branch from Kingston to Rome 17
miles long.
The reconstruction and maintenance of this line was, in many respects, the
most difficult of any military railroad operations during the war. By it the con¬
federate army under General Johnston made its retreat from Buzzard Roost to
Atlanta; and in falling back from one strong position to another, it did such
damage to the road as was supposed would delay or prevent Sherman's pursuit,
but in this it was unsuccessful. However great the damage done, it was so
speedily repaired that General Sherman soon ceased to fear any delay from
this cause, and made his advance movements with perfect confidence that the
railroad in his rear would be " all right."
Being, from the nature of the case, entirely ignorant of the obstacles to be en¬
countered at each advance, the construction force was at all times prepared for
any emergency—either to build bridges of formidable dimensions, or lay miles
of track, or, perhaps, push back to some point on the line and repair damages
done by guerillas or raiding parties. These attacks on the line to the rear were
of such frequent occurrence, and often of so serious a character, that to insure
speedy repairs it became necessary to station detachments of the construction
corps at various points along ihe road, and also to collect supplies of construc¬
tion materials, such as iron, jrails, chairs, spikes, cross-ties, and bridge timber,
at points where they would be comparatively safe and easily obtained when re-
III
34
MILITARY RAILROADS OF THE UNITED STATES.
quired. These precautionary measures proved to be of the utmost importance
in keeping the road open.
The detachments stationed along the line were composed of bridge-builders
and track-layers, with an ample supply of tools for all kinds of work. Each
detachment was under the command of a competent engineer, or supervisor,
who had orders to move in either direction, within certain limits, as soon as a
break occurred, and make the necessary repairs without delay, working day
and night when necessary. Under this arrangement small breaks were repaired
at onfce, at any point on the line, even when the telegraph wires were cut, and
special orders could not be communicated to the working parties. When " big
breaks" occurred, one or more divisions of the construction corps were moved
as rapidly as possible thereto, either from Chattanooga or the front. Construc¬
tion trains, loaded with the requisite tools and materials, were kept ready at
each end of the road to move at a moment's notice.
Guerillas and raiding parties were more or less successful in destroying por¬
tions of track during the whole time we held this line; but the crowning effort
was made by the enemy in October, 18fi4, when Hood, getting to Sherman's
rear, threw his whole army on the road—first at Big Shanty, and afterward
north of Resaca—and destroyed in the aggregate 35J miles of track and 455
lineal feet of bridges, killing and capturing a large number of our men. For¬
tunately, however, the detachments of the construction corps which escaped
were so distributed, that even before Hood had left the road two strong work¬
ing parties were at work, one on each end of the break at Big Shanty, and
this gap of ten miles was closed, and the force ready to move to the great break
of twenty-five miles in length north of Resaca as soon as the enemy had left it.
The destruction by Hood's army of our depots of supplies compelled us to cut
nearly all the cross-ties required to relay this track, and to send a distance for
rails. The cross-ties were cut near the line of the road, and many of them car¬
ried by hand to the track, as the teams to be furnished for hauling them did not
get to the work until it was nearly completed. The rails used on the southern
end of the break had to be taken up and brought from the railroads south of
Atlanta, and those for the northern end were mostly brought from Nashville,
nearly two hundred miles distant.
Notwithstanding all the disadvantages under which the labor was performed,
this twenty-five miles of track was laid and the trains were running over it in
seven and a half days from the time the work was commenced.
The economy so commendable and essential upon civil railroads was com¬
pelled to give way to the lavish expenditure of war ; and the question to be an¬
swered was not, " How much will it cost?" but rather, " Can it be done at all
at any cost ?"
During February, 1862, I received the following important verbal order from
the Secretary of War: " I shall expect you to have on hand at all times the
necessary men and materials to enable you to comply promptly with any order
given, nor must there be any failure."
The greatest number of men employed at the same date during the war was :
In Virginia 4,542
In North Carolina 3, 337
In military division of the Mississippi 17, 035
Total number of men
24, 964
MILITARY RAILROADS OP THE UNITED STATES.
35
The total numher of miles operated.
In Virginia 611
In North Carolina 293
In military division of the Mississippi 1, 201
Total 2, 105
The numher of engines.-
In Virginia 72
In North Carolina 38
In military division of the Mississippi 260
In Georgia 14
Provided but not used 35
Total 419
The numher of cars.
