NASHVILLE, April 30, 1865.

(Received 7.20 p.m.)

Lieutenant General U. S. GRANT:

Your cipher dispatch of 1 p.m. to-day just received, and will be attended to at once. I will dispatch more fully to-morrow.

GEO. H. THOMAS,

Major-General.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE CUMBERLAND,
Nashville, April 30, 1865-6 p.m.

Lieutenant General U. S. GRANT,

Washington, D. C.:

I forward the following, just received from Major-General Steedman, for your information.* Colonel Woodall was bearer of orders from me to General Wilson to insist on the surrender of Macon, with the Confederate Generals Cobb and Smith, their troops, and all public stores in Macon at the time when General Sherman's orders to withdraw from before Macon reached him. Before insisting on the surrender of General Wofford I thought it best to inform you of his apprehensions that most of his force will scatter to the hills and become bushwhackers, in which event it might become necessary to throw a Federal force into that region to preserve quiet. I have sufficient force for that purpose if it be deemed better to require him to surrender than to permit him to preserve the peace of the section. His force is an insignificant one, and he assures me, through General Judah, that he is there for the sole purpose of preserving order until the State of Georgia can take the proper steps to return to her allegiance.

GEO. H. THOMAS,

Major-General.

WASHINGTON, April 30, 1865-10.30 p.m.

(Received May 1.)

Major General G. H. THOMAS,

Nashville, Tenn.:

I think it advisable to get the surrender of General Wofford and his men. Any that continue acts of hostility hereafter will be regarded as outlaws and so treated. You can exercise your own judgment about sending more force to the front to protect that country, but do not send any portion of the Fourth Corps.

U. S. GRANT,

Lieutenant-General.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE CUMBERLAND,
Nashville, April 30, 1865. (Received 7 p.m.)

Lieutenant General U. S. GRANT,

Washington, D. C.:

Brigadier General B. S. Roberts is on his way to Memphis in compliance with general orders from the War Department. General Davis being ordered to relieve General Washburn, General Roberts will not be needed there. He wishes to be ordered to report to General Pope, if

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*See p.527.

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