Diary of John Beauchamp Jones: July 25, 1864

It rained all night! Cloudy and windy to-day.

Gen. Hood corrects his dispatch of Saturday; we captured only 13 guns; but we captured some 18 stand of colors.

HEADQUARTERS, ATLANTA,      

July 23d, 1864.

Hon. JAMES A. SEDDON, SECRETARY OF WAR.

 

The enemy shifted his position on Peach Tree Creek last night, and Gen. Stewart's and Cheatham's corps formed line of battle around the city.

 

Gen. Hardee's corps made a night march, and attacked the enemy's extreme left to-day. About 1 o'clock he drove him from his works, capturing artillery and colors. Gen. Cheatham attacked the enemy, capturing six pieces of artillery.

 

During the engagement we captured about 2000 prisoners.

 

Gen. Wheeler's cavalry routed the enemy in the neighborhood of Decatur, to-day, capturing his camp.

 

Our loss is not yet fully ascertained.

 

Major-Gen. Walker was killed. Brig.-Gens. Smith, Gist, and Mercer were wounded.

 

Prisoners report that Gen. McPherson was killed.

 

Our troops fought with great gallantry.

 

J. B. HOOD, General.

It is certain that a considerable force of the enemy has crossed to the north side of James River; for what purpose is not yet clear.

A detachment of our forces has been defeated near Winchester, by superior numbers, losing 4 guns.

The Dispatch of this morning says:

All accounts received of the engagement at Snicker's represent that the Yankees were badly whipped on that occasion. It is stated that some fifteen hundred of the enemy fell to rise no more, and only six were made prisoners. It is probable that a considerable number were drowned in their attempt to recross the Shenandoah.

Gen. Beauregard wrote to the department a few days ago that the country in the rear of the enemy was filled with their deserters, and suggested that by proclamation or otherwise, desertion should be encouraged. They ought to be welcomed and subsisted, and transported to any point near their own country designated by them. On this the Secretary of War indorsed rather a cold negative. But he went too far—the country must be saved—and the President, while agreeing that no proclamation should be issued, indorsed an emphatic approval of any other means to encourage desertion from the enemy.

My cabbages and turnips (fall) are coming up already.

We had but 13,500 men and 44 pieces artillery in the recent march into Maryland. The enemy say we had 40,000!

Letters are pouring in, denouncing the new schedule of prices, sanctioned by the Secretary, and demanding a prompt modification. The President wrote the Secretary to-day that immediate action is necessary.

SOURCE: John Beauchamp Jones, A Rebel War Clerk's Diary at the Confederate States Capital, Volume 2, p. 253-5

Lieutenant-General John Bell Hood to James A. Seddon, July 23, 1864

HEADQUARTERS ATLANTA,        

July 23d, 1864

Hon. James A. Seddon, Secretary of War:

The enemy shifted his position on Peach Tree Creek last night, and Gen. Stewart’s and Cheatham’s corps formed line of battle around the city.

Gen. Hardee’s corps made a night march, and attacked the enemy’s extreme left to-day. About one o’clock he drove him from his works, capturing sixteen pieces of artillery and five stands of colors. Gen. Cheatham attacked the enemy, capturing all pieces of artillery.

During the engagement we captured about two thousand prisoners.

Gen. Wheeler’s cavalry routed the enemy in the neighborhood of Decatur to-day, capturing his camp.

Our loss is not yet full ascertained.

Major Gen. Walker was killed. Brig. Gens. Smith, Gist and Mercer were wounded.

Prisoners report that Gen. McPherson was Killed

Our troops fought with great gallantry.

J. B. HOOD, General.

SOURCE: Richmond Dispatch, Richmond Virginia, Monday, July 25, 1864, p. 1

Major-General Edward O. C. Ord to Major-General Ulysses S. Grant, July 3, 1863

ORD'S HEADQUARTERS, July 3, 1863.

General GRANT:

In reply to your intimation that if General Pemberton wished an interview he would show a white flag at some specified point, General Bowen stated to General [A. J.] Smith that he knew General Pemberton would be glad to meet General Grant; and General Bowen, on the return of General Smith from you, appointed the point where the Jackson and Vicksburg road crosses the rebel trenches as the place where the white flag would be raised at 3 p.m. This point is in front of General McPherson's. The rebel time is forty eight minutes faster than mine. I will send you my time.

