Part 65 (1/2)

[TELEGRAM.]

HEADQUARTERS MILITARY DIVISION OF THE MISSOURI, St. Louis, MISSOURI, February 14, 1868.

General U. S. GRANT, Was.h.i.+ngton, D. C.

Dispatch of to-day received. Please await a letter I address this day through you to the President, which will in due time reach the public, covering the very point you make.

I don't want to come to Was.h.i.+ngton at all.

W. T. SHERMAN, Lieutenant-General.

[TELEGRAM.]

HEADQUARTERS MILITARY DIVISION OF THE MISSOURI, St. Louis, MISSOURI, February 14, 1868.

Hon. John SHERMAN, United States Senate, Was.h.i.+ngton, D. C.

Oppose confirmation of myself as brevet general, on ground that it is unprecedented, and that it is better not to extend the system of brevets above major-general. If I can't avoid coming to Was.h.i.+ngton, I may have to resign.

W. T. SHERMAN, Lieutenant-General.

HEADQUARTERS OF THE ARMY, WAs.h.i.+NGTON, D. C., February 12, 1868.

The following orders are published for the information and guidance of all concerned:

U. S. GRANT, General.

EXECUTIVE MANSION, WAs.h.i.+NGTON, D. C., February 12, 1868.

GENERAL: You will please issue an order creating a military division to be styled the Military Division of the Atlantic, to be composed of the Department of the Lakes, the Department of the East, and the Department of Was.h.i.+ngton, to be commanded by Lieutenant-General W. T. Sherman, with his headquarters at Was.h.i.+ngton. Until further orders from the President, you will a.s.sign no officer to the permanent command of the Military Division of the Missouri.

Respectfully yours,

ANDREW JOHNSON.

GENERAL U. S. GRANT, Commanding Armies of The United States, Was.h.i.+ngton, D. C.

Major-General P. H. Sheridan, the senior officer in the Military Division of the Missouri, will temporarily perform the duties of commander of the Military Division of the Missouri in addition to his duties of department commander. By command of General Grant:

E. D. TOWNSEND, a.s.sistant Adjutant-General.

This order, if carried into effect, would have grouped in Was.h.i.+ngton: 1. The President, const.i.tutional Commander-in-Chief.

2. The Secretary of War, congressional Commander-in-Chief.

3. The General of the Armies of the United States.