railroad and pontoon bridges destroyed. The bridge over Smith's Creek is also destroyed. I have not learned whether any damage has been done to the railroad beyond the river. I shall push forward as soon as I can get any means of transportation. Wagons are beginning to arrive, and I hope the delay will not be long. The rebel agent of exchange has informed me that he will deliver 10,000 of our prisoners at the point where the railroad crosses the Northeast River, and I have agreed to receive them at that point. I presume he will commence to deliver them to-day. I am making all possible provision for the care of the sick, which will no doubt be a large proportion of the whole number. I have sent General Ruger's division of the Twentythird Corps to New Berne, and shall send either General Terry or General Cox there to command the troops operating from that point. I will go there or remain with the troops operating from this place, as may seem advisable. I will also keep transports enough for a short time to carry a division from one point to the other, if it becomes nec. essary. I have heard nothing yet of the troops you have ordered General Gillmore to send me, but presume they must be along in a very few days. I can land them here or at Beaufort, according to circumstances. I have asked for the assignment of General Cox and General Terry to corps commands, both because the strength of my command renders it desirable and because it will enable me to leave either the one or the other in command of the column which I may not be with at any time. Moreover, it will make the organization of my army correspond with that of General Sherman's other grand divisions. I hope, for these reasons, my request may be complied with. I presume General Sherman, upon hearing of the fall of Wilmington, will send his cavalry this way to communicate with me and inform me of his progress. I shall also make constant efforts to communicate with bim by means of scouts. I propose to repair both railroads toward Goldsborough as rapidly as possible. I shall also make such preparation as I can to send supplies to General Sherman by the river toward Fayetteville in case he should call for them. I am, general, very respectfully, your obedient servant, HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF NORTH CAROLINA, Lieut. Gen. U. S. GRANT, Commanding Armies of the United States, City Point, Va.: GENERAL: I respectfully request that the troops in this department which do not belong to the Twenty-third Army Corps may be organized into an army corps, and that Maj. Gen. Alfred H. Terry be assigned to its command. Also that Maj. Gen. J. D. Cox may be assigned to the command of the Twenty-third Army Corps. I am, general, very respectfully, your obedient servant, FORT MONROE, February 24, 1865-10 p. m. Lieutenant-General GRANT: Our troops entered Wilmington on the morning of the 22d instant. After the evacuation of Fort Anderson, General Schofield directed Cox to follow its garrison toward Wilmington, while Terry followed Hoke on the east side of the river. The latter took up a new line four miles from Wilmington, but was so closely pressed by Terry that he could send no troops to the west, side. On that side the rebels made a stand behind Town Creek, but on the 20th Cox crossed his troops below them on a flat-boat, attacked them in rear, and routed them, taking 2 guns and 300 prisoners. On the 21st Cox pushed to the Brunswick River, opposite Wilmington, where the bridges were on fire, and on his arrival the rebels began burning cotton and rosin in the city, and left it that night. Our captures, including Fort Anderson, amount to about 700 prisoners and 30 guns. Citizens state that the rebels burned 1,000 bales of cotton and 15,000 barrels of rosin. The Union feeling showed itself quite strongly in the city. Terry followed Hoke northward. C. B. COMSTOCK, Lieutenant-Colonel, Aide-de-Camp, and Brevet Brigadier-General. } SPECIAL ORDERS, HDQRS. ARMIES OF THE UNITED STATES, HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF NORTH CAROLINA, Brig. Gen. E. D. TOWNSEND, ARMY OF THE OHIO, Wilmington, N. C., February 24, 1865. Assistant Adjutant-General, Washington, D. C.: GENERAL: I have the honor to report the following number of men required to fill the several regiments belonging to the Second and Third Divisions, Twenty-third Army Corps, to the maximum, and respectfully request that the deficiency be supplied by drafted men: Second Division: Twenty-fifth Michigan Volunteer Infantry, 507; One hundred and eleventh Ohio Volunteer Infantry, 363; Sixth Tennessee Volunteer Infantry, 457; Twenty-third Michigan Volunteer Infantry, 139; Twenty-sixth Kentucky Volunteer Infantry, 22; Ninety-first Indiana Volunteer Infantry, 482; One hundred and seventh Illinois Volunteer Infantry, 505; One hundred and eighty-third Ohio Volunteer Infantry, 79; One hundred and eighteenth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, 309; One hundred and eighty-first Ohio Volunteer Infantry, 147; Eightieth Indiana Volunteer Infantry, 517; Fiftieth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, 110. Third Division: One hundred and fourth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, 247; Sixty-fifth Indiana Volunteer Infantry, 257; Sixteenth Kentucky Veteran Volunteer Infantry, 485; One hundred and seventy-seventh Ohio Volunteer Infantry, 136; Twelfth Kentucky Veteran Volunteer Infantry, 476; Fifth Tennessee Volunteer Infantry, 333; One hundredth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, 318; One hundred and twelfth Illinois Volunteer Infantry, 267; Eighth Tennessee Volunteer Infantry, 390; Sixtythird Indiana Volunteer Infantry, 250; One hundred and third Ohio Volunteer Infantry, 362; One hundred and fortieth Indiana Volunteer I am, general, very respectfully, your obedient servant, IV. By direction of the lieutenant-general commanding Armies of the United States, Brig. Gen. T. F. Meagher is relieved from duty in this department. He will repair without delay to his place of residence and report by letter to the Adjutant-General of the Army. Maj. Gen. J. D. Cox, J. A. CAMPBELL, Major and Assistant Adjutant-General. HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE OHIO, Wilmington, N. C., February 24, 1865. Commanding Third Division, Twenty-third Army Corps: GENERAL: The general commanding desires you to let Colonel Daggett's brigade remain where it is for the present, picketing the road, &c., in that direction. