HEADQUARTERS ARMIES OF THE UNITED STATES,
Washington, D. C., May 18, 1865.

Major-General HALLECK,

Richmond, Va.:

Please direct Major-General Weitzel, commanding Twenty-fifth Army corps, to get his corps in readiness for embarkation at City Point immediately upon the arrival of ocean transportation. He will take with him forty days' rations for 20,000 men, one-half of his land transportation, and, one fourth of his mules, with the requisite amount of forage for his animals. All surplus transportation and other public property he may have he will turn over to the depots at City Point.

By command of Lieutenant-General Grant:

JNO. A. RAWLINS,

Brigadier-General and Chief of Staff.

RICHMOND, VA., May 18, 1865-1 p. m.

Lieutenant-General GRANT:

Your order in regard to the Twenty-fifth Corps is received and will be immediately carried out. I recommend that the Twenty-fourth Corps, as a corps organization, be discontinued, and as soon as General Wright's corps leaves, all troops here be reduced to a departmental organization. It will greatly simplify returns and papers. Thee are now too many headquarters and staff officers. The machinery is far too complicated and expensive for the work to be done, and too many "big Indians" for a small tribe.

H. W. HALLECK,

Major-General.

RICHMOND, VA., May 18, 1865.

(Received 3.40 p. m.)

Lieutenant-General GRANT:

There are attached to the Twenty-fifth Corps several batteries manned by white troops. Is it intended to send these with Weitzel? I understand they are very unwilling to go. General Weitzel has plenty of colored artillerymen without batteries. Could not the guns be transferred so as to make his command homogenous? Moreover as the transportation of light batteries by sea is very expensive it is desirable that you indicate the amount and kind of artillery to be taken.

H. W. HALLECK,

Major-General.

RICHMOND., May 18, 1865.

(Received 3.45 p. m.)

Lieutenant-General GRANT:

I find that staff officers here receive orders from Washington which often conflict with orders given here, and also lead to movements and operations of which I have no knowledge. This necessarily leads to confusion and delays. Such orders should be sent through me, or at least copies should be sent to me.

H. W. HALLECK,

Major-General, Commanding.