HEADQUARTERS IN THE FIELD,
Culpeper, Va., March 25, 1864-4 p. m. (Received 6 p. m.)

Major General H. W. HALLECK,

Chief of Staff:

I sent a letter to General Banks before leaving Nashville, directing him to finish his present expedition, and assemble all his available force at New Orleans as soon as possible, and prepare to receive orders for the taking of Mobile. If Shreport is carried, about 8,000 troops can be spared from Steele and Rosecrans to join Banks, and if more are necessary to insure success against Mobile, they can be taken from Sherman. I would prefer Gillmore to act entirely on the defensive at Charleston, and hold all the spare force he has in readiness for orders. I will want him to co-operate with this army against Lee. I would like it if the Secretary of the Navy would order two of the iron-clads from Charleston to report to Admiral Farragut, with instructions to the latter not to attack until the army is ready to operate with him.

U. S. GRANT,

Lieutenant-General.

WASHINGTON, March 25, 1864-2 p. m.

Lieutenant-General GRANT,

Army of the Potomac:

General Gillmore reports that, if he is to act only on the defensive, he can spare from 7,000 to 11,000 troops from the Department of the South to operate elsewhere. Admiral Farragut reports that, with his present fleet and two or three iron-clads from Charleston, he can take Mobile, if a land force can be sent to hold it. The troops in the Department of the South are not fully supplied with transportation for operating in the interior of the country.

H. W. HALLECK,

Major-General, Chief of Staff.

WASHINGTON, March 25, 1864-11. 30 a. m.

Lieutenant-General GRANT,

Army of the Potomac:

The chief of artillery reports that 1,800 men can be immediately spared from the defense of Washington, and it remains to be determined whether they shall be organized into field batteries or sent to the field as heavy artillery. Either will be done as you direct.

H. W. HALLECK,

Major-General, Chief of Staff.

CULPEPER COURT-HOUSE,

March 25, 1864. (Received 2 p. m.)

Major-General HALLECK,

Chief of Staff:

Send the heavy artillery as they are; there is light artillery sufficient with the army.

U. S. GRANT,

Lieutenant-General.