WASHINGTON CITY, May 1, 1865.

(Received 2nd.)

Major-General THOMAS,

Nashville, Tenn.:

Relieve General Meredith from command at Paducah and direct him to report by letter to the Adjutant-General for orders. Name his successor yourself. It is not necessary that a general officer should take his place.

U. S. GRANT,

Lieutenant-General.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE CUMBERLAND,
Nashville, May 1, 1865-4 p.m. (Received 7.20 p.m.)

Lieutenant-General GRANT:

In accordance with your instructions of 1 p.m. yesterday I have directed all my local commanders to send, under flag of truce, a summons to all bands of armed men operating near their commands, or who may be nearer to them than to any other Federal command, to come in and surrender on the same terms made by Lee and Johnston. On the 27th of April I directed Generals Stoneman, Wilson, and Steedman to send out scouts and ascertain, if possible, the route Jeff. Davis had taken, and be prepared to pursue him on the first information of his whereabouts, and use every exertion to capture him. I also gave the same instructions to Generals Granger, Hatch, and Washburn on the 28th, and informed Major-General Canby and Admiral Lee that it was reported that Davis was endeavoring to escape across the Mississippi, that they might make arrangements for his capture. General Stoneman had started his cavalry for South Carolina to scout down the east side of the Savannah River as far, if possible, as Augusta, and had given Colonel Palmer instructions to forward a copy of the orders he received to General Wilson for his guidance. These instructions were also forwarded to Major-General Wilson by Colonel Woodall via Chattanooga. I think it will be impossible for Davis to escape across the country between this and Macon, Montgomery, or Vicksburg.

GEO. H. THOMAS,

Major-General, U. S. Army, Commanding.

NASHVILLE, May 1, 1865.

(Received 4.05 a.m. 2nd.)

General D. C. McCALLUM:

The construction corps in now repairing the railroad between Knoxville and Bristol, and are within twenty-five miles of the Virginia line. If the railroad is not to be opened through to Lynchburg I can have most of the construction corps discharged at once. Please advise me.

A. ANDERSON.

[Indorsement.]

QUARTERMASTER-GENERAL'S OFFICE,

May 2, 1865.

Respectfully referred to Lieutenant-General Grant, with recommendation that all expenditure for repair or extension of repair of the Virginia and Tennessee road eastward be stopped by telegraphic orders to Major-General Thomas, commanding.

Respectfully,

M. C. MEIGS,

Quartermaster-General.