I received the following from Sec. Stanton,

Washington City, July 28, 1865-11 a. m.

Lieutenant-General GRANT,

West Point:

The Quartermaster-General has made a report this morning of requisitions from the department at Leavenworth indicating at expedition of magnitude and expense beyond the capacity of the appropriations to meet. The transportation estimates alone are $2,000,000 per month, and this exclusive of the cost of materials, &c. The Commissary Department also is in a state of alarm. I beg to direct Your immediate attention to this subject, as I am not advised of the extent or necessity of the proposed operations.

EDWIN M. STANTON,

Secretary of War.

Standing down from a war footing is proving to be a difficult task.  I wrote Sherman,

SARATOGA, N. Y., July 28, 1865.

Major-General SHERMAN,

Saint Louis, Mo.:

The Quartermaster and Commissary Generals report requisition of such magnitude as coming from Leavenworth as to alarm them. Look into them and stop all unnecessary expedition and reduce all necessary ones to actual requirements. Returns show a cavalry force in the Department of the Missouri which it would seem might be materially reduced. Look into this matter also.

U. S. GRANT,

Lieutenant-General.

The Papers of Ulysses S Grant, Vol 15, p 287-8

O.R., I, xlviii, part 3, p 1127-8

I wrote to Sgt. Thomas McGraw of the 23rd Illinois Volunteers,

HEADQUARTERS ARMIES OF THE UNITED STATES, Washington, July 22, 1865.

Sergt. THOMAS McGRAW,

Company B, Twenty-third Illinois Volunteers:

The sum of $460 was sent to me by patriotic citizens to be presented as a reward for gallantry to the soldier who should first raise our flag over Richmond. As Richmond was not taken by assault, I have concluded that the donors’ wishes will be best carried out by dividing the sum between three soldiers most conspicuous for gallantry in the final and successful assault on Petersburg. You have been selected by Major General John Gibbon, commanding the Twenty-fourth Army Corps, as entitled to this honor on behalf of that command, and I herewith present to you $153,33 as one-third of the original sum.

It affords me great satisfaction to receive from your commanding general such unqualified testimony of your gallantry and heroism in battle, and to be the medium of transmitting to you this recognition of the worth of your services in defense of your common country.

U. S. GRANT,

Lieutenant-General.

The Papers of Ulysses S Grant, Vol 15, p 282

O.R., I, xlvi, part 1, p 1262-3

I received the following from U.S. Delegate Walter A. Burleigh of the Dakota Territory,

I have the honor to lay before you, herewith, a report which I made to the Com’r. of Indian Affairs on the 18th day of February 1865—with accompanying papers. A copy of this report was laid before Maj. Gen’l. Halleck, who after a careful examination of the same, assured me that the charges therein contained relating to the conduct of Brev. Maj. Gen’l. Sully, should be, thoroughly and impartially investigated, and that if found to be true, he should be removed from his present command.I believe this whole matter was referred to Maj. Gen’l. John Pope, who ordered Col. John N. Du Bois—a member of his Staff—, to inquire into the matter.

These charges against Gen’l. Sully have not been investigated in the manner in which Gen’l. Halleck assured me they should be. The investigation ordered by Genl. Pope was not thorough, but extremely partial and imperfect,—and I have in my possession the means of showing that it was extremely unfair, if not fraudulent. I did not make these charges against Gen’l. Sully from any feelings of personal ill will, but simply because I knew that he had failed to discharge his duty as a commanding officer,— and I now reassert that the charges against this officer, contained in that report are strictly, true, and I can prove them to be so, whenever I can have a fair opportunity.

I ask that this matter may receive at your hands, the attention which it deserves,—and that Gen’l. Sully be removed from his present command, and a suitable officer assigned thereto.

I wrote to Sherman,

WASHINGTON, July 20, 1865-12 m.

Major General W. T. SHERMAN,

Saint Louis, Mo.:

Direct the discharge of all troops that can possibly be dispensed with in Your military division, and especially reduce the cavalry force as much as possible. Now that we have so many officers of known merit, I think it will be well to designate one to relieve General Sully in the Northwest.

U. S. GRANT,

Lieutenant-General.

The Papers of Ulysses S Grant, Vol 15, p 276-8

O.R., I, xlviii, part 2, p 1108

I wrote President Johnson with my views on the Mexican situation.

