could spare from the Department of the South. This is my view, but before giving positive orders I want to make a visit to Washington and consult a little on the subject. All Canby can do with his present force is to make demonstration on Mobile and up the Appalachicola toward Columbus. He cannot possibly have the force to require the transportation your letters would indicate he has called for, or to consume the supplies. Either line indicated would cut off the supplies from the rich district of Georgia, Alabama, and MISSISSIPPI equally well. Whichever way Sherman moves he will undoubtedly encounter Hood's army, and in crossing to the sea-coast will sever the connection between Lee's army and this district of country. I wrote to Sherman on this subject, sending my letter by a staff officer. He is ready to attempt (and feels confident of his ability to succeed) to make his way to either the Savannah River or any of the navigable steams emptying into the Atlantic or Gulf, if he is only certain of finding a base open for him when he arrives. The supplies Canby was ordering I presume were intended for the use of Sherman's army. I do not deem it necessary to accumulate them in any great quantity until the base to which he is to make his way is secured.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

U. S. GRANT,

Lieutenant-General.

CITY POINT, VA., October 4, 1864.

(Recieved 1. 20 p. m.)

Major General W. T. SHERMAN,

Atlanta, Ga.:

General Wilson has been ordered to report to you, and that he may have ran to command your cavalry I have asked that he be brevetted a major-general, and assigned with that rank. I believe Wilson will add 50 per cent, to the effectiveness of your cavalry.

U. S. GRANT,

Lieutenant-General.

HEADQUARTERS OF THE ARMY,
Washington, D. C., October 4, 1864.

Major-General SHERMAN,

Atlanta:

GENERAL: Your letter of the 20th ultimo* inclosing a communication from General Schofield in regard to the question of command betweeen himself and General Stanley, has been submitted to the Secretary of War, and I am directed to reply as follows:

When the President of the United States has, under the act of April 4, 1862, assigned an officer to the commadn of an army, army corps, or department, no other officer of the same grade, although senior in rank, can assume or exercise the command of such army, army corps, or department.

Suppose a general commanding in the field should attach to an army corps a DIVISION commanded by an officer ranking by seniority the commander of that corps, the former could not assume command of the corps by virtue of that seniorty, because, in the language of the Sixty-second Arcticle of War, it has been "othewise specially directed by the President of the United States. " Suppose there be assigned.

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* See Part II, p. 413.

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