GENERAL ORDERS,
HDQRS. DEPT. OF VA. AND N. C.,

No. 81. In the Field, Va., July 18, 1864.

All the territory lying east of the Chowan River and north of the Albemarle Sound is hereby annexed to the District of Eastern Virginia, under the command of Brigadier General George F. Shepley.

By command of Major General B. F. Butler:

R. S. DAVIS,

Major and Assistant Adjutant-General.

JULY 18, 1864 - 11 p. m.

Brigadier-General SHEPLEY,

Commanding, &c., Norfolk:

Issue a most stringent order at once in relation to quarantine, specially extending it to naval vessels. Have a health officer board them and hold on to them at all hazards. We know the difficulties and benefits of a strict quarantine. Make it effectual by giving it personal attention. The safety of our whole army up here may depend upon this order.

BENJ. F. BUTLER,

Major-General, Commanding.

GRANT'S HEADQUARTERS,

City Point, July 19, 1864 - 10 a. m. (Received 8.30 p. m.)

His Excellency A. LINCOLN,

President of the United States:

In my opinion there ought to be an immediate call for, say, 300,000 men to be put in the field in the shortest possible time. The presence of this number of re-enforcements would save the annoyance of raids, and would enable us to drive the enemy from his present front, particularly from Richmond, without attacking fortifications. The enemy now have their last men in the field. Every depletion of their army in an irreparable loss. Desertions from it are now rapid. With the prospect of large additions to our force these desertions would increase. The greater number of men we have the shorter and less sanguinary will be the war. I give this entirely as my views and not in any spirit of dictation, always holding myself in readiness to use the material given me to the best advantage I know how.

U. S. GRANT,

Lieutenant-General.

WASHINGTON, July 19, 1864 - 4 p. m.

Lieutenant-General GRANT,

City Point, Va.:

I am of the opinion that another regiment of heavy artillery, in addition to those with General Wright, should be sent here as soon as you can spare it. I have written to-day at length.

H. W. HALLECK,

Major-General and Chief of Staff.