officer of that post for duty. The quartermaster's department will furnish the necessary transportation.

* * * * * *

By command of Major-General Thomas:

WM. D. WHIPPLE,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

[39.]

HDQRS. MILITARY DIVISION OF THE MISSISSIPPI, In the Field, near Kenesaw, Ga., June 13, 1864.

Prof. Henry COPPEE,
Philadelphia:

DEAR SIR: In the June number of the U. S. Service Magazine I find a brief sketch of Lieutenant General U. S. Grant, in which I see you are likely to prepetuate an error which General Grant may not deem of sufficient importance to correct. To General Buell's very noble, able, and gallant conduct you attribute the disasters of April 6 at Pittsburg Landing being retrieved and made the victory of the following day. Like General Taylor is said in his late days to have doubted whether he was at the battle of Buena Vista at all on account of the many things having transpired there, according to the historians, which he did not see, so I begin to doubt whether I was at the battle of Pittsburg Landing of modern description. But I was at the batteries of April 6 and 7, 1862. General Grant visited my division in pereson about 10 a. M., when the battle raged fiercest. I was then on the right. After some general conversation he remarked that I was doing right in stubbornly opposing the progress of the enemy, and in answer to my inquiry as to cartridges told me he had anticipated their want and made orders accordingly. He then said his presence was more needed over at the left. About 2 p. M. of the 6th the enemy materially slackened his attac on me, and about 4 p. M. I deliberately made a newe line behind McArthur's drill field, placing batteries on chosen ground, and repelled easily a cavalry attack and watched the cautious approach of the enemy's infantry that never dislodged us thre. I selected that line in advance of a bridge across Snake Creek, by which we had all day been expecting the approach of Lew. Wallace's division from Crump's Landing. About 5 p. M., before the sun set, General Grant came again to me, and after hearing my report of matters, explained to me the situation of affairs on the left, which were not as favorable. Still, the enemy had failed to reach the landinge agreed that the enemy had expended the furors of his attack, and we estimated our loss and approximated our then strength, including Lew. Wallace's fresh division, expected each minute, and he then ordered me to get all things ready, and at daylight the next day to assume the offensive. That was before General Buell had arrived, but he was known to be near at hand. General Buell's troops took no essential part in the first days' fight, and Grant's army, though collected together hastily, green as militia, some regiments arriving without cartirdges even, and nearly all hearing the dread sound of battle for the first ime, had successfully withstood and repelled the first day's terrific onset of a superior enemy, well commanded and well handled.

I know I had orders from General Grant's to assume the offensive before I knw General Buell was on the west side of the Tennessee. I think General Buell, Colonel Fry, and others of General Buell's staff rode up to where I was about sunset, about the time General Grant