enter to take the oath of allegiance will also be allowed to enter, but not pass out without a written pass. Patrols under command of commissioned officers will be sent out daily to apprehend stragglers and prevent marauding. One company will accompany the railroad train each day to Summerville. The officer in command of this company will have orders to be particularly careful that his men do not molest the citizens. Such details as are called for by the chief engineer for work on the intrenchments will be furnished.

I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

LEONARD B. PERRY,

First Lieutenant, Fifty-fifth Mass. Vols., and Actg. Asst. Adjt. General

CITY POINT, VA., March 12, 1865-1 p. m.

(Received 1. 35 p. m.)

Honorable E. M. STANTON,

Secretary of War, Washington:

There is no doubt but some prisoners were captured from Cox or Palmer near Kinston. Colonel Mulford has been notified that they have been ordered to Richmond to be immediately exchanged. I do not want them furloughed. They should be kept at Annapolis or Point Lookout until decalred exchanged. I do not suppose it to have been a defeat but a severe fight with our advance upon Kinston, in which we have lost some prisoners. On Thursday mornign before daylight Kilpatrick was suprrised near Cheraw, with a loss of camp equipage, 100 or 200 men, and a large number of rebel prisoners, previously captured by him. This is a rebel account. No paper was published in Richmond yesterday or to-day.

U. S. GRANT,

Lieutenant-General.

HDQRS. MILITARY DIVISION OF THE MISSISSIPPI,
In the Field, Fayetteville, N. C., Sunday, March 12, 1865.

(Received 16th.)

Honorable E. M. STANTON,

Secretary of War:

DEAR SIR: I know you will be pleased to hear that my army has reached this point and have opened communication with Wilmington. A tug-boat came up this morning, and will start back at 6 p. m. I have written to General Grant a letter, the substance of which he will doubtless communicate, and it must suffice for me to tell you what I know will give you pleasure, that I have done all I proposed and the fruits seem to me ample for the time employed. Charleston, Georgetown, and Wilmington are incidents, whilst the utter demolition of the railroad system of South Carolina, and the utter destruction of the enemy's arsenals at Colubmia, Cheraw, and Fayetteville are the principles of the movement. These points were regarded as inaccessible to us, and now no place in the Confederacy is safe against the Army of the West. Let Lee hold on to Richmond and we will destroy his country, and then of what use if Richmond? He must come out and fight us on open ground, and for that we must ever be ready. Let him stick behind his parapets and he will perish. I remember well what you asked of me, and think I am on the right road, though a long one. My army is as united and cheeful as ever, and as full of confidence in themselves and