be able to take field, in the meantime to be under the command of General Martindale, would be a gratifying compliment to Franklin, and would be appreciated by the country as a sequence to his escape, and had better come from you. General Ord might also be assigned to the Tenth, this corps, in the meantime, to be under command of General Terry, who is a good soldier, both to report to department headquarters. Brooks leaves this morning. All quiet on our lines.

BENJ. F. BUTLER,

Major-General, Commanding.

CITY POINT, VA., July 18, 1864.

Major-General BUTLER:

Your note of this date is just received. I have made an order suspending General Orders, No. 225, and assigning Generals Martindale and Terry to the temporary command of the two corps.* Since the last raid into Maryland I have asked that the Departments of the Middle, Washington, the Susquehanna, and West Virginia be merged into one department and a competent man placed over the whole,and have named Franklin as that man. If this is complied with I do not know who I will assign to the Eighteenth Corps.

U. S. GRANT,

Lieutenant-General.

JULY 18, 1864 - 10.20 a. m.

Colonel FULLER,

Bermuda Hundred:

General Butler directs that you indicate to the troops of the Nineteenth Corps as they arrive at Bermuda Hundred good camping grounds near there. They remain at these camps only a day or two.

G. WEITZEL,

Brigadier-General and Acting Chief of Staff.

HDQRS. DEPT. OF VIRGINIA AND NORTH CAROLINA,
In the Field, July 18, 1864.

Captain SMITH,

Commanding Naval Forces on James River:

Communication by hand of Lieutenant Chambers received. I am happy to inform you that Captain Fitch, of the armed transport Reno, captured 12 torpedoes yesterday, which were all there were there. I wish you would drag Harrison's Bar and send me anybody you may catch laying them.

BENJ. F. BUTLER,

Major-General, Commanding.

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* See p.313.

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