Rather neat isn't it 5Fish?!.
SERIES I--VOLUME XII/3 [S# 18]
Correspondence, orders, and returns relating specially to operations in Northern Virginia, West Virginia, and Maryland from March 17 to September 2, 1862.
UNION CORRESPONDENCE, ETC.--#26
RAILROAD DEPOT, Alexandria, Va., August 23, 1862.
Hon. P. H. WATSON,
Assistant Secretary of War:
We have forwarded up to this time since yesterday afternoon 6,600 men to Catlett's. This throws our power at the other end. Until it can be returned our capacity is very limited. We will send an engine over to bring troops of Cox's division to Alexandria and make up train in readiness to send forward when engine returns.
Devereux is active and efficient. Being compelled to hold rolling stock in readiness to remove supplies in case of an attack in front, this flank movement puts us in bad shape. I have not been able as yet to hear from Catlett's this morning. The confusion there last night must have been awful. Nearly all our wagons are there. Your offer to send cars will expedite matters some. Will keep you advised of everything of importance.
HAUPT.
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ALEXANDRIA RAILROAD DEPOT,
August 23, 1862.
Hon. P. H. WATSON:
As soon as your telegram was received we asked Colonel McCallum to allow the Baltimore and Ohio engines to run the troops to Alexandria, and we understood that he would do so. If he cannot, we will be unable to send for them under two or three hours, and it would be much better to send them by boat. I propose to go forward again to-night, and see if my personal presence will not expedite the return of cars.
Devereux will keep matters straight here. The return of cars promptly is now the all-important consideration.
H. HAUPT.
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WASHINGTON CITY, D.C.,
August 25, 1862--10.10 a.m.
J. H. DEVEREUX, Alexandria:
General Halleck approves of all that we have done and now understands the position of affairs. All officers on arrival must report to me for directions. After Hooker's command goes off there must be no more trains loaded on the main track. All the regiments that come in must lie along the Washington Branch road, where they can be loaded without encumbering the main track. Trains go forward in the following order, as nearly as possible: Subsistence for men, forage, ammunition, hospital stores, veteran troops, raw troops. I will be back soon.
H. HAUPT.
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QUARTERMASTER'S DEPARTMENT,
Alexandria, August 26 [1862]. (Received 7.55 p.m.)
Col. D. H. RUCKER:
We give forage and subsistence preference over everything else, and send, when notified of arrival of cars, at the earliest moment possible.
Mr. Devereux informs me that he has had an engine on the Avenue nearly all day. The grain shall be sent for, if not already dispatched to Alexandria. I have asked Baley to inform us at 2 p.m. The only cars left on the Avenue were four of pork and four or five of grain, and an engine went immediately back to bring them.
H. HAUPT.
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ALEXANDRIA VA., August 28, 1862.
Colonel RUCKER:
Superintendent Devereux informs me that the track in Union street is blocked with cars; that he has furnished Captain Ferguson with cars as fast as he unloaded them. We are sending no cars over the road. Bull Run and nearly all the other bridges, until within 1 mile of Burke's, have been destroyed. The railroad can for some time carry no more supplies for the Army of Virginia. I will request
Mr. Devereux to bring over the cars faster, if you desire it, and if Captain Ferguson can unload them. My information yesterday was that they could not be unloaded faster. I have heard of no complaint on the part of Captain Ferguson.
H. HAUPT.
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ALEXANDRIA, VA., September 1, 1862.
Colonel HAUPT:
I have detained at
Burke's the ammunition train sent this p.m. and will hold it there. McCrickett telegraphs that his forces are in line of battle and that Major Hailer had buckled on his sword and gone to the field; also that firing was heard out to the right and quite near.
J. H. DEVEREUX.
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SEPTEMBER 1, 1862.
J. H. DEVEREUX:
General Halleck thinks it best not to send forward trains to-night. Those sent can be held at Burke's. I do not apprehend any attack on Fairfax Station to-night, as it is fully covered by very large forces at Fairfax Court-House. Excepting a few empty cars for the wounded, you can withdraw all cars and engines to a safe distance in the rear. Please communicate this information to Major Haller and to McCrickett. We have no intelligence in addition to your own.
H. HAUPT.
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O.R.-- SERIES I--VOLUME XXI [S# 31]
DECEMBER 11-15, 1862.--Battle of Fredericksburg, Va.
No. 5.--Report of Brig. Gen. Rufus Ingalls, U. S. Army, Chief Quartermaster, of operations November 9, 1862-January 25, 1863.
[excerpt]
It is proper to remark, however, that since then the road has been vastly improved. A large construction party has been constantly kept upon it for many months past. New ties and rails have been put in where necessary; new bridges have been built; the rolling stock has been increased, and the road has been conducted by
Col. J. H. Devereux, a most energetic, systematic, and skillful superintendent, so that to-day the road can supply an army of 150,000 men certainly as far as Culpeper. At that time the Third, Eleventh, and Twelfth Corps were not serving immediately with the army. It is necessary to be reminded of this, in order to understand the comparatively small number of wagons, horses, and mules reported on hand when you assumed command.
[[First time he is mentioned as holding the rank of Colonel]]
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CAMDEN STATION,
Baltimore, September 25, 1863--9.15 p.m.
Col. D.C. MCCALLUM,
Manassas:
The first two trains from you are troop 28 cars, and 27 cars, 4 of which are artillery. This works very badly for our engines, as our lead from Relay west ought not to exceed 22 cars. Can you not manage to send us 20 to 22 cars, or two trains together, each with 30 or 32 cars, which we can shift into three trains at Relay? We can readily carry 40 cars from Washington to Relay.
W. P. SMITH.
(Same to
Capt. J. H. Devereux, Alexandria.)
[[First time mentioned as a Captain]]
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continued
Mr. John H. Devereux, appointed as railroad superintendent, worked extremely close with Colonel/Brig. General Herman Haupt; especially with the railroads out of Washington and Alexandria.