gees, and contrabands, coming to our lines for the purpose of remaining, will, of course, be received and disposed of in the manner indicated by existing orders.

Very respectfully, & c.,

S. WILLIAMS,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

HEADQUARTERS NINTH ARMY CORPS,
November 29, 1864.

General S. WILLIAMS:

The available strength of the six new Pennsylvania regiments is 177 officers and 4,267 men. They brought the same amount of transportation that the colored troops took away.

JNumbers G. PARKE,

Major-General.

CITY POINT, VA., November 30, 1864.

Honorable E. M. STANTON,

Secretary of War:

I would respectfully recommend the promotion by brevet of Captain Michael R. Morgan, commissary of subsistence, regular army, and lieutenant-colonel and chief commissary of the armies operating against Richmond, to the rank of colonel in the regular army. Colonel Morgan is well known as one of the most efficient officers in his department, and has been kept out of promotion by his efficiency as a staff officer, making it objectionable to let him be placed in command of troops. He is an officer that it will always be desirable should have brevet rank above many of his seniors, so as to make him available for responsible and important position. It will require three brevets to give him the grade asked. I would further request that the promotion here asked be given at once, so that it may go into the Senate early after the meeting of Congress, or with the first appointments sent to that body for confirmation.

U. S. GRANT,

Lieutenant-General.

CITY POINT, VA., November 30, 1864 - 7.30 p. m.

(Received 8.30 p. m.)

Major General H. W. HALLECK,

Chief of Staff:

Is it not practicable now to spare from 5,000 to 10,000 of the Veteran Reserve Corps for the field? The latter number could now be advantageously used so as to give an equal number for duty in the field of able-bodied men. They could garrison Fort Monroe, Norfolk, Wilson's Wharf, Powhatan, and City Point.

U. S. GRANT,

Lieutenant-General.