Lisa Murphy
Corporal
- Joined
- Feb 16, 2019
- Location
- Washington State
Yes, I have found this one, but the issue is not the number of troops in the area, but how many were devoted to the RR construction. My guess is maybe 5,000. The main hindrances to using 50,000 or some such number is that there were very few tools for them to use -- the number of times armies or railroads called for hundred of axes, or spades, or shovels is truly astounding -- the engineers ordered thousands from Europe to help meet the constant demand. So, early in the war, I cannot see this army having enough tools to keep a large force at work. The job was easy -- grade 6 miles, build one small bridge, cut and lay cross ties, and lay the track. Many railroads were able to lay a mile of track a day, after the grading was done.
Unfortunately, just because a private mentions a number in his diary, it has become "fact."
Found these two resources...Ohio State University E-history site (link)
- Hobbs, Thomas Hubbard. The journals of Thomas Hubbard Hobbs : a contemporary record of an aristocrat from Athens, Alabama, written between 1840, when the diarist was fourteen years old, and 1862, when he died serving the Confederate States of America.Ed. by Faye Acton Axford. University : University of Alabama Press, c1976.
- Parker, Price. From Alabama to Appomattox : History of the 9th Infantry; Pictures, Complete Muster Roll. Athens, AL : Athens News Courier, 1960 (reissued, 1969) [available at the following libraries: Auburn University; Samford University; University of Alabama; and University of North Alabama]