E. O. C. ORD.

SOURCE: The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, Volume 24, Part 3 (Serial No. 38), p. 460

Major-General Ulysses S. Grant to Major-General William T. Sherman, July 3, 1863

GRANT'S HEADQUARTERS, July 3, 1863.

General SHERMAN:

I judge Johnston is not coming to Vicksburg; he must be watched, though. I judge from the fact that I have just received a proposition from Pemberton to appoint three commissioners to arrange terms of capitulation, to save effusion of blood, &c. I reply that the appointment of commissioners is unnecessary, because he could put an end to it by surrender, and be treated with all the respect due prisoners of war. When we go in, I want you to drive Johnston from the Mississippi Central Railroad; destroy bridges as far as Grenada with your cavalry, and do the enemy all the harm possible. You can make your own arrangements and have all the troops of my command, except one corps—McPherson’s, say. I must have some troops to send to Banks, to use against Port Hudson.

U.S. GRANT.

SOURCE: The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, Volume 24, Part 3 (Serial No. 38), p. 461

Major-General Ulysses S. Grant: Special Orders, No. 180, July 4, 1863

SPECIAL ORDERS, No. 180.}

HDQRS. DEPT. OF THE TENNESSEE,        

Near Vicksburg, Miss., July 4, 1863.

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.

*          *          *          *          *          *          *          *          *          *

By order of Maj. Gen. U.S. Grant:

[JNO. A. RAWLINS,]        

Assistant Adjutant-General.

SOURCE: The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, Volume 24, Part 3 (Serial No. 38), p. 477

Major-General Ulysses S. Grant to Major-General James B. McPherson, July 5, 1863

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE TENNESSEE,        

Near Vicksburg, July 5, 1863.

Maj. Gen. J. B. MCPHERSON,
        Commanding Seventeenth Army Corps:

GENERAL: No enlistment of the negroes captured in Vicksburg will be allowed for the present. All the male negroes we want collected and organized into working parties for the purpose of policing the grounds around the city, unloading steamers, and fitting up the fortifications for our use.

In regard to rebel officers taking their servants with them is one of the conditions, I expressly refused them. After the city was surrendered, however, one of the officers on General Pemberton's staff asked me what I was going to do about servants who were anxious to accompany their masters, remarking that many of them had been raised with their servants, and it was like severing families to part them. I remarked that no compulsory measure would be used to hold negroes. I want the negroes all to understand that they are free men. If they are then anxious to go with their masters, I do not see the necessity of preventing it. Some going might benefit our cause by spreading dissatisfaction among the negroes at a distance by telling that the Yankees set them all free. It is not necessary that you should give yourself any trouble about negroes being enticed away from officers. Every one that loses a negro will insist that he has been enticed off, because otherwise his negro would not leave. As I said before, it was positively refused that the privilege of carrying off private servants should be granted, because I said afterward coercion would not be used to retain servants. It is no reason that the strength of the garrison should be used in preserving a neutrality between our men and the negroes that would enable the Confederate officers [to carry] away their negroes by force.

Forage cannot be issued, at least not more than for one day, to Pemberton’s forces when they leave. A thousand horses, too, looks much more than they could reasonably take under the terms of capitulation.

Very respectfully,

U.S. GRANT.

SOURCE: The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, Volume 24, Part 3 (Serial No. 38), p. 479

Major-General Ulysses S. Grant to Major-General James B. McPherson, July 7, 1863

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE TENNESSEE,        

Near Vicksburg, July 7, 1863.

Maj. Gen. J. B. MCPHERSON,

        Commanding Seventeenth Army Corps:

Give instruction that no passes are to be given to negroes to accompany their masters in leaving the city. The negroes may be informed that they are free by any one who may choose to give the information, and, if they still wish to go, no force need be used to prevent. In the particular case where I gave the reply that force would not be used to prevent negroes accompanying their masters, the officer said he had a family and children, and could not get along without a nurse; further, that the nurse had been raised in the family and was like one of them, and would take as hard to be separated as would an actual member of the family.

If there is any indication that a suspicious number of blacks are going to accompany the troops out, then all should be turned back except such as are voluntarily accompanying families, not more than one to each family.

