HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE TENNESSEE, Before Vicksburg, March 28, 1863.

Brigadier General LORENZO THOMAS, Adjutant-General of the Army:

GENERAL: Inclosed with this I send you the resignation of Major General C. S. Hamilton,* out of form, not giving the reason for tendering it.

It is due that I should state that I have approved this resignation for the following reasons: I saw by the correspondence between the two generals that General Hamilton and General Hurlbut could not get along together. For this reason, I relieved the former from duty in the District of WEST Tennessee and ordered him here. Commanders having been assigned to corps by the President, I had nothing longer in the field to give General Hamilton but a DIVISION. This he refused to accept. General Hamilton, being a capable officer, I gave, him the choice between taking his old position, under General Hurlbut, a DIVISION in the field, the command of the District of Eastern Arkansas, or to be relieved from duty in this department and ordered to report to Washington for orders. He accepted the latter, with the request that his resignation be forwarded. I think, in justice to the service, his resignation should be accepted. The officer who shows that he expects a command fixed up for his express benefit, in my opinion becomes a beneficiary instead of what he should be, a support to the Government. The propositions which General Hamilton said he could accept were, first, a DIVISION of General Hurlbut's command, in a certain way, and he to be independent of the latter; the other, that I take two DIVISIONS of the army in the field and give him, independent of army corps commanders. This I could not do without manifest injury to the service.

I am, general, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
U. S. GRANT.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE TENNESSEE, Before Vicksburg, March 28, 1863.

Major General B. M. PRENTISS, Comdg. Dist. Eastern Arkansas:

GENERAL: The troops that have gone down Yazoo Pass are now ordered back. On their return to Helena, debark them, and send Hovey's DIVISION immediately down to join General McCler's Bend. You will please add to Hovey's DIVISION two or three of the oldest regiments from Ross, if you think they can be safely spared from Helena.

I do not much like taking troops that have been so long on board steamers, as General Ross' command has, immediately into the field, but it is a necessity.

I am, general, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

U. S. GRANT.

P. S. -Send Quinby's and Smith's DIVISIONS directly forward, the former to Lake Providence and the latter to this point. Let there be no delay.

BEFORE Vicksburg, March 29, 1863.

Admiral DAVID D. PORTER, Comdg. Mississippi Squadron:

I am about occupying New Carthage with troops, and opening the bayous from here to that place sufficiently for the passage of flats, a

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*Omitted.

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