those of others have yet to come, why not detach from the latter to garrison the river shore and relieve all those here from liability to that charge?

Your obedient servant,

JOHN A. McClernand,

Major-General, Commanding.

[Inclosure Number 3.]

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE TENNESSEE, Before Vicksburg, January 31, 1863.

Major General John A. McClernand,
Commanding Thirteenth Army Corps:

GENERAL: The intention of General Orders, Number 13., is that I will take direct command of the Mississippi River expedition, which necessarily limits your command to the Thirteenth Army Corps.

In charging the Thirteenth Army Corps with garrisoning the WEST bank of the river, I add to it any forces belonging to any command on that bank not already assigned to other corps, and, instead of weakening your force in the field, it will strengthen it by about 7,000 men, still leaving a proper garrison at Helena, the only place I now deem necessary to garrison. All forces and posts garrisoned by the Thirteenth Army Corps are under your command, subject, of course, to directions from these headquarters.

I regard the President as Commander-in-Chief of the Army, and will obey every order of his, but as yet I have seen no order to prevent my taking immediate command in the field, and since the dispatch referred to in your note, I have received another from the General-in-Chief of the Army, authorizing me directly to take command of this army.

I at first thought I would publish no order taking command, but soon saw it would be much more convenient to issue orders direct to corps commanders whilst present with the command than through another commander.

Your obedient servant,

U. S. GRANT,

Major-General.

[Inclosure Number 4.]

HEADQUARTERS THIRTEENTH ARMY CORPS, Before Vicksburg, February 1, 1863.

Major General U. S. GRANT,

Commanding Department of the Tennessee:

GENERAL: Your dispatch of this date, in answer to mine of yesterday, is received. You announce it to be the intention of General Orders, Number 13, to relieve me from the command of the Mississippi River expedition, and to circumscribe my command to the Thirteenth Army Corps, and undertake to justify the order by authority granted by the General-in-Chief. I acquiesce in the order for the purpose of avoiding a conflict of authority in the presence of the enemy, but, for reasons set forth in my dispatch of yesterday, which, for anything disclosed, I still hold good, I protest against its competency and justice, and respectfully request that this, my protest, together with the accompanying paper, may be forwarded to the General-in-Chief, and through him to the Secretary of War and the President. I request this, not only in