Summary:
Union Secretary of War Edwin Stanton writes General Grant notifying him of the
appointment of major-generals in May, 1864. Stanton also discusses troop
positions, and reports Confederate General John C. Breckinridge at Staunton.
Lieut.-Gen. GRANT, Hdqrs. in the Field (Care of Capt. Collins, to be forwarded immediately in duplicate by different couriers):
Washington,
May 14, 1864
Your note of yesterday has just reached me, the courier having come on the Washington. Gen. Wright was nominated two days ago, and confirmed by the Senate for major-general. Gen. Humphreys, Gen. Schofield, Gen. Wilson, and all before the Senate have been confirmed, except Gen. Carr, whose nomination was not acted upon. There is at present no vacancy for a major-generalship, but I will muster out some one for Gibbon. The brigadiers in volunteer service you name shall be appointed. If there be any vacancies in regular army for brigadier, Hancock shall have it. There is one regular major-generalship vacant, but brevets can be given without limit. Dodge has been designated for some time for the first vacant major-generalship in the volunteers. Buell objects to serving under Canby. Wright will be assigned to Sixth Corps. Your recommendations in favor of Meade and Sherman will be carried out. We have heard nothing from Sherman for three days, nor from Butler. Sigel is at Woodstock; reports Breckinridge at Staunton on the 10th of May, and that a portion of his force was in Sigel's front. Crook had not been heard from since the 6th of this month, and was then at Princeton.
EDWIN M. STANTON.
Bibliographic Information : Letter Reproduced from The War of The Rebellion: Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series 1, Volume 36, Serial No. 68, Pages 746, Broadfoot Publishing Company, Wilmington, NC, 1997.
