HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE JAMES,
October 6, 1864-12.10 a. m.

Major-General WEITZEL,

Commanding Eighteenth Army Corps:

Assign some officer to command of the First Brigade, First Division, other than Colonel Raulston.

BENJ. F. BUTLER,

Major-General, Commanding.

HEADQUARTERS EIGHTEENTH ARMY CORPS,
October 6, 1864.

Major-General BUTLER:

I have received your order relating to Lieutenant-Colonel Raulston. If this order is intended to reflect on that officer I wish to say that there is no better officer in this corps. He was a lieutenant-colonel only. I could, therefore, not recommend him to a brevet brigadier-general under your order. I have suspended the execution of your order until I again hear from you.

G. WEITZEL,

Brevet Major-General.

HEADQUARTERS EIGHTEENTH ARMY CORPS,
October 6, 1864.

Lieutenant-Colonel COMSTOCK:

General Butler has put me on duty according to my brevet rank. Does this entitle me to the pay and staff of a major-general without the orders being approved at Washington?

G. WEITZEL,

Brevet Major-General.

HEADQUARTERS EIGHTEENTH ARMY CORPS,
October 6, 1864.

Major General B. F. BUTLER:

I referred that whole matter about my assignment to headquarters at City Point. Colonel Comstock says my assignment by you will unquestionably be approved, but that it requires the President's approval to enable me to draw pay and appoint my staff. Will you please, there-fore, send it on for approval, so that I can make my appointments?

G. WEITZEL,

Brevet Major-General.

HEADQUARTERS THIRD DIVISION, EIGHTEENTH CORPS,
Before Richmond, October 6, 1864.

Major General B. F. BUTLER,

Commanding Army of the James:

GENERAL: In answer to your inquiries of this morning I have the honor to state that the Thirty-sixth U. S. Colored Troops behaved excellently in the assault of September 29, but I could not and cannot select any officer in it for mention. They all did their whole duty well,

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*See Butler to Grant, p. 97.

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