Summary:
After the major Confederate armies surrendered, the Union faced the task of demobilizing the remaining Confederate troops in the field. In this May, 1865, letter, Union Chief of Staff Henry Halleck informs General Grant that Confederate General Thomas Rosser has offered to surrender his command at Staunton. Halleck ordered Union troops to Staunton to collect arms and parole the troops.

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Lieut.-Gen. GRANT:

RICHMOND, VA.,

May 4, 1865--2.30 p.m.
(Received 7 p.m.)

Gen. Rosser has offered to collect his command and surrender them at Staunton. I have ordered a regiment of cavalry there to receive their arms and paroles. On its return it will be stationed at Gordonsville to preserve order and repress any incipient guerrillas. To supply it the railroad should be opened to that place. The company can do this in a few days if permitted to purchase iron at the Tredegar works. I shall direct the officer in charge to sell them what is required for that purpose, the money or obligation to pay being held subject to the disposal of the Government.

By rendering these companies slight assistance, to be paid for hereafter, I think these roads can be repaired and put in operation much cheaper by them than by the Government. This of course will not affect the question of confiscating the stock of rebel stockholders.

H. W. HALLECK,
Maj.-Gen.

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Bibliographic Information : Letter Reproduced from The War of The Rebellion: Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series 1, Volume 46, Serial No. 97, Pages 1082, Broadfoot Publishing Company, Wilmington, NC, 1997.