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, SPECIAL ORDERS, No. 41. J. A. CAMPBELL, Major and Assistant Adjutant-General. HEADQUARTERS PROVISIONAL CORPS, 1. Until further orders the Second Brigade, First Division, Twentyfourth Army Corps, will be attached to the command of Brig. Gen. C. J. Paine, commanding Third Division, Twenty-fifth Army Corps. The light batteries of this command will hereafter report direct to these headquarters. By order of Maj. Gen. A. H. Terry: A. TERRY, Major and Assistant Adjutant-General. Lieut. Gen. U. S. GRANT, Oity Point: WAR DEPARTMENT, Washington City, February 25, 1865. No commander for the Department of West Virginia has yet been appointed. Hartsuff, in my opinion, is not fit for anything. I will 36 R R-VOL XLVII, PT II Scho suggest to you a commander some time to-day or to-morrow. field's nomination will be made, as requested, subject, however, to his obedience to orders. I am not satisfied with his conduct in seizing the hospital boat Spaulding, to make it his own quarters. I have directed him to give it up. If he obeys the order promptly I will send in his nomination, otherwise I will not. I wish you would instruct him as to the impropriety of an officer using hospital boats for their own personal accommodation, or using or employing transports for their quarters at a vast expense to the Government. There has been too much of such practice already, and he takes rather an early start in such irregularities. EDWIN M. STANTON, Secretary of War. CITY POINT, VA., February 25, 1865-1.30 p.m. Hon. E. M. STANTON, Secretary of War, Washington, D. C.: General Comstock has just returned from Wilmington. He says that General Schofield arrived at the Cape Fear River without his transportation, and as he had to move about on the water asked the quartermaster if there was a boat he could use temporarily as well as not. He was told the Spaulding was doing nothing. When General Comstock left the Spaulding was to be loaded with wounded and some escaped prisoners. I will have an order made prohibiting the use of boats for headquarters. U. S. GRANT, Lieutenant-General. WASHINGTON, February 25, 1865-12.40 p.m. Lieutenant-General GRANT: Your letter of the 23d received. There is no occasion to expect the President will make any order against your wishes. The reasons mentioned by you have already been presented and are conclusive. EDWIN M. STANTON, Secretary of War. CITY POINT, VA., February 25, 1865-2.30 p.m. Hon. EDWIN M. STANTON, Secretary of War: One of my staff officers, who has just returned from Wilmington, says nothing has been done to save the large amount of ordnance and ordnance stores captured in Cape Fear River. I think the Chief of Ordnance should be required to take immediate steps to secure all ordnance stores captured on the coast. U. S. GRANT, WASHINGTON, D. C., February 25, 1865-10.30 a. m. Lieutenant-General GRANT, City Point: On the 19th orders were sent to General Gillmore to send all white troops not required to hold most important sea-ports to Cape Fear River. He had not received it when he wrote his dispatch of the 21st.* I do not see the policy of opening any railroads from Charleston, but will await your orders on Gillmore's requisition. H. W. HALLECK, Major-General and Chief of Staff. CITY POINT, VA., February 25, 1865-1 p. m. Major-General HALLECK, Washington: General Gillmore's dispatch of the 21st received. I scarcely see a contingency under which it will be necessary at present to open railroad communication in South Carolina. It is well enough to occupy Georgetown until Sherman is in communication from the seacoast. It is barely possible, though not probable, that he may require supplies from Georgetown. I expect nothing of the kind, however. Maj. Gen. WILLIAM T. SHERMAN, U. S. GRANT, NEW YORK, February 25, 1865. Commanding Armies in the Field, Washington: GENERAL: The citizens of New York have confided to us the grateful duty of transmitting the proceedings of a meeting held on the 22d instant, in which they offer their cordial congratulations to the country on the recent successes of the Union arms. In the performance of this duty we beg to assure you of our hearty concurrence in the sentiments of the resolutions and our admiration of the skill and gallantry evinced by the forces engaged in upholding the flag of the nation. With the highest respect, we remain, your obedient servants, NEW YORK, February 22, 1865. On motion of Paul Spofford, esq., Mr. Moses Taylor was called to the chair, and Messrs. S. B. Chittenden and Samuel Sloan were appointed secretaries. The chairman announced the purpose of the meeting, and Mr. Sloan offered the following resolutions, which were seconded by Mr. Charles H. Russell: PROPOSED CELEBRATION OF UNION VICTORIES. 1. Resolved, That the war to quell rebellion, which now rapidly approaches its inevitable conclusion, involves essentially the principles of self-government, human freedom, and Christian civilization; that the people of the United States have abundant cause for congratulation in the knowledge that while successfully maintain *See p. 525. |