It did not come under control of this office until May 1, 1865. At that time it was in exceedingly very bad order, and required large expenditures to make it capable of doing the work required of i t.

Table, page 18 [593], exhibits the business and expenditures during the two months of May and June, 1865, together with such information as could be obtained of previous earnings and expenses before coming under my charge, extending back to September 1, 1864.

The total number of miles operated within the year was as follows:

Miles.

In Virginia .............................................. 434

In Military Division of the Mississippi .................. 1,079

In North Carolina ........................................ 293

In Arkansas .............................................. 49

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Total .................................................... 1,855

The rolling-stock provided at the beginning of the year was believed ample for the wants of the service, but when the army of General Sherman was at Atlanta its full capacity had been reached, allowing a reasonable margin for casualties occasioned by accident or design. In October, 1864, information was given that Sherman's army would march on Augusta, Ga., and depend upon the railroad for supplies. It was impracticable to accomplish it over the increased length of line with the rolling-stock then on hand, and to be ready for any service or contingency thirty-two additional locomotives of five-feet gauge were ordered from the manufacturers.

The transfer of the Army of the Mississippi to Savannah rendered these engines unnecessary in the Southwest, but their completion was hastened, to be prepared to open lines on the Atlantic Coast should the movement of the armies render it desirable. With the termination of hostilities no occasion remained for their use in any department, and they were sold at public auction.

Of the engines contracted for prior to July 1, 1864, sixty-six of five-feet gauge were placed upon the Nashville Railroad between July 1 and December 31, 1864.

One thousand four hundred and forty-four freight-cars were delivered upon the same roads during the fiscal year.

Twenty cars were added to the equipment at Memphis.

Two locomotives and thirty cars of five and a half-feet gauge were built and sent to the Memphis and Little Rock Railroad in Arkansas. On all the military railroads was employed the following rolling-stock, including that captured from the enemy and rendered serviceable by repairing or rebuilding:

Division or State. Locomotives. Cars.

Virginia 52 631

Military Division 216 2,838

of the Mississippi

Nashville 21 200

Memphis 2 37

Columbus ---239

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3,075

North Carolina 29 262

Arkansas 10 98

Total 330 4,066

The foregoing statement includes only the locomotives and cars employed in active service, and does not embrace those built in the fall and winter of 1864, which were never placed upon the military