proceed to impress, according to law, the necessary labor both to remove the iron from the branches to be used on the main roads, and also labor for the main line. You will make arrangements to ration the negroes and forage the animals necessary. It has been decided to concentrate all the labor on the route from West Point to Augusta via Atlanta, and open this line as soon as possible. It is thought ten or fifteen miles of iron will be required on the road between Augusta and Atlanta. This can be obtained from the branch road between Mayfield and Camak. Beyond Atlanta the same amount is required. This has been promised by Major Meriwether. You will open communication with Major Meriwether at once and tet from him all the information that may be needed respecting the iron, so that no delay can ensue relative thereto. Communicate with Governor Brown and Generals Cobb and Fry and call upon either General C[obb] or F[ry] for any guard you may need to protect your working parties in the removal of iron. The main object is to oen the roads at the earliest practicable moment, that provisions now so much needed may be pushed through, and to this end let trestle-work be put up at once instead of bridges at such points as require it. In the event the iron on the Mayfield and Camak branch be insufficient, you will obtain it from the nearest source practicable.

Respectfully, your obedient servant,

JOHN M. OTEY,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

[44.]

HEADQUARTERS MILITARY DIVISION OF THE WEST,
Charleston, S. C., December 20, 1864.

Major General J. F. GILMER,

Chief of Engineer Bureau, Richmond, Va.:

GENERAL: Your telegram and letter of the 16th instant were duly received, and in reply to the latter (the former having already been answered) I have the honor to state that Major Willis, my chief quartermaster, an active and energetic officer, ahs been instructed to call on the two railroad officers mentioned in your letter and to represent to them, in my name, the importance of the early repair of the roads, and to proceed to impress the iron from the different branch roads and any other that may be needed, should the aforesaid railroad officials fail to comply with the request to use the iron on branch roads to repair the main lines. Generals Cobb and Fry, at Macon and Augusta, have been ordered to aid major Willis in every way in their power, and His Excellency the Governor of Georgia has also been requested to lend his aid and influence in carrying out the wishes of the War Department to avert the disasters which may arise from want of prompt action in this matter. My quartermaster has also been ordered to impress all necessary labor and teams, and to make arrangements to clothe and ration the one and forage the other. This is absolutely necessary, and it is hoped it will meet with the approval of the War Department. Further, I have deemed it best to concentrate the whole labor force now on the two roads (the Georgia and the Central) on the line of communication between West Point, Atlanta, and Augusta, for by so doing one line, it is hoped, will be opened in four or five weeks, whereas by distributing the force, neither line would be opened in double the time. At least ten miles of iron will be required on each road both east and west of Atlanta. The iron on the Camak branch I have ordered to be