Confederate Control Over the Railroads

[DaveBrt]

Most books that mention the Confederate Government's control (or non-control) over its railroads are full of errors. Below is my essay on the subject of control.

Government Control of Confederate Railroads

 

[firstflabn]

Very nice first draft. Logistics issues are usually overlooked in favor of combat shoot-em-up stories (yes, there's still a 10 year old boy inside of me, too). I would recommend you find a grammar and spelling checker as there are dozens and dozens of errors that even a basic one should easily catch. It detracts a bit from an otherwise nice synthesis of multiple sources covering complex issues. Unlike grocery lists, these things don't write themselves.

 

[G Low]

I would like to see a map listing all depots on the lines in Georgia between Atlanta and Chattanooga and between Atlanta and Augusta during the CW.

 

[G Low]

@DaveBrt, Could the RR's have been utilized more to expel the Yankees from their newly acquired sea ports at Jacksonville and Port Royal?

 

[DaveBrt]

@DaveBrt, Could the RR's have been utilized more to expel the Yankees from their newly acquired sea ports at Jacksonville and Port Royal?

Not Jacksonville, there were too few Florida troops to waste them on a port that the US could re-take whenever they wante to.

Had PR been an important port, troops could have been massed against the port -- but it was not an important port for the South, so they did not waste troops in a meaningless campaign.

 

[DaveBrt]

I would like to see a map listing all depots on the lines in Georgia between Atlanta and Chattanooga and between Atlanta and Augusta during the CW.

Western & Atlantic Railroad Stations

Check out the rest of my site -- lots there.

 

[DaveBrt]

Very nice first draft. Logistics issues are usually overlooked in favor of combat shoot-em-up stories (yes, there's still a 10 year old boy inside of me, too). I would recommend you find a grammar and spelling checker as there are dozens and dozens of errors that even a basic one should easily catch. It detracts a bit from an otherwise nice synthesis of multiple sources covering complex issues. Unlike grocery lists, these things don't write themselves.

Interesting. My spell checker does not show any except a man's name.

 

[Stryker65]

Interesting. My spell checker does not show any except a man's name.

I couldn't find any either. If they are there, they did not detract from my understanding of the piece at all.

 

[Josh The Lighthouse Guy]

Not Jacksonville, there were too few Florida troops to waste them on a port that the US could re-take whenever they wanted to.

Jacksonville was in a weird situation during the war. It was one of the five largest cities in Florida at the time (Key West, Pensacola, St. Augustine, and Fernandina being the other four) but it is farther inland compared to most Union coastal footholds. The mouth of the river was easy enough to blockade, especially relative to Jacksonville's value as a Confederate port. It went through four different Union occupations, and I think they only stuck around the fourth time because of Lincoln's 10% plan.

Thunder on the River by Daniel Schafer is probably the best-researched book on the subject, though he's a very dry writer.

 

[Lubliner]

Most books that mention the Confederate Government's control (or non-control) over its railroads are full of errors. Below is my essay on the subject of control.

Government Control of Confederate Railroads

I found that to be a very well written report, easy to follow and in perfect order. Thanks,
Lubliner.

 

[Josh The Lighthouse Guy]

"The chief should have the rank, pay, and allowances of a Colonel of Cavalry."

Seems to me like Colonel of Engineers or Quartermasters (was that a thing?) would make more sense for this position. Any idea why Cavalry?

Could the resources, especially the iron, used to construct Confederate ironclads have been more effectively used on Confederate railroads or was it relatively a drop in the bucket of what was needed?

 

[DaveBrt]

"The chief should have the rank, pay, and allowances of a Colonel of Cavalry."

Seems to me like Colonel of Engineers or Quartermasters (was that a thing?) would make more sense for this position. Any idea why Cavalry?

Could the resources, especially the iron, used to construct Confederate ironclads have been more effectively used on Confederate railroads or was it relatively a drop in the bucket of what was needed?

Colonel of Cavalry got a bit higher pay in order to take care of the extra expenses related to dealing with a horse, blanket, saddle bags, etc.

 

[Rhea Cole]

"The chief should have the rank, pay, and allowances of a Colonel of Cavalry."

Seems to me like Colonel of Engineers or Quartermasters (was that a thing?) would make more sense for this position. Any idea why Cavalry?

Could the resources, especially the iron, used to construct Confederate ironclads have been more effectively used on Confederate railroads or was it relatively a drop in the bucket of what was needed?

It was customary for head of the Signal Corps, for example, to have the pay, servant, allowances, horses, etc of a colonel of cavalry. This had nothing to do with the rank of the officer, it was strictly a perk of the position.

A modern example would be inspector generals, rank of colonel, having perks such as dining in the general officer's mess.

 

[Josh The Lighthouse Guy]

Colonel of Cavalry got a bit higher pay in order to take care of the extra expenses related to dealing with a horse, blanket, saddle bags, etc.

It was customary for head of the Signal Corps, for example, to have the pay, servant, allowances, horses, etc of a colonel of cavalry. This had nothing to do with the rank of the officer, it was strictly a perk of the position.

Little details that I would never learn without CWT!

 

[Spirt of 1861 Copperhead]

In a timeline an alternative history time for even just a question what areas in the deep south would have most Ben helped to construct more rail tracks? These Confederate railways being built either by the government or just private companies either during the Civil War or an alternative history where the confederacy has more months of peace.