HEADQUARTERS UNITED STATES TROOPS,
City and Harbor of New York, July 21, 1863.

Colonel J. B. FRY,

Provost-Marshal-General, Washington, D. C.:

SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your communication of the 19th instant, and to state, in reply, that there have been no disturbances in the past four days, and there are now many evidences of reaction, but the indications are not yet sufficiently strong to justify the expectation that the resistance to the draft has been effectually suppressed. I have now in the city subject to my orders 2, 113 men of all arms, and in the harbor, including David Island, 988. A large proportion of these troops are recruits, hastily collected and armed. The troops in the city are employed at present as guards for the public property, which is dispersed over a large portion of the city, in positions that were selected without any anticipation of the present contingency. It will not be prudent to withdraw any of these troops for the purpose of enforcing the draft until the State and city authorities have had time to perfect arrangements for the preservation of order in this city. Until that is assured, operations should be limited to the preparations that are necessary for securing the forts in the harbor and the public property in the city. If resistance is again attempted, it will be organized, and will not be limited to the draft, but will be accompanied by an attempt to seize the forts and destroy the public property in the city or convert it to the use of the insurgents.

Very respectfully, sir, your obedient servant,

ED. R. S. CANBY,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.

[Indorsement.]

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE EAST,
New York, July 21, 1863.

I fully concur in the views of General Canby.

JOHN A. DIX,

Major-General.

NEW YORK, July 21, 1863-4 p. m.

(Received 4. 40 p. m.)

His Excellency ABRAHAM LINCOLN,

President of the United States:

SIR: We beg to urge upon you the adoption of the policy recommended in Mr. Field`s letter of Sunday, forwarded by Mr. Blake. That will indicate the authority and prestige of the Government, while it will greatly lessen, if not entirely abate, the opposition to the conscription.

GEO. OPDYKE.

HORACE GREELEY.

WM. C. BRYANT.

HENRY J. RAYMOND.

D. D. FIELD.