HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE MISSOURI,
Saint Louis, March 6, 1862.

Major-General GRANT, Fort Henry, Tenn.:

General McClellan directs that you report to me daily the number and positions of the forces under your command. Your neglect of repeated orders to report the strength of your command has created great dissatisfaction and seriously interfered with military plans. Your going to Nashville without authority, and when your presence with your troops was of the utmost importance, was a matter of very serious complaint at Washington, so much so that I was advised to arrest you on your return.*

H. W. HALLECK,

Major-General.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE OHIO,
Nashville, March 6, 1862.

Honorable J. R. UNDERWOOD,

Chairman Military Committee, Frankfort, Ky.:

DEAR SIR: I have had the honor to receive your communications of the 1st instant on the subject of fugitive slaves in the camps of the army.

It has come to my knowledge that slaves sometimes make their way improperly into our lines, and in some instances they may be enticed there; but I think the number has been magnified by report. Several applications have been made to me by persons whose servants have been found in our camps, and in every instance that I know of the master has recovered his servant and taken him away.

I need hardly remind you that there will always be found some lawless and mischievous persons in every army; but I assure you that the mass of this army is law-abiding, and that it is neither its disposition nor its policy to violate law or the rights of individuals in any particular.

With great respect, your obedient servant,

[D. C. BUELL,]

Brigadier-General, Commanding Department.

FORT HENRY, March 7, 1862.

Major General H. W. HALLECK, Saint Louis, Mo.:

Your dispatch of yesterday just received. I did all I could to get you returns of the strength of my command. Every move I made was reported daily to your chief of staff, who must have failed to keep you properly posted. I have done my very best to obey orders and to carry out the interests of the service. If my course is not satisfactory, remove met at once. I do not with to impede in any way the success of our arms. I have averaged writing more than once a day since leaving Cairo to keep you informed of my position, and it is no fault of mine if you have not received my letters. My going to Nashville was strictly intended for the good of the service, and not to gratify any desire of my own.

Believing sincerely that I must have enemies between you and myself, who are trying to impair my usefulness, I respectfully ask to be relieved from further duty in the department.

U. S. GRANT,

Major-General.

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*See Series I, Vol. VII, pp., 679, 680,682, 683.

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