Today in History:

142 Series I Volume XL-II Serial 81 - Richmond, Petersburg Part II

Page 142 OPERATIONS IN SE. VA. AND N. C. Chapter LII.

GENERAL BUTLER'S HEADQUARTERS,

June 17, 1864-12 m. (Received 12.20 p.m.)

Brigadier-General RAWLINS,

Chief of Staff:

I have examined the ground in front of General Butler. I agree with General Weitzel, that an advance should be made to drive them back and build some works in our advance. I will bring you full information.

O. E. BABCOCK,

Lieutenant-Colonel and Aide-de-Camp.

CITY POINT, June 17, 1864.

Major-General BUTLER:

If you have no objection to withdrawing your order relieving General Gillmore, I will relieve him at his own request. The way the matter now stands it is a severe punishment to General Gillmore, even if a court of inquiry should hereafter acquit him. I think the course here suggested advisable, and would be pleased if you agree to it, though I do not order or insist upon it.

U. S. GRANT,

Lieutenant-General.


HEADQUARTERS,
June 17, 1864-2.35 p.m. (Received 3.20 p.m.)

Lieutenant-General GRANT:

I can have no objections to the course you suggest in relation to relieving General Gillmore, as I have no personal feeling in the matter. Perhaps it would be better that the order should be dated on the date of my order in consequence of other arrangement of command depending upon General Gillmore being relieved. I have, in accordance with your suggestion and the necessities of the service, assigned General Brooks to the command of the troops of the Tenth Army Corps serving in this department. It would have been done before, but I was unwilling to take him away where he was winning laurels from before Petersburg. As the Eighteenth Corps is coming back that objection is now removed.

BENJ. F. BUTLER,

Major-General, Commanding.

JUNE 17, 1864.

Lieutenant-General GRANT:

I should be quite willing to make the exchange your note suggests, getting the colored troops and giving up the division to General Burnside, but there is one difficulty. There is no such division now as Getty's division, the troops composing it having been differently assigned, some, I believe, to be in North Carolina, but of that I am not sure, and my adjutant-general's office in the field gives me no information. Smith sends word that he desires to get back with the Eighteenth


Page 142 OPERATIONS IN SE. VA. AND N. C. Chapter LII.