WASHINGTON, July 12, 1864-11.30 a.m.

Lieutenant-General GRANT:

Vague rumors have been reaching us for two or three days that Longstreet's corps is also on its way to this vicinity. Look out for its absence from your front.

A. LINCOLN.

WASHINGTON, D. C., July 12, 1864.

Lieutenant-General GRANT,

City Point:

At the request of General Canby General Reynolds was appointed to command of the Nineteenth Corps. I presume, however, that he will command only what remains on the Mississippi. General Gillmore is appointed temporary commander of the portion that my arrive here. General Ord has been appointed to command the Eighth Corps and troops in the Middle Department in place of General Wallace. I think the matter of a permanent commander of the Tenth Corps should be delayed till present difficulties are over. The order respecting General Butler and the Eighteenth Corps was made precisely to carry out your views as expressed in your letter and telegram. If not satisfactory please make for the Adjutant-General a draft of one that will embrace exactly what you desire. Only about half of the Sixth Corps has landed and only one transport of the Nineteenth Corps. Till more arrive and are organized nothing can be done in the field. I think, however, that Washington is now pretty safe, unless the forces in some part of the intrenchments, and they are no means reliable, being made up of all kind of fragments, should give away before they can be re-enforced from other points. A line thirty-seven miles in length is very difficult to guard at all points with an inferior force. The forces in our front seem to be those previously named. Prisoners and citizens say that parts of Hill's and Longstreet's corps are expected. If this be true the enemy in your front must be very weak indeed. Nothing heard of Hunter. The breaking of the wires to Baltimore and Harrisburg has cut off all communication with him and with General Howe at massing his forces to attack us to-morrow. The boldness of this movement would indicate that he is stronger than we supposed.

H. W. HALLECK,

Major-General and Chief of Staff.

CITY POINT, VA., July 12, 1864-10 p.m.

(Received 1.20 p.m. 13th.)

Colonel E. D. TOWNSEND,

Washington, D. C.:

Dispatch announcing General Orders, No. 228, of July 11, received.* I have made strenuous efforts to discover if any troops besides Ewell's corps have left here. I believe now others have left. I now have infantry and cavalry out near Reams' Station, where the enemy are found intrenched. The night of the 9th a deserter from Hill's corps came in,

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*See Vol. XXXVII, Part II, pp.210,214.

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