railroads owing to the close of the war, but were subsequently sold at the points where manufactured, or at places where they had been stored to await events.

Thirty-five locomotives and 492 freight-cars of five-feet gauge were thus provided for North Carolina and the Military Division of the Mississippi.

Fifty cars of four feet eight and a half inch-gauge were also provided for Virginia and North Carolina.

In the Western States ten platform-cars of four feet eight and a half inch-gauge were purchased and used on the railroad north of the Ohio River to transport freight-cars of five-feet gauge from the manufacturers" works to Louisville, one of which was destroyed by a collision on being thrown from the track.

Summary of cars provided but not placed in active use.

Five-feet gauge cars ................................... 492

Four feet eight and a half inch-gauge cars for Virginia

and North Carolina ..................................... 50

Four feet eight and a half inch-gauge cars for car tran-

sportation ............................................. 10

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Total .................................................. 552

The railroad service during the past year has formed an important element in the several campaigns, but more especially was this the case in supplying the Southwestern army under General Sherman over the distance of 365 miles from its base of supplies on the Tennessee River to Atlanta, through an enemy's country.

This line, from the very fact of its great length, was imperfectly guarded as troops could not be spared from the front for that purpose; this rendered the railroad service one of great risk and hazard, and at times it was only by the force of military authority that men could be held to duty. The Government was peculiarly fortunate in having in its service civilian officers of great nerve, honesty, and capability, to whom the whole country owes a debt of gratitude.

Among them I take the liberty of naming A. Anderson, chief superintendent and engineer; W. W. Wright, chief engineer Military Division of the Mississippi; J. J. Moore, general superintendent and chief engineer railroads in Virginia; W. J. Stevens, general superintendent U. S. Military Railroads, Division of the Mississippi; L. H. Eicholtz, acting chief engineer, Military Division of the Mississippi, during the absence of W. W. Wright in North Carolina; A. F. Goodhue, engineer and superintendent military railroads West Tennessee and Arkansas. Also the following commissioned officers: Captain F. J. Crilly, assistant quartermaster, Nashville, Tenn., and Bvt. Colonel H. L. Robinson, assistant quartermaster, Washington, D. C.

There never was an order issued to either of these gentlemen by the commanding generals or myself that was not promptly and energetically carried out, regardless of personal comfort or safety, and it was this kind of spirit infused into subordinates that enabled us to accomplish unprecedented results.

In conclusion, I trust I may be pardoned for stating that without the most perfect organization and operation of the construction and transpor loyalty, devotion, and ability of these gentlemen, to whom the principal active operations were intrusted, the campaign of Sherman, at least for the time, would have proved, instead of aa triumphant success, a signal failure. The question resolved itself simply into one of supplies, as it was evident