Very respectfully,

U. S. GRANT.

SOURCE: The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, Volume 24, Part 3 (Serial No. 38), p. 483

Major-General Ulysses S. Grant to Major-General James B. McPherson, July 8, 1863

HDQRS. DEPT. OF THE TENN., Vicksburg, Miss., July 8, 1863.

Maj. Gen. J. B. MCPHERSON, Comdg. Seventeenth Army Corps:

GENERAL: There apparently being some misunderstanding between Lieutenant-General Pemberton and the paroling officers engaged in issuing paroles to the prisoners, and Major [N. G.] Watts, commissioner for the exchange of prisoners, apparently having the idea that his presence here makes it necessary that he should receipt all rolls to make the parole binding, I will give you a line of policy to pursue.

The terms which I proposed to General Pemberton were free from ambiguity, and were accepted in unmistakable language. That acceptance alone made the whole garrison prisoners of war, who could not properly be placed on military duty until properly exchanged, even if they should escape before being paroled or enrolled. No further receipt than General Pemberton's letter of acceptance of terms is necessary to bind the Confederate authorities to acknowledge the entire garrison of Vicksburg on the morning of the 4th instant prisoners of war. The only object in issuing rolls made out is that the Government may have something in a compact form, which will be recognized, to enable them to negotiate for the exchange of prisoners hereafter. I do not regard it as essential that Major Watts should sign the rolls, so long as they are signed by brigade or regimental commanders. Major Watts, with the balance, is at present a prisoner of war.

U.S. GRANT.

SOURCE: The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, Volume 24, Part 3 (Serial No. 38), p. 488

Major-General Ulysses S. Grant to Major-General James B. McPherson, July 8, 1863

VICKSBURG, MISS., July 8, 1863.

Maj. Gen. J. B. MCPHERSON, Comdg. Seventeenth Army Corps:

GENERAL: There apparently being some misunderstanding between Lieutenant-General Pemberton and the paroling officers as to the method of conducting the paroling of prisoners, I will give you the following rules for your guidance, that there may be no misunderstanding:

No prisoner will be allowed to leave our lines until all are paroled who will accept. Those who decline will be confined on steamers anchored in the stream until they accept and consent to march out with officers appointed over them. Declining this, they will be sent north as prisoners of war, to be held for exchange. When all those able to leave the lines are paroled, and the rolls are approved by General Pemberton, or any officer designated by him, the whole will be required to leave our lines. Those declining to leave will be sent out under guard. General Pemberton's acceptance of the terms proposed to him bind the Confederate Government not to accept the services of any man who formed a part of the garrison on the morning of the 4th instant until properly exchanged. The object of the parole is to make each individual feel the same obligation.

Very respectfully,

U.S. GRANT.

SOURCE: The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, Volume 24, Part 3 (Serial No. 38), p. 488-9

Major-General Ulysses S. Grant to Major-General James B. McPherson, July 15, 1863

Head Quarters, Dept. of the Ten.        

Vicksburg Miss. July 15th 1863.

Maj, Gen. J. B. McPherson,
        Comd.g 17th Army Corps.

GEN.

Some ladies just in from eight miles in the country applying for a guard at their house state that guards are at almost every house through the country. That the negroes are armed and wors[e] than the straggling soldiers. I wish you would instruct your Cavalry to patrol the country as much as possible and bring in all guards and send them to their regiments and all stragglers and armed negroes and put them at work in the city. It is highly probable that most of the guards are self constituted guards. In that case they should be punished same as stragglers.

Very respectfully

U. S. Grant        

Maj. Gen. Com

SOURCE: John Y. Simon, Editor, The Papers of Ulysses S. Grant, Volume 9, p. 53

Major-General Ulysses S. Grant to Major-General Edward O. C. Ord, June 25, 1863

NEAR VICKSBURG, June 25, 1863.

General ORD:

McPherson secured the crater made by the explosion. The cavity made was sufficiently large to shelter two regiments. The enemy made an effort to drive our troops away. Our loss about 30 killed and wounded, some ten of them officers, and 3 field officers. Guns will be in the crater by morning, with rifle-pits to the left to defend it. If we can hold the position until morning it will evidently give us possession of a long line of rifle-pits to the right, and a fair way of advancing to enfilade to the left.

U.S. GRANT.

(Same to General Herron.)

