Richmond and Petersburg railroad connection

USS ALASKA

Captain
Joined
Mar 16, 2016
From the Richmond Dispatch,
Richmond, April 26, 1861

B. F. Ficklin, Q. M.

It is necessary and important that the railroads in Richmond and Petersburg should be connected so as to give increased facilities fur the transmission of troops and supplies.

You will see the proper authorities and request the necessary arrangements to be made for this object.

(signed) H. Heth
Lieut. Col. & Act'g Quartermaster

This arrangement must be carried out.

(signed) John Letcher
Governor of Virginia


Interesting that 10 days after Virginia seceded, the military necessity of this requirement was acted upon. Not that the North didn't have issues like this also...

Cheers,
USS ALASKA
 
From the Richmond Dispatch,
Richmond, April 26, 1861

B. F. Ficklin, Q. M.

It is necessary and important that the railroads in Richmond and Petersburg should be connected so as to give increased facilities fur the transmission of troops and supplies.

You will see the proper authorities and request the necessary arrangements to be made for this object.

(signed) H. Heth
Lieut. Col. & Act'g Quartermaster


This arrangement must be carried out.

(signed) John Letcher
Governor of Virginia


Interesting that 10 days after Virginia seceded, the military necessity of this requirement was acted upon. Not that the North didn't have issues like this also...

Cheers,
USS ALASKA
The connection was up a steep hill in the street ! The railwayman in me wants to hear what the locos sounded like going up with a load !
 
According to the Richmond & Petersburg RR Annual Report to Stockholders, April 1, 1861, this need had been determined by that railroad for business purposes and connections in both Richmond and Petersburg had been surveyed in the summer of 1860. Construction stopped with the election turmoil in the fall of 1860. Records of the creation and operation of the connections in both cities can be found on my site.

http://csa-railroads.com/Essays/Orignial Docs/AR/AR,_R_and_P_4-1-61_P.htm
http://csa-railroads.com/Essays/Confederate_Military_Railroads.htm
 
From the Richmond Dispatch,
5/2/1861, p. 2


Connections to be Made. - Engineers and workmen are now busily engaged in planning and marking out the lines for connecting Fredericksburg and Petersburg Railroads in Richmond, and Petersburg and Southern Railroad in Petersburg. The work was ordered by the Governor, and is a military necessity that brooks no delay.
38

Cheers,
USS ALASKA
 
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