Administrative Assignments

Lubliner

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Chattanooga, Tennessee
December 31 1863
The operation of military railroads and their construction in the State of Virginia was separated, ‘and each placed in charge of an officer as engineer or superintendent’.

  1. Anderson became the chief engineer of all the military railroads therein.
  2. John H. Devereux became superintendent terminating at Alexandria and all connections.
  3. James J. Moore became chief engineer of repairs of the same.
  4. William W. Wright became the superintendent and engineer of repairs terminating at Aquia Creek
  5. E. L. Wentz became the superintendent and engineer of repairs at Norfolk, Petersburg and Seaboard and Roanoke Railroads.
All service appointments were open for men previously engaged in military railroad service, and the superintendents were responsible for their electives. Nor was there a precedent for favoritism placing any individual above those of superior merit and efficiency. All grievances objecting to any decisions made by these superintendents could be taken before the military director and appealed. Compensation for all employees were fixed by the military director. Reports were forwarded to him each month stating the names, duties, and compensation for each officer, artificer, and laborer employed.

Colonel D. C. McCallum was the Military Director and Superintendent of U. S. Railroads

Herman Haupt had been given a Brigadier-General’s commission for being Chief of Construction and Transportation.

[Series 3, Volume 3, page 1].

For consolidating information for future reference.
Lubliner.
 
On January 8, 1864, Major-General George Thomas wrote from Chattanooga to Halleck in Washington about problems with the railroad situation in the western theater. From other reports, there seems to have been very little cooperation by railroad employees, resulting in this message;

"I have just seen Colonel McCallum, superintendent of military railroads in Virginia. he tells me he has engaged 1,200 men to come to this department to work on the railroads; but that Mr. J. B. Anderson, military director of railroads in this department, tells him he does not want them. Knowing that their services are needed badly, I have requested Colonel McCallum to send for them and set them to work on the Northwestern Railroad, and when that is completed, to send them here to repair the railroad from this place to Knoxville. Unless we have these roads put in order very soon we shall fail. I have refrained heretofore from giving an opinion on the merits of the present system, but we have been on the verge of failure long enough, and now that there appears to be a chance of getting the roads in condition, I cannot afford to lose it." [ Series 1 Volume 32, Part 2, Page 43, O. R.]

What is interesting is that at this time General Grant had ordered all the troops raised recently in Kentucky to be sent with General Boyle to Knoxville under General Foster for a drive to push Longstreet out of Tennessee. But Grant reports that due to the poor state of affairs with supply that only 60 per cent of this force could be mobilized. They were without clothing and shoes. The need to furnish these men was of major importance, while other reports were mentioning lack of forage where mules were dying by the dozens.

Lubliner.
 
One of the complaints about the railroad management was written from Scottsborough, Ala. on January 5, 1864 to Lieut. Col. T. S. Bowers, Asst. Adjt., Military Div. of the Miss., Chattanooga by Major General John Logan. He states;

"A few days since a conductor remained at Larkinsville...over twelve hours, without any reason whatever, and everything at a stand-still here, and General Morgan L. Smith's division three days without rations, which had to be pushed by hand, 6 miles, on a terribly cold night. Last night another conductor absolutely refused to take the rations and forage to Bellefonte, although he had only three empty cars on. The provost guard attempted to compel him to take them, but he outran the guard and escaped with the empty cars, leaving the rations on the track....; indeed the railroad men appear to do all in their power to embarrass. In order to make this line useful they should be compelled to run regularly, or the road should be put under military control." [Ibid. page 24].

Lubliner.
 
Small time
One of the complaints about the railroad management was written from Scottsborough, Ala. on January 5, 1864 to Lieut. Col. T. S. Bowers, Asst. Adjt., Military Div. of the Miss., Chattanooga by Major General John Logan. He states;

"A few days since a conductor remained at Larkinsville...over twelve hours, without any reason whatever, and everything at a stand-still here, and General Morgan L. Smith's division three days without rations, which had to be pushed by hand, 6 miles, on a terribly cold night. Last night another conductor absolutely refused to take the rations and forage to Bellefonte, although he had only three empty cars on. The provost guard attempted to compel him to take them, but he outran the guard and escaped with the empty cars, leaving the rations on the track....; indeed the railroad men appear to do all in their power to embarrass. In order to make this line useful they should be compelled to run regularly, or the road should be put under military control." [Ibid. page 24].

Lubliner.
Small time dictators.
 
I'm suprised that all the railroads were not under direct control of the military since they were prime military targets
Halleck had responded to General Thomas' request and McCallum was given free reign to do whatever needed to be done to complete the road between Nashville and Chattanooga by the beginning of February; albeit with about 700 men. It makes me wonder some of the actual beliefs and motivations surrounding railroad crews, unless Union men were detached to work upon them. This could be done much more readily than replacing the administrative hierarchy, being that these men were virtually indispensable.
Lubliner.
 
For an example of manpower use, Special Orders, No. 11 was issued on January 11, 1864, at Scottsborough Alabama by Major General John A. Logan. Headquarters of the Fifteenth Army Corps.

"II. Brig. Gen. Hugh Ewing, commanding Fourth Division, is charged with guarding the railroad and telegraph line from Scottsborough to Stevenson, Ala..
III. Brig. Gen. Morgan L. Smith, commanding Second Division, is charged with guarding the railroad and telegraph line from picket-line of Brig. Gen. Hugh Ewing, on the line of said railroad west of Scottsborough, to the plantation of Mr. Dodson, about midway between Larkinsville and Woodville.
IV. The commanding officer of the First Division is charged with guarding the railroad and telegraph line from Dodson's plantation to Hurricane Creek Bridge.
V. Brig. gen. John E. Smith, commanding Third Division, is charged with guarding the railroad and telegraph line from Huntsville to and including Hurricane Creek Bridge."

[O. R., Series 1, Volume 32, Part 2, page 71].

So four divisions are being used strictly for picketing and guarding one vital line of railroad and telegraph. This would not include work details assigned to fix the road, other than the guards would also be responsible for the safety of those parties. It is possible the plantation of Dodson's may have benefitted the work parties with wood and hired labor as well.
At this point in time, Forrest had been driven out of West Tennessee and was south of the Tennessee River, supposedly building boats for crossing his command. Longstreet was at Russellville, Tennessee, and Johnston was spread out at Dalton, Tunnel Hill, Rome, etc., Georgia. It was also a very cold winter the men were suffering through.
Lubliner.
 
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