Washington D. C, July 15th 1865

His Excellency, A. Johnson, President of the United States, Sir:
Looking upon the French occupation of Mexico as part and parcel of the late rebellion in the United States, and a necessary part of it to suppress before entire peace can be assured, I would respectfully recommend that a leave of absence be given to one of our General officers for the purpose of going to Mexico to give direction to such emigration as may go to that country.
I would not advise that emigration be invited or that such officer should go under special instructions. He would probably take service under the Liberal Government of Mexico and by giving head and shape to the foreign and Native element already there would insure the restoration of the Liberal or Republican Government.
Mexico has men enough if she had Arms to defend herself. With the large surplus on hand I do not see why we should not sell her these. I presume there would be no objection raised to sell the English or French Government Arms. I do not see therefore why we should not be aUowed to sell them to the only Government we recognize on Mexican soil.
I write this for instructions because I will not do or authorize anything not receiving the proper sanction. Of the sale of Arms I have nothing to do. I speak therefore in reference to giving leaves of absence for the purpose stated.
I send this direct the Sec. of War being absent from his office to-day.
Very respectfully
your obt. svt.
U. S. Grant
LtGn

The Papers of Ulysses S Grant, Vol 15, p 264-5

I wrote Gen. Sheridan, asking him to take personal control of the situation on the Rio Grande.

WASHINGTON, July 13, 1865-11 a. m.

Major-General SHERIDAN:

I would like You to go to the Rio Grande in person for a few days and manage affairs there according to Your judgment. What You have done seems so well that I desire to change nothing. Do You not think it advisable to relieve Granger from command in Texas? If so, relieve him.

U. S. GRANT,

Lieutenant-General.

The Papers of Ulysses S Grant, Vol 15, p 259

O.R., I, xlviii, part 2, p 1075

The following was sent to Gen. Rawlins from Gen. Sheridan.  I forwarded it to the President, indicating that I agreed with Sheridan’s views.

Personal … I have detained Bvt Brig. Genl Price of the Cavalry Bureau longer perhaps than I should have done but his services were so important to me that I don’t see how I could have done without him. The cavalry here was very much scattered and the regiments were unknown to me but by his admirable system of inspection I was at once enabled to select the best regiments and to collect together two of the handsomest columns of cavalry that have been organized during the present war, one under Genl Merritt which moves from Shreveport. The other under Genl Custer which moves from Alexandria La. I have had many difficulties and delays in getting these cavalry columns together and in their magnificent trim but I am now out of the woods and only hope that I may have the pleasure of crossing the Rio Grande with them with our faces turned towards the city of Mexico. There is no use to beat around the bush in this Mexican matter.  We should give a permanent government to that republic. Our work in crushing the rebellion will not be done until this takes place. The advent of Maximilian was a portion of the rebellion and his fall should belong to its history. Juarez even if he was to be successful tomorrow could not give stability to a government there without our helping hand, most of the Mexican soldiers of Maximilian’s army would throw down their arms the moment we crossed the Rio Grande. The french influence has governed by their impudence.

The Papers of Ulysses S Grant, Vol 15, p 259

I received the following from Gen. Thomas,

NASHVILLE, TENN., July 1, 1865.

(Received 1.40 p.m. 3rd.)

Lieutenant General U. S. GRANT,

General-in-Chief:

General C. R. Woods has just reported to me in person. He desires to take with him to Alabama his old division entire. If he cannot take his division he desires to take his staff. I have just learned from General Canby that there will be left in Alabama and Mississippi, after the muster out of those ordered, 7,000. No changes in them till he learns from me what troops I have replace them. I shall send Hatch with his cavalry to Alabama, about 3,000. I have also 6,000 infantry, including regulars, to divide between Steedman and Woods, as soon as I can learn what Steedman has at Augusta and Savannah. If the Fourteenth Corps is to report to me for duty I should prefer leaving it in Kentucky for the present, as the political condition of that States is more critical to-day than either Tennessee, Alabama, or Georgia. With judicious management, I believe there will be but little trouble in restoring perfect order in the three latter-named States.

GEO. H. THOMAS,

Major-General.

I replied,

WASHINGTON, July 3, 1865-2.20 p.m.

Major General GEORGE H. THOMAS,

Nashville, Tenn.:

General Woods can take his staff with him. There is no need of sending more troops to Alabama, at least not until he (Woods) gets there and finds he will need them. We want now to discharge all troops that can be dispensed with. All the troops now in Alabama Woods will assume command of on his arrival.

U. S. GRANT,

Lieutenant-General.

The Papers of Ulysses S Grant, Vol 15, p 240-1

O.R., I, xlix, part 2, p 1057-60

The President has given me instructions on how to handle the European forces in Mexico.  I passed them along to Gen. Sheridan.

WASHINGTON, July 1, 1865.

Major-General SHERIDAN,

New Orleans:

Get Your troops on the Rio Grande in readiness for active service should the emergency arise. Caution them, however, against provoking hostilities. Demand the return of all public property carried to the south side of the Rio Grande since Kirby Smith’s surrender, and report the reply received.

U. S. GRANT,

Lieutenant-General.

The Papers of Ulysses S Grant, Vol 15, p 235-6

O.R., I, xlviii, part 2, p 1035