In Virginia 1,733
In North Carolina 422
In military division of the Mississippi 3, 383
In Georgia 213
Provided but not used 579
Total 6,330
Lineal feet of bridges huilt or rehuilt.
In Virginia 34,931
In North Carolina 3, 263
In Missouri 1,680
In military division of the Mississippi 97, 544
Total number of feet 137,418
Or twenty-six miles and one hundred and thirty-eight feet.
The length of track laid or relaid.
In Virginia 177 miles.... 2,961 feet.
In North Carolina 30 " 4,632 "
In military division of the Mississippi 433 " 2,323 "
Total 641 miles 4,636 feet.
The following statement exhibits the amount expended during the war in
constructing and operating the United States military railroads, said sum hav¬
ing been furnished from the appropriation made for the expenditures of the
quartermaster's department :
Virginia.
$10, 147, 462 51
36
MILITARY RAILROADS OF THE UNITED STATES.
North Carolina.
For labor $1, 086, 224 60
For materials 1,510,435 45
S2, 596, 660 05
Military division of the Mississippi.
For labor $16,792,193 05
For materials 12,870,588 06
: 29, 662, 781 11
Department of the Gulf
For materials 55, 238 88
Total 42,462,142 55
Property sold under Executive Order of
August 8, 1865 $7, 428, 204 96
Property sold for cash 3,466,739 33
Receipts from passengers and freight.... 1, 525, 493 04
Receipts from hire of rolliiig stock 103, 528 50
Property on hand (estimated) 100,000 00
12,623,965 83
Net expenditures 29, 838,176 72
The United States military railroads were transferred by Executive Order of
August 8, 1865, to the original owners.
The military railroad organization was designed to be a great construction
and transportation machine, for carrying out the objects of the commanding
generals, so fiir as it was adapted to the purpose, and it was managed solely
with a view to efficacy in that direction. It was the duty of the quartermas¬
ter's department to load all material upon the cars, to direct where such mate¬
rial should be taken, and to whom delivered. It then became the province of
the railroad department to comply with said order in the shortest practicable
time, and to perfect such arrangements as would enable it to keep the lines in
repair under any and all circumstances. It was impossible for this department
to keep an accurate account of the persons and material transported, as whole
corps and even armies, with all their artillery and equipments were moved upon
verbal orders from commanders sometimes hundreds of miles, and frequently in
face of the enemy. As an illustration, one of the largest movements of this
character was that of the 4th army corps in 1865, from Carter's Station, in
East Tennessee, to Nashville, three hundred and seventy-three (373) miles, and
which employed one thousand four hundred and ninety-eight (1,498) cars.
Accompanying this report is a map showing the different lines operated in
the United States by the military railroad department during the war.
In conclusion, permit me to say that the government was peculiarly fortunate
in securing the services of civilian ofiBcers of great nerve, honesty, and capa¬
bility, to whom the whole country owes a debt of gratitude.
Among them, I take the liberty of naming, as principal assistants, A. Ander¬
son, chief super intendeut and engineer; Colonel W. W. Wright, chief engineer
in the military division of the Mississippi, and chief engineer and general super-
MILITARY RAILROADS OF THE
intendeut in the department of North Carolina ; J. J. Moore, general superin¬
tendent and chief engineer of railroads in Virginia ; E. L. Wentz, general super¬
intendent and chief engineer of railroads in Virginia, and afterward for a time
general superintendent of railroads in the division of the Mississippi ; W. J.
Stevens, general superintendent United States military railroads, division of the
Mississippi; L. H. Eicholtz, acting chief engineer, military division of the Mis¬
sissippi, during the absence of Colonel W. W. Wright in North Carolina ; A.
F. Goodhue, engineer and superintendent military railroads. West Tennessee
and Arkansas. Also the following commissioned officers: Brevet Brigadier
General H. L. Robinson, acting quartermaster, Washington, D. C. ; Brevet
Major F. J. CriUy, acting quartermaster, Nashville, Tennessee ; and Captain
G. S. Roper, commissary of subsistence, Nashville, Tennessee.
I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
D. C. McCALLUM,
Brevet Brigadier General, Director and General Manager
Military Railroads United States.
Hon. Edwin M. Stanton,
Secretary of War.