Wilmington and Manchester Railroad
| Company type | Railroad |
|---|---|
| Industry | Rail transport |
| Founded | 1846 |
| Defunct | 1870 (bankruptcy and reorganization) |
| Fate | Reorganized as Wilmington and Carolina Railroad, later Wilmington, Columbia and Augusta Railroad; eventually consolidated into Atlantic Coast Line Railroad |
| Headquarters | United States |
Area served | South Carolina, North Carolina |
Key people | William MacRae (superintendent from 1866) |
| Products | Rail transport of cotton, naval stores |
The Wilmington and Manchester Railroad was a rail line functioning across South Carolina and North Carolina prior to, throughout, and following the American Civil War. Established by charter in 1846, it commenced operations in 1853, running from Wilmington, North Carolina heading westward to Manchester, South Carolina (close to Sumter). The railroad utilized a track gauge of .
Route
This railway was primarily constructed to move cotton produced in South Carolina to the Port of Wilmington, serving as a competitor to the Port of Charleston. It played an important role in transporting naval stores along with cotton.
American Civil War
Following the conclusion of the Civil War, Union General William T. Sherman dispatched approximately 2,500 soldiers to locate Confederate locomotives and railcars concealed inland. In April 1865, a detachment led by General Edward E. Potter uncovered nine locomotives and roughly 200 railcars near Manchester, many of which belonged to the Wilmington and Manchester Railroad; these assets were subsequently destroyed.
Bankruptcy
In January 1866, General William MacRae assumed the role of superintendent and successfully reinstated railroad operations. During that same year, the Wilmington and Manchester Railroad collaborated with the Wilmington, Charlotte and Rutherford Railroad (which later became the Carolina Central Railroad) to establish the Wilmington Railway Bridge Company. This entity constructed a bridge over the Cape Fear River, finished in 1867, linking Navassa on the river’s west bank with central Wilmington.
The company entered bankruptcy proceedings in 1870 and underwent reorganization, initially adopting the name Wilmington and Carolina Railroad before later becoming the Wilmington, Columbia and Augusta Railroad.
Later years
In 1898, the railroad was officially consolidated into the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad (ACL). The stretch from Wilmington to Pee Dee was designated as part of ACL's Wilmington—Pee Dee Line, while the segment between Pee Dee and Florence was absorbed into its main line. The portion extending from Florence to Sumter was incorporated into the Florence—Robbins Line.
The Atlantic Coast Line merged with the Seaboard Air Line Railroad in 1967 to create the Seaboard Coast Line Railroad. Later on, its parent company combined with the Chessie System in 1980, forming the CSX Corporation, which unified its operations under CSX Transportation by 1986.
Currently, CSX operates the former ACL main line segment as part of its A Line. Meanwhile, control over the section from Mullins to Whiteville has transferred to the R.J. Corman Railroad Group.