Dear Sir: By General Grant's direction I enclose a copy of a despatch from General Sherman, seeming to indicate his preference that the correspondence in question should not now be made public.
No. 1.
Reports of Brig.
Gen. George H. Thomas, U. S. Army.
GENERAL: I have just
received a dispatch from General Schoepf, at the Rockcastle Hills. He writes
that the enemy attacked the camp with 6,000 infantry and 1,500 cavalry, and
were repulsed and driven back, as he says, behind their intrenchments. He
reports 4 of our men killed and 20 wounded. Among the latter was Captain
Hauser, Thirty-third Indiana, who rejoined his regiment after the amputation of
his finger.
General Schoepf
regards the position as secure. I am sending forward provisions and ammunition
in addition to the supply taken by the troops. I thought it more advisable, in
the present confused state of the quartermaster's department here, to remain at
this post myself, sending forward Generals Schoepf and Carter, who are on the
ground with 5,000 men. As soon as I can arrange matters here I will go forward
myself.
GENERAL: I wrote you
on the 22d, giving the substance of General
Schoepf's report of the events of the 21st at Rockcastle Hills. I have just
received another dispatch from him, in which he reports that his scouts had
just returned and report the enemy “have fully retreated in the direction of
London. Our loss is ascertained to be 4 killed and 18 wounded. On examination
of the battle ground I set the enemy's loss down at 30 killed, with a large
wounded list—the latter taken by them off the field (as I learn from an
intelligent citizen in the vicinity), except 3, who were brought into our camp
and properly cared for; 1 since dead. Our wounded are doing well.
“The 3 prisoners,
all examined separately by myself, gave the same statement relative to the
strength of the enemy, viz, about 7,000. The enemy fought well, approaching to
within about fifty yards of our muskets with shouts and cheers, which were
promptly responded to by our men, under the immediate command of Colonels
Coburn and Wolford.
“In the pocket of
one of the wounded prisoners was found a letter to the commander of a secession
Tennessee regiment, urging him to send forward his regiment to the relief of
General Zollicoffer. I have just learned from a citizen on the route of the
retreating enemy that they acknowledged a loss of 100 killed."
I shall begin to
move the depot to-morrow as far to the front as Crab Orchard, and advance
troops to or beyond London as soon as I possibly can. Although I have sufficient
ammunition for a battle, I would be obliged if you will have my requisition of
the 12th instant filled and sent forward as soon as possible. I find a rumor in
the papers that General Lee will supersede Zollicoffer. If he does, I should
wish to be prepared for him fully. The canister and grape have reached here
to-night, and I will forward them to-morrow.
The contractors,
Theodore Comstock, of Columbus, Ohio, and Heil-debach, Seasongood & Co., of
Cincinnati, have violated their contracts, copies of which I inclose, as well
as copies of my letters to them. The man Comstock had money placed in the hands
of Jones Brothers & Co., to be paid to him as soon as his overcoats were
received, yet he has never delivered the five hundred. The Cincinnati firm furnished
a few things, but have failed to deliver anything since the 18th. I fear from
what I can learn that they were led away from the path of common honesty by the
tempting offer of the governor of Ohio. He pays them $10 for each overcoat. I
hope I have your authority for publishing their names in the Cincinnati papers.
Spl. Orders, No 180
II II 1 Immediately On the surrender
of the City of Vicksburg Maj. Gen. Herron will advance one
Brigade of his Division to within the fortifications of the enemy. He will immediately
throw out guards to prevent all persons, from soldiers or citizens, from
entering or leaving the city.
The divisien of
Maj. Gen. J. A. Logan will march in and take eha
2 II Maj.
Gen. J. A. Logan is assigned temporarily to the command of the city of
Vicksburg, and He will march his Division immediately within the
entrenchments of the enemy to a suitable camp ground. He will ta furnish
all the guards necessary to prevent the escape of citizens or prisoners from the
Vicksburg or the entrance of soldiers and all out side parties into the city.
One regiment will be
immediately placed on guard in the city to preserve order and to prevent
pillaging and other destruction of property.
Five companies,
commanded by a competant Field Officer, will report at once to Lt. Col. Bingham,
Chief Quartermaster, to guard a collect and guard all captured
property, and to superintend working parties of such negroes as may be
collected and employed in discharging boats and otherwise labor in the
Quartermaster's Dept.
3 No citizens will be permitted to land from
steamers until authority may hereafter be given.
4 All able bodied
negro men in the city will be immediately collected and organized into working
parties under suitable officers & non-commissioned officers.
They will at once be set at policing the city and all the grounds within the
entrenchments.
5. Capt. Comstock,
Chief Eng. will superintend direct the destruction of the outside
approaches made to the enemy's works. All necessary details will be made for
this purpose by the Comdr of the 17th Army Corps, either from his PyPioneer
Corps, negroes collected, or by details from the ranks. All heavy Artillery
will be moved into the entrenchments and properly located for defence. Division
Engineer officers, or in their absence, Division Qr. Mrs. will collect and save
all mining tools belonging to their respective commands.
SOURCE: John Y.
Simon, Editor, The Papers of Ulysses S. Grant, Volume 8, p. 454-5
I. On the surrender
of Vicksburg, Major-General Herron will advance one brigade of his division to
within the fortifications of the enemy. He will throw out guards to prevent all
persons, soldiers or citizens, from entering or leaving the city. Maj. Gen.
John A. Logan is assigned temporarily to the command of the city of Vicksburg,
and will march his division within the intrenchments of the enemy, to a
suitable camp-ground. He will furnish all the guards necessary to prevent the
escape of citizens or prisoners from Vicksburg, or the entrance of soldiers and
all outside parties into the city. One regiment will be immediately placed on
guard in the city, to preserve order, and to prevent pillaging and other
destruction of property. Five companies, commanded by a competent field
officer, will report at once to Lieut. Col. J. D. Bingham, chief quartermaster,
to collect and guard all captured property, and to superintend working parties
of such negroes as may be collected and employed in discharging boats, and
other labor in the quartermaster's department. No citizens will be permitted to
land from steamers until authority may be given hereafter. All the able-bodied
negro men in the city will be immediately collected and organized into working
parties, under suitable officers. They will at once be set to policing the city
and the grounds within the intrenchments. Captain Comstock, chief engineer,
will direct the destruction of the outside approaches made to the enemy's
works. All necessary details will be made for this purpose by the commander of
the Seventeenth Army Corps, either from his pioneer corps, negroes collected,
or by details from the ranks. All heavy artillery will be moved into the
intrenchments and properly located for defense. Division engineer officers, or,
in their absence, division quartermasters, will collect and save all
mining-tools belonging to their respective commands.
II. Lieut. Col.
William L. Duff, chief of artillery, will immediately collect and take care of
all ordnance stores outside of the enemy's works at Vicksburg. He will call on
Major-General McPherson and Major-General Herron for such details as he may
require in carrying out this order.
* * * * * * * * * *
