HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC,
December 2, 1864 - 5.15 p. m. (Sent 5.35 p. m.)

Major-General PARKE,

Commanding Ninth Corps:

The following dispatch* has been received from Major-General Butler. The commanding general directs that every man belonging to the division of colored troops recently transferred to the Army of the James be sent without delay to that army. This army must furnish its own details of every description, and no enlisted man belonging to another army can be retained here without a positive disobedience of orders. Please answer.

S. WILLIAMS,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

HEADQUARTERS NINTH CORPS,
December 2, 1864. (Received 7.25 p. m.)

General S. WILLIAMS,

Assistant Adjutant-General:

Dispatch received, together with copy of dispatch from General Butler. Steps have been taken to have the men belonging to colored division sent with the division. This change in the details could not be made at once, particularly as this corps was moved immediately on the arrival of the six new regiments. In reference to the subject of details I would respectfully state that there in now with that division a number of men detailed from the other two divisions of this corps, serving as clerks, commissary sergeants, &c. I would respectfully have Major-General Butler's attention called to this fact, and request that these be returned at once, since he is disposed to make complaint.

JNumbers G. PARKE,

Major-General.

HEADQUARTERS SECOND DIVISION, CAVALRY CORPS,
December 2, 1864 - 2 p. m.

Brigadier General S. WILLIAMS,

Assistant Adjutant-General, Army of the Potomac:

GENERAL: I send to the provost-marshal a deserter named M. Carter, Sixth South Carolina Cavalry, who states that about 1,500 dismounted cavalry, under General Young, have been sent South. Those went last week and the week before.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

D. MCM. GREGG,

Brigadier-General of Volunteers, Commanding Second Division.

CITY POINT, VA., December 2, 1864.

Major-General BUTLER:

Has Colonel Potter been sent to the Army of the Potomac? I do not care to have him go, but General Meade is desirous of knowing if he is to go or not, in order that he may know whether to assign a commander to the troops you may send to him.

U. S. GRANT,

Lieutenant-General.

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*See p. 782.

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