Letter

D. C. McCallum to Henry W. Halleck, October 2, 1863

Washington

Maj. Gen. H. W. HALLECK, General-in-Chief:

Sir: I have the honor to submit the following statement:

A bridge was burned by the enemy at Edsall’s. 5 miles west of Alexandria, about September 8. Bridge was burned at Pope’s Head, No. 1, about September 27. This is 14 miles west of Fairfax. Cameron Run Bridge was burned September 30; located

Raid near Burke’s, October 1. Raid near Springfield, October 1, capturing 3 trackmen. Our bridges are constantly exposed; so far as my knowledge extends, none of

them are guarded. I would respectfully suggest that the troops now at Warrenton Junction be

changed so as to camp in the woods west of the station, and thus protect the watertanks and wood-chonpers at the same time.

very respectfully, your obedient servant,

D. C. McCALLUM,
Colonel, and Military Director and Superintendent of Railroads.
The facts are these, taking the attacks in the order named.
First:
A bridge was burned by the enemy at Edsall's, 5 miles west of Alexandria, about
September 8.
The bridge was fired as the last train was coming over empty, it
is supposed by persons from Alexandria, as they evidently did not
Editor's Notes
From: Operations in N. Virginia, W. Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Pt. 1. Location: Washington. Summary: Colonel D. C. McCallum reports multiple enemy bridge burnings near Alexandria in September 1863 and recommends repositioning troops to better protect vital railroad infrastructure.
Sources
The War of the Rebellion: Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, Volume 29, Part 1 View original source ↗