with Admiral Lee your plans, that he may make as much preparation as possible. If it is possible to communicate with you after determining my exact line of march, I will do so.

Inform me by return of Colonel Dent your present situation and state of readiness for moving.

U. S. GRANT,

Lieutenant-General.

HDQRS. DEPT. OF VIRGINIA AND NORTH CAROLINA,
Fort Monroe, April 18, 1864.

Major General Q. A. GILLMORE,

Commanding Tenth Army Corps, Post Royal, S. C.:

GENERAL: The commanding general directs me to request that you bring with you the engineering materials spoken of in your letter to him of the 16th instant. We will endeavor to comply with your request in regard to artillery. Everything will be done that can be with our limited means to furnish you with whatever is necessary to make your command efficient. It is all-important that you get here with your command at as early a day as possible.

I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

J. W. SHAFFER,

Colonel and Chief of Staff.

SPECIAL ORDERS,
HDQRS. DEPT. OF VA. AND N. C., Numbers 108.
Fort Monroe, Va., April 18, 1864.

* * * * * * *

XVI. Brigadier General Israel Vogdes, U. S. Volunteers, will proceed to Yorktown, Va., and assume command of all the troops belonging to the Tenth Army Corps.

* * * * * * *

By command of Major-General Butler:

R. S. DAVIS,
Assistant Adjutant-General.

HDQRS. ARMY AND DISTRICT OF NORTH CAROLINA,

New Berne, N. C., April 18, 1864.

Brigadier General EDWARD HARLAND,

Commanding Sub-district of the Pamlico, Washington:

GENERAL: The commanding general has just received information of a combined movement on the part of the enemy against the different posts of this command. General Corse, with some five regiments of Virginia troops, came down last night within a few miles of our picket-line with the intention, as it is supposed, to draw troops from Plymouth and Washington to this place and to prevent re-enforcements leaving here. The deserters further state that General Pickett is to attack Little Washington to-morrow (Tuesday).

In view of this information, the general has ordered the Thomas Collyer with not less than 600 men to proceed to Washington with all possible dispatch. He has also arranged with Commander Davenport to send the gun-boat Tacony to Washington. She will leave this evening. She is the largest and one of the most valuable of her class in the Navy, and will be of great service to you in keeping