SOURCE: The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, Volume 24, Part 3 (Serial No. 38), p. 441

Major-General Edward O. C. Ord to Major-General Ulysses S. Grant, June 25, 1863

[June 25, 1863.]

How is McPherson doing holding his own Shall I hold men ready to move that way if so how many

SOURCE: John Y. Simon, Editor, The Papers of Ulysses S. Grant, Volume 8, p. 416

Major-General James B. McPherson to Major-General Ulysses S. Grant, July 1, 1863

MCPHERSON'S, July 1, 1863.

Major-General GRANT:

The mine on Logan's front is ready, and the enemy appear to be digging in toward it. Shall I explode it? And what disposition do you desire me to make of my troops; anything more than having the rifle-pits filled with sharpshooters?

JAS. B. McPHERSON.

SOURCE: The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, Volume 24, Part 3 (Serial No. 38), p. 456

Major-General James B. McPherson to Major-General Ulysses S. Grant, July 1, 1863

SEVENTEENTH ARMY CORPS, [July 1,] 1863.

Major-General GRANT:

The mine will be exploded about 3 p.m. to-day.

JAS. B. McPHERSON.

SOURCE: The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, Volume 24, Part 3 (Serial No. 38), p. 456

Major-General James B. McPherson to Major-General John A. Logan, July 1, 1863—11 a.m.

BEFORE VICKSBURG, July 1, 1863—11 a.m.

Major-General LOGAN, Commanding Third Division.

GENERAL: The mine in your front will be exploded as soon as the proper disposition of the troops can be made. It is not intended to make any assault, but simply to have the rifle-pits lined with sharpshooters, and the command under arms, ready to take advantage of any chance in our favor or repel any sortie of the enemy.

Yours, truly,

JAS. B. McPHERSON.

SOURCE: The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, Volume 24, Part 3 (Serial No. 38), p. 456

Major-General James B. McPherson to Major-General Ulysses S. Grant, July 1, 1863

[July 1, 1863.]

The mine was successfully Exploded today damaging the enemy's works considerably & killing & wounding a number of their men Six men were blown out on our side of the defensive four of them killed one mortally wounded & one a negro slightly hurt the seige guns a portion of Logans & Ransoms arty opened on them with good effect as well as Ransoms Sharp shooters Ransom who was in a position to see the inside of the works says the rebels must have lost a good many men it has just been reported to me by Lt Branigan 1st infy in chg of 30 pdr parrotts that three rebel regts were seen crossing the bottom running towards our right Shermans Command beyond the range of any of our guns except the 30 pdrs from which he fired as long as they could be seen . . .

P. S. The explosion today evidently took the rebels by Surprise

SOURCE: John Y. Simon, Editor, The Papers of Ulysses S. Grant, Volume 8, p. 448-9

Brigadier-General Rutherford B. Hayes to Sardis Birchard, January 6, 1865

CUMBERLAND, MARYLAND, January 6, 1865.

Dear UNCLE: – We are getting into very pleasant quarters. The town is a fine one, plenty of parties, balls, etc., etc., for the beaux — fine mountain scenery — good water and wood convenient.

There are still odds and ends of business to be finished, and then no reason that I can see why I should not go home. I expect quite confidently to be at home within two weeks.

The reason for my promotion, etc., has been officially announced "for gallantry and meritorious services in the Battles of Opequon, Fisher's Hill, and Cedar Creek” and dates from the Battle of Cedar Creek, October 19. All very satisfactory.

Sincerely,

R. B. HAYES

S. BIRCHARD.

_______________

OHIO GENERALS, GRADUATES FROM WEST POINT WHO ONE THE WAR FOR THE UNION.

[Top:] Major-General Philip Sheridan, 1831-88.  Lieutenant-General William T. Sherman, 1820-91.  Major-General James B. McPherson,1828-64.

[Center:] General Ulysses S. Grant, 1822-85.

[Bottom:] Major-General George Crook, 1828-90.  Major-General George A. Custer, 1839-76.

SOURCE: Charles Richard Williams, editor, Diary and Letters of Rutherford Birchard Hayes, Volume 2, p. 554-5

Major-General William T. Sherman: General Orders, No. 44, June 9, 1863

GENERAL ORDERS, No. 44.}

HDQRS. FIFTEENTH ARMY CORPS,        

Walnut Hills, Miss., June 9, 1863.

