Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1865-01-20

The following is Gen. Grants endorsement
upon the report OF Gen. Butler, the main
portions OF which have been given in our
columns
HEADQUARTERS Army OF THE POToNAC, !
CRY POINT. Va, Jan. :, 1865.
To avoid publicity of the time of sailing and
destination of the expedition against Fort Fisher,
my orders to Gen Butler to prepare It were Civ
en- verbally, and the instructions TO the command
ing officer Of the expedition were made by him
and submitted to me. | append to the report 4
copy of Gen. Buffers instructions to Gen. Welt
eel, together with copies of my dispatches and
instructions to Gen. Butler, relating to the ex-
petition. Ii will be perceived that it was never
contemplated that Gen. Butler should accompa-
ny the expedition, but that Mai Gen. Wetzel
was especially named as the commander Of it.
My hopes of success rested entirely on our
ability to capture Fort Fisher, and | had even a
hope of getting Wilmington before the enemy
could get troops there to oppose Us. | knew. that
the enemy had taken nearly the entire garrison
of Wilmington and its dependencies to op,ase
Sherman. l am inclined to ascribe the ,leay
which has cost US dearly TO an experiment. |
refer to the explosion Of gunpowder in the open
air
Ny dispatches to Gen. Butler will show his
report TO be in error when he states that he re-
turned after having effected a landing, IN ODE
dience to my instructions. On the contrary,
these instructions contemplated no withdrawal
or a failure after landing was made.
L. ). GRANT,
Lieutenant General
Communications from General Grant TO
General Butler,
HEADQUARTERS Army or TIE L. STATES, !
CRY PoINT, Nov. 80, 1851.
MAJOR Gen. Butler:
have files Of Savannah and Augusta papers
by Col. milford, from which gather that Bragg
has gone to Georgia, taking with him what
Judge TO be most Of the forces from about vii
mington. 1t II, therefore, important that Weitz-
81 should get off during his absence; and if sue
eessful in effecting landing, he may, by bold
dash, succeed in capturing Wilmington Make
all the arrangements for his departure, so that
the navy viii not lie detained one moment for
the army.
Did you order Palmer to make the move pro-
posed yesterday 1t is important that he should
DO 50 without delay.
T.. S. GRANT.
Lieutenant GeneraL
7. 5. Bowers. y. \. G.
HEADQ RS Army OF The L. :,
CRY PorNT, Va, Dec !, ls64.
.Hajor Gen Butler:
feel great anxiety to see the Wilmington ex-
petition of, both on account Of the present fine
weather. which We can expect no great contin-
nance Of, and because Sherman may now be ex-
pected to strike the sea coast any day, leaving
Bragg free to return. think it advisable for
YOU to notify Admiral Porter, and get off with
out delay, with or without your powder boat.
L. ;. GRANT
Lieutenant General
7. 5. Bowers, A. A. 6.
HEAD'oRs ARMY OF THE L. 5,
CITY PoIST, Va, Dec. :, 1864
Mayor Gen. Butler:
Let Gen. Weitzel get of as soon as possible
We don't want the navy to wait an hour.
U. S GRANT,
Lieutenant General
7. s Bowers, \. 4. G.
HEAD'oRs Army OF The U. 5,
CITY PoNT, Va, Dec. II, 1864.
MAJOR Gen. Butler:
Richmond papers of the 10Th show that on
the eth, Sherman was east Of the Ogeechoe and
within twenty-five miles Of Savannah, having
marched eighteen miles the day before II you
do not get off Immediately you will lose the
chance Of surprising a weak garrison.
U. s. GRANT,
Lieutenant General.
7. S. Bowers, \. A. G.
HEAD'oRs ARMY OF THE U. S,
CRY PoINT, Va, Dec. II, 1864
Major Gen. Butler
WHAT is the prospect for getting your expedi-
ton started 1t Is a great pity we were not
ten or twelve days earlier | am confident it
would have been successful.
Have you heard from Palmer? The Rich
mond papers give no account ofsny Federals on
the Roanoke or Weldon road south Of Wei
don.
U. 5. GRANT,
Lieutenant General