genuineness by Sergeant Rugg, Company A, Seventy-seventh Illinois Infantry, is in the following words and figures:

HEADQUARTERS THIRTEENTH ARMY CORPS, In the Battle-Field, near Vicksburg, MISS., May 22, 1863-12 m.

Major General U. S. GRANT:

GENERAL: We are hotly engaged with the enemy. We have part possession of two forts, and the Stars and Stripes are waving over them. A vigorous push ought to be made all along the line.

JOHN A. McClernand,
Major-General, Commanding.

[Certificate.]

This is a correct and perfect copy of the original dispatch, which I have seen and read.

A. H. RUGG.

4. General Grant affirms that he "had taken a commanding position near McPherson's front," &c. That "the position occupied by" him "during most of the assault gave" him " a better opportunity of seeing what was going on in front of the Thirteenth Army Corps than" he "believed it possible for the commander of it to have," and that he "could not see McClernand's possession of forts nor necessity for re-enforcements, as represented in his dispatches. " That General Grant had taken "a commanding position near McPherson's front" may be true. That he could not see my "possession of forts nor necessity for re-enforcements," may also by true. His position, although commanding, may not have enabled him to do it, although the facts may have existed. Indeed, he admits in another part off his report that he could only see "a part of each of Sherman's and McClernand's advancing columns," but that his position gave him "a better opportunity of seeing what was going on in front of the Thirteenth Army Corps" than mine afforded me, is a mistake. As I understand, he was about 1 1/2 miles to the right of my position, which was a commanding one, only 500 or 600 yards in the rear of the center of my advance and from the enemy's works. I could see, and did see, flags of my corps planted upon the enemy's works, and could see, and did see, officers and men of my command enter them and rebel captives brought out of them. General Grant himself admits-not, as I understand, from his own personal knowledge-that "Sergeant Griffith and some 11 privates" of my command "entered one of the forts," but upon information derived from other, perhaps from my official report.

5. He affirms that he "sent an answer to McClernand, directing him to order up McArthur to his assistance," and himself "ordered Quinby's DIVISION * * * to report to McClernand. " He said he did this because he "could not disregard" my "reiterated statements," although he 'could not see" my "possession of forts, nor necessity for re-enforcements," and although he doubted the truth of my dispatches. Doubting in a mater of such vital importance imposed an absolute obligation to investigate-to go or send a staff officer, and see and clear up his doubts. Not to do so would render him guilty of an omission as culpable as the act off commission charged by him upon me. He admits that he rode over to Sherman's position and showed him my dispatch and rode back again to McPherson's. Why could he not, why did he not, ride or send over to me? He admits, furthermore, that he was not occupying the "commanding position near McPherson's front" when he received the dispatch upon which he based his orders to Sherman and McPherson for the renewal of the assault, but was at Sherman's