permitted Farquhar to go. He directs me further not to visit Smith's lines to-day, as he has recently seen them in person, and does not consider Lieutenant Michie of as much use there as here. Personally I beg of you to withhold an opinion in this matter until I can see and explain to you.

Respectfully,

G. WEITZEL

Brigadier-General.

JULY 5, 1864. (Sent 11 a.m.)

General J. G. BARNARD, City Point:

Lieutenant Michie, whatever the necessities of General Smith are, is absolutely necessary here. I know what General Smith's needs are as well as if I visited his lines, but as your order it I will visit them as soon as I can to-day. I am now and have been for a week performing the duties of, and really am, in Colonel Shaffer's absence (who is sick at Fort Monroe), chief of staff at these headquarters, and Lieutenant Michie is really performing the duties of chief engineer. I have been serving in this department constantly on active service since the 3rd of May, when to-day or any day since that date I can get a surgeon's certificate excusing me from all duty. These headquarters although Captain Farquhar is under my orders, were not at all consulted in granting him a leave. If General Smith persists in having an engineer officer, why not give him one temporarily from the Army of the Potomac?

Respectfully,

G. WEITZEL,

Brigadier-General.

JULY 5, 1864 (Sent 12.35 p.m.)

General BARNARD, City Point:

I desire to add the following to my last dispatch: When General Smith left here to re-enforce General Meade at Cold Harbor, he applied for a regular engineer officer. Although with the great deal of work on hand here I had only two, I gave him Captain Farquhar, the older of the two. On his return he permitted Captain Farquhar to delay several days at Fortress Monroe, and when he was ordered to Petersburg applied for Lieutenant Michie, who could not be spared. Now, again without consulting General Butler or myself, he again permits Farquhar to go and again applies for Lieutenant Michie, who can be spared less now than ever. I respectfully protest against any officer holding a position junior to these headquarters applying for one of the officers in my department by name. He has the right to apply for an officer to perform certain duties if required, and then it becomes my duty to procure one if I have none on hand to send. If General Smith can by any means get my only reliable assistant detailed from me, it presumes, either that he knows more about my department than I do,or that I am not capable to preside over the department. It is certainly not right for him to apply direct to you, and is in direct disobedience of a general order from Lieutenant-General Grant promulgated about the beginning of this campaign.

Respectfully,

G. WEITZEL,

Brigadier-General.