Two Hundred Railroads
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Beginning of the Civil War, there were more than two hundred railroads in the country; the majority of the rail lines belonged to those states that remained faithful to the national government. In contrast, the South only held one-third in mileage of the rail lines in the North. The advancement in railroad resulted in the capability to support the war. The North was able to transport more soldiers and materials to more places with less transfers. The northern rail lines were mostly four feet eight and one-half inches apart; however, the southern rails largely varied in the size of the gauges. Due to the universal gauge system, the North was able to expedite the troop and material transportation. Even though the South immediately realized the potential of railroads, they could not imitate the North in total.
In the beginning, the railroad industry was largely concerned with the profits it made due to high demand for its services than it was for the welfare of the Union. The railroad executives would haggle with army officers over the cost of the transportation. Such corruption in the rail industry prompted the establishment of the Railways and Telegraph Act of January 31, 1862; the legislation provided the President to take possession of the railroads. Also, others ere seized by the United States Military Railroad. After being seized, the rails were in line to aid the Union war effort. Corruption shortly fell off and trains even began to move in an even expedient way. Railroads was not only a means of transportation but also war effort for the army. General Nathan Bedford Forrest, confederate general, successfully destroyed General Ulysses S. Grant's, Union army general, supply lines. As a counterattack, General Grant and Sherman attacked Vicksburg the following year, and destroyed all five railroads that served the confederacy. This prevented the easy transportation of troops and supplies by the South. By the time the southern troops and supplies arrived at Vicksburg, General Grant's army was too strongly entrenched to be dislodged form the city. |
"Only the Tredegar Iron Works in Richmond and another foundry rushed into production at Selma, Alabama, could produce heavy iron products, and both mills had to manufacture artillery rather than rails, while the North had sufficient capacity for both. Worn-out southern railroads could be repaired only by ripping up feeder lines."
This Terrible War
This Terrible War
"AN ACT to establish the gauge of the Pacific railroad and its branches. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the gauge of the Pacific railroad and its branches throughout their whole extent, from the Pacific coast to the Missouri river, shall be, and hereby is, established at four feet eight and one-half inches."
1862 Pacific Railway Act
1862 Pacific Railway Act