in your calculation take into account the fact that all the water transportation we can get is absorbed by General Butler, and by rations put afloat. In case troops are to be sent to General Butler, most of the transports must come from him. The North Has been completely stripped. General Canby has been assisting me in getting recruits, furloughed men, and troops out of the Northern States. He has been sick, and his duties in the War Department have nearly broken him down. He says his business is greatly be hind in the office. Wherever you and the Secretary of War think I can be of most service I am ready to go. I am willing to serve anywhere and everywhere. Just at the present crisis it might not be well derange the marching here. There must be some military head here to keep things from getting into a snarl. There must be some common head to make the different bureaus act in concert and with promptness. It is impossible for the Secretary of War of his assistants to attend personally to these matters.

Yours, truly,

H. W. HALLECK,

Major-General and Chief of Staff.

WASHINGTON, May 2, 1864-12.40 p. m.

Lieutenant-General GRANT,

Culpeper, Va.:

Navy Department reports five iron-clads now in Hampton Roads, viz the Roanoke, Atlanta, Onondaga, Tecumseh, and Saugus. Another, the Canonicus, passed Sanday Hook at 10 a. m. May 1, and will be at Hampton Roads on the evening of the 3rd. Forage and provision rations will be ready in time, ad directed.

H. W. HALLECK,

Major-General and Chief of Staff.

MAY 2, 1864-2.30 p. m.

Lieutenant-General GRANT,

Culpeper, Va.:

Have you given any orders direct to General Burnside to dismount the Twenty-second New York Cavalry? There seems to be some misunderstanding.

H. W. HALLECK,

Major-General and Chief of Staff.

CULPEPER, VA., May 2, 1864-10.30 p. m.

(Received 11.55.)

Major General H. W. HALLECK,

Chief of Staff:

The Twenty-seventh New York Cavalry were dismounted at my suggestion, that the horses were worth more to mounted veteran cavalry, who have no horses, than men and horses together are. A new regiment will be worth something on foot, but less than their forage on horseback. I did not give a peremptory order for dismounting the regiment however.

U. S. GRANT,

Lieutenant-General.