Today in History:

463 Series I Volume XLI-IV Serial 86 - Price's Missouri Expedition Part IV

Page 463 Chapter LIII. CORRESPONDENCE, ETC.-UNION.

CITY POINT, Va., November 7, 1864.

Major-General HALLECK,

Washington, D. C.:

Under the circumstances pointed out in General Rosecran's dispatch of this date, I think as he does, that pursuit after Price might as well be discontinued. Please so direct him.

U. S. GRANT,

Lieutenant-General.


HEADQUARTERS OF THE ARMY,
Washington, D. C., November 7, 1864. (Received 18th.)

Major-General CANBY:

No further military operations on the coast will be undertaken at this time. Troops in Mobile Harbor will required solely for holding the harbor defenses. All available forces of the Department of the Gulf on the Mississippi River and in Arkansas should be organized to operate from some point on the river, to cut off Beauregard's communications, break the Mobile and Ohio Railroad, destroy enemy's supplies, and, if possible, threaten Selma. General Grant leaves the point of departure and line of operations at your own discretion. Price has been cut to pieces, and is by this time south of the Arkansas River. Beauregard has repaired the Mobile and Ohio Railroad, and is also repairing the Mississippi and Tennessee road. His depot is at Corinth, and his forces mostly on the Tennessee River. Thomas is in his front with a large force. Sherman, with four corps, is operating in Georgia; his destination is unknown. Possibly he may strike Montgomery and Selma.

H. W. HALLECK,

Major-General and Chief of Staff.

(Copies furnished Generals Reynolds and Dana. Admiral Farragut and General Granger furnished copies November 20, 1864.)


HEADQUARTERS OF THE ARMY.

Washington, November 7, 1864. (Received 20th.)

Major-General CANBY,
New Orleans:

GENERAL:

Your indorsement the Surgeon-General's letter of September 23 has been presented to the Secretary of War, who decides that the authority given to you places medical officers as well as others on the east bank of the Mississippi River subject to your orders, and he directs that any one who refuses or neglects to obey them be relieved from command and placed in arrest. In order to remove all future difficulty on this score, general orders are issued today detaching all such troops from their former department and corps commands, and placing them directly under your order. As Beauregard has concentrated all his forces near Corinth, and has repaired the Mobile and Ohio Railroad, General Grant wishes you to immediately organize a force east of the Mississippi River to operate against his communications and supplies. It is quite possible that you may also find it necessary to increase and strengthen the garrison and works at Memphis.


Page 463 Chapter LIII. CORRESPONDENCE, ETC.-UNION.