July 16, 1864: U.S. Grant to Henry W. Halleck

Transcript:

Head Quarters Armies of the United States

City Point Va July 16^th 4.40 pm 1864

Maj. Gen. Halleck, Washington,

There can be no use in Wright following the enemy with the latter a day ahead after he has passed entirely beyond (south of) all our communications. I want if possible to get the 6^th & 19^th Corps here to use them before the enemy can get early back. With Hunter in the Shenandoah Valley and always behind the enemy and Washington forces enough can always be had to check an invasion until reinforcements can go from here. This does not prevent Hunter from following the enemy even to Gordonsville & Charlottesville if he can do it with his own force and such other improvised troops as he can get. But he should be cautious not to allow himself squeezed out to one side so as to make it necessary to fall back into Western Va. to save his army. If he does have to fall back it should be in front of the enemy and with his force always between the latter and the main crossing of the Potomac. I do not think there is now any further danger of an attempt to invade Maryland. The position of the enemy in the West and here is such as to demand all the force they can get to them. This last attempt brought to the field so many troops that they cannot conceive the possibility of succeeding in capturing any important point with a force of 30 or even 50,000 men whilst the main Union army is within thirty hours of the capitol. As soon as the rebel Army is known to have passed Hunter’s forces recall Wright and send him back here with all dispatch and also send the 19^th Corps. If the enemy have any notion of returning the fact will be developed before Wright can start back.

U.S. Grant Lt. Gen.

Citation;Ulysses S. Grant (1822-1885), autograph letter signed to Henry W. Halleck. City Point, Va., 16 July 1864. AMs 357/24