CITY POINT, VA., December 30, 1864.
Admiral PORTER,
Commanding North Atlantic
Blockading Squadron:
Please hold on
where you are for a few days and I will endeavor to be back again with an
increased force and without the former commander. It is desirable the enemy
should be lulled into all the security possible, in hopes he will send back
here or against Sherman the re-enforcements sent to defend Wilmington. At the
same time it will be necessary to observe that the enemy does not intrench further,
and if he attempts it to prevent it. I will suggest whether it may not be made
to appear that the ordinary blockading squadron is doing this. You, however,
understated this matter much better than I do. I cannot say what day our troops
will be down. Your dispatch to the Secretary of the Navy, which informed me
that you were still off Wilmington, and still thought the capture of that place
practicable, was only received to-day. I took immediate steps to have
transports collected, and am assured they will be ready with the coal and water
on board by noon of the 2d of January. There will be [no] delay in embarking
and sending off the troops. There is not a soul here except my chief of staff,
assistant adjutant-general, and myself knows of this intended renewal of our
effort against Wilmington. In Washington but two persons know of it, and, I am
assured, will not. The commander of the expedition will probably be
Major-General Terry. He will not know of it until he gets out to sea. He will
go with sealed orders. It will not be necessary for me to let troops or
commander know even that they are going any place until the steamers intended
to carry them reach Fortress Monroe, as I will have all rations and other
stores loaded beforehand. The same troops that were with the first expedition,
re-enforced by a brigade, will be sent now. If they effect a lodgment they can
at least fortify and maintain themselves until re-enforcements can be sent.
Please answer by bearer and designate when you will have the fleet congregated.
U.S. GRANT,
Lieutenant-General.
SOURCE: The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of
the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, Volume
42, Part 3 (Serial No. 89), p. 1100-1
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