To prevent communication between the enemy, now closely invested in Vicksburg, and their friends and adherents without, the following rules must be observed on the north front:

A continuous chain of sentinels must extend from the Mississippi River to the main Jackson road, along our front trenches. These sentinels will act as sharpshooters or pickets, and must be posted daily, and be instructed that no human being must pass into or out of Vicksburg, unless on strictly military duty, or as prisoners.

These sentinels must connect, one with another, the whole line; but division commanders may prescribe the posts, so that the length of line for each sentinel will depend on its nature.

All the ground, no matter how seemingly impracticable, must be watched.

The reserves and reliefs will be by brigades or divisions, according to the nature of the ground; but the post of his reserve must be known to each sentinel, and be within call.

I. General Steele will be held responsible for the front, from the Mississippi to the valley now occupied by General Thayer, to be known as "Abbott's Valley."

II. General Tuttle, from Abbott's Valley to the Graveyard road, at the point near the head of our "sap," to be known as "Washington Knoll?

III. General Blair, from Washington Knoll to where he connects with General McPherson's troops, at or near the point now occupied by General Ransom's advanced rifle-pits, to be known as "Ransom's Hill."

IV. The battalion of regulars, commanded by Captain Smith, will keep guards along all the roads leading to the front, and will arrest all soldiers absent from their regiments without proper authority, and turn back all officers not provided with written orders or passes from the commanders of their brigades or divisions.

Soldiers or citizens (not regular sutlers within the proper limits of their regiments) found peddling will be put under guard, and set to work on roads or trenches, and their wares turned into the hospital or distributed among the soldiers on duty.

Horses, mules, or any species of property found in possession of stragglers or absentees from duty, will be turned in to the corps quartermaster, a memorandum receipt taken, and sent to the corps inspector-general.

V. Colonel Eldridge, One hundred and twenty-seventh Illinois, will guard the Yazoo City road, at Chickasaw Creek, and also the bridges across the bayou, and will enforce at those points the same general orders as above prescribed.

VI. Colonel Judy, of the One hundred and fourteenth Illinois, will guard the road at the picket station near Templeton's, with vedettes on the by-roads leading therefrom north and east, and enforce similar general orders.

VII. In every regiment, troop, or company there must be at least three roll-calls daily—at reveille, retreat, and tattoo, and any commander who cannot account for every man in his command, at all times, will be liable for neglect of duty. He cannot shift his responsibility to an orderly sergeant.

The inspector-general of the corps may, and will, frequently visit camps, call for the rolls, and see that captains and colonels can account for every man.

VIII. Surgeons in charge of corps and division hospitals will notify regimental commanders of the admission and discharge of men at their hospitals, and furnish lists of men so admitted or discharged to the proper military commander.

Corps and division inspector-generals may, and will, frequently visit such hospitals, and satisfy themselves that no officers or soldiers are in hospital, except such as are admitted for treatment or regularly detailed as nurses.

IX. All commanders of divisions, brigades, regiments, and detached companies will be held responsible that their camps are not encumbered with surplus wagons, tents, horses, mules, tools, sutlers' trash, or anything that will prevent their raising camp at a moment's notice and taking up the march against an enemy to our front, flank, or rear.

X. The magnificent task assigned to this army should inspire every officer and soldier to sacrifice everything of comfort, ease, or pleasure to the one sole object, "success," now apparently within our grasp. A little more hard work, great vigilance, and a short struggle, and Vicksburg is ours.

By order of Maj. Gen. W. T. Sherman:

R. M. SAWYER,        

Assistant Adjutant-General.

SOURCE: The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, Volume 24, Part 3 (Serial No. 38), p. 394-5

Major-General Ulysses S. Grant to Major-General John A. McClernand, June 15, 1863

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE TENNESSEE,        

    Near Vicksburg, Miss., June 15, 1863.

Maj. Gen. JOHN A. McCLERNAND,
        Commanding Thirteenth Army Corps:

A portion of the Ninth Army Corps, about 8,000 strong, have now arrived, and will take position on the south side of the city, thus making the investment complete. This will release General Herron, who is instructed to move to General Hovey's place, thus contracting your front to the ground occupied by Smith and Carr.

