CITY POINT, June 26, 1864.

Major-General BUTLER:

Please send by messenger as soon as practicable a statement of your effective force operating from the James River.

By command of Lieutenant-General Grant:

T. S. BOWERS,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

JUNE 26, 1864-7.15 p. m.

Colonel ROWERS,

Assistant Adjutant-General, City Point:

Pardon me; it is probably my stupidity. You say in your dispatch, "Your effective force operating from the James River." Do you intend the forces on my line from the Appomattox to the James, of those on the Richmond side of the James at Deep Bottom, or both? I shall be obliged for the explanation.

Respectfully,

BENJ. F. BUTLER.

CITY POINT, June 26, 1864.

Major General B. F. BUTLER:

I intended to ask for the effective strength of the army in the field with you, which includes the troops on both sides of the river belonging to the Tenth and Eighteenth Corps, and all others located on the line of present operations this side of Fortress Monroe. Please excuse my failure to make the dispatch intelligible.

T. S. BOWERS,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

CITY POINT, June 26, 1864-4.30 p. m.

General BUTLER:

The force crossing James River is probably the enemy's cavalry which was after Sheridan. The latter is now all safe and no doubt the enemy have abandoned all idea of further molesting him. If re-enforcements should become absolutely essential to hold your lines the troops north of the river may be brought in, not, however, until the necessity arises.

U. S. GRANT,

Lieutenant-General.

JUNE 26, 1864-4.45 p. m.

Lieutenant-General GRANT:

Reported from lookout that the column of the enemy reported this morning occupied four hours and a half in passing.

BENJ. F. BUTLER,

Major-General.

RIVER-BANK SIGNAL STATION, June 26, 1864-8.30 a. m.

Captain NORTON:

Twenty-five empty open cars have just passed the Junction toward Petersburg.

SIMONS,

Lieutenant and Signal Officer.