suggest to you a commander some time to-day or to-morrow. Schofield'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 quartermasters at a vast expense to the Government. There has been to 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.

Honorable 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 of 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 23rd 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.

(Received 7 p.m.)

Honorable 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,

Lieutenant-General.

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.