Should the enemy attack Haynes' Bluff in such force as to make it necessary to detach a greater force than  has already been designated, i.e., the six reserve brigades of McPherson's and Sherman's corps, I will have to entirely uncover on the south side of the city. This will necessarily involve an exposure of our left flank from the garrison of Vicksburg. We should hold and fight the enemy wherever he presents himself, from the extreme right to your extreme left—that is, all the ground taken by the three army corps on first investing the city should be held.

Your left division is, or will be, replaced by one numerically stronger. By replacing it thus it gives you a reserve of three brigades. Lauman's, with nearly 6,000 men, will also be there to strengthen you still further in this emergency.

I do not want to give up the front occupied by Lauman unless it should become absolutely necessary to do so, but give this as a plan to be adopted in case of the greatest pressure on the left. The idea, then, is, that two lines should now be selected running perpendicular to our present line, one from Lauman's left, along Hall's Ferry road, and one from Hovey's present left. Should Parke's command, the Ninth Corps, be removed, your reserve should at once be thrown on to the first line chosen on the Hall's Ferry road. Should they be so hotly pressed as to make it necessary for them to fall back into the second line, then Lauman's division should be brought into it also. The very moment an order goes for the removal of the Ninth Corps you will be notified. You will then assume command of all the forces to the left of you in addition to your own corps.

Everything in the shape of ammunition, commissary stores, and other public property not required, should be got back to within what may possibly become our most contracted line.

Should the enemy attempt to get past your left, with the view of forming a junction with Johnston's forces, he must be defeated. An attempt to leave his lines, however, I do not look upon as probable. This would give us the city, and leave my whole force to act directly against the enemy, and as a last resort fall into his lines, and act on the defensive, behind works of his own building. This is given only as a general plan, to be adopted under certain circumstances. The movements of an enemy necessarily determine counter-movements.

After writing the foregoing, and after General Parke had moved one division of his command to opposite Warrenton, I had to change my plan and send him to Haynes' Bluff. From information received, the enemy have 12,000 infantry and artillery at Yazoo, with orders to move south; four thousand cavalry already between the Yazoo and Big Black River, and Loring ordered to cross. This made it necessary to send the extra force up the Yazoo River.

You will assume command of Lauman's division at once, Herron taking up part of the ground occupied by Lauman. The latter can better spare a garrison regiment to garrison Warrenton than any one else. I would not take a regiment from you for a garrison of Warrenton, but Herron has a long line to hold, and but eight regiments to do it with.

Lauman will be directed to report to and receive orders from you.

U.S. GRANT.

SOURCE: The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, Volume 24, Part 3 (Serial No. 38), p. 409-10

Major-General Ulysses S. Grant to Brigadier-General Lorenzo Thomas, June 26, 1863

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE TENNESSEE,        

In Camp near Vicksburg, Miss., June 26, 1863.

Brig. Gen. LORENZO THOMAS,
        Adjutant-General of the Army, Washington, D.C.:

GENERAL: Inclosed I respectfully transmit the letters of Maj. Gen. W. T. Sherman, commanding Fifteenth Army Corps, and Maj. Gen. J. B. McPherson, commanding Seventeenth Army Corps, of date, respectively, the 17th and 18th instant, relative to the congratulatory order of Maj. Gen. John A. McClernand to his troops, a copy of which order is also herewith transmitted, together with copies of the correspondence relating thereto, and my order relieving General McClernand from the command of the Thirteenth Army Corps and assigning Maj. Gen. E. O. C. Ord to the command thereof, subject to the approval of the President.

A disposition and earnest desire on my part to do the most I could with the means at my command, without interference with the assignments to command which the President alone was authorized to make, made me tolerate General McClernand long after I thought the good of the service demanded his removal. It was only when almost the entire army under my command seemed to demand it that he was relieved.

The inclosed letters show the feelings of the army corps serving in the field with the Thirteenth Corps. The removal of General McClernand from the command of the Thirteenth Army Corps has given general satisfaction, the Thirteenth Army Corps sharing, perhaps, equally in that feeling with the other corps of the army. My action in the relieving of Maj. Gen. John A. McClernand from the command of the Thirteenth Army Corps and the assignment of Maj. Gen. E.O. C. Ord to that command I trust will meet the approval of the President.*

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

U.S. GRANT,        

Major-general.

_______________

* See also McClernand to Halleck, June 24, p. 165

SOURCE: The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, Volume 24, Part 1 (Serial No. 36), p. 158-9