The Van Buren press., 1867-09-06

| bistilINs
NEW YORK, Aug. q,
Headquarters U. S. ARMIES,
Washington, Aug. II, lSG7l
His Ereelleney, Andrew Johnson, Pre'i
dent of the United States;
SIR am in receipt of your order OF
this date, directing me to appoint Gen. G
III. Thomas to the command Of the fifth
military district, Gen. Sheridan to the de-
partment of the Missouri, and Gen.
Hancock to the department of the Cum
berland and also your note Of this date
enclosing their instructions. You say,
To carry into effect the enclosed order,
| would be pleased to hear any sugges-
tions you may deem necessary respecting
the arrangements to which the order re
fers."
| am pleased to avail myself of this in
vitation to urge earnestly, in the name of
the patriotic people who have sacrificed
hundreds of thousands oflives, and thou
sands of million treasure to preserve the
integrity Of this country, that this order
be not issued 1t enthusiastically the ex-
pressed wish of the country that General
Sheridan should not be removed from
his present command. This is q repub.
lie where the will of the people is the law
Of the land. beg that their voice .be
needed General Sheridan has perform
ed his civil duties faithfully and intelli-
gently, and his removal will only be re
garded as an effort to defeat the laws of
Congress. 1t will be interpreted by the
unreconstructed element of the south,
those who did all they could to break up
this government by arms and now wish
to be the only element consulted As to
the method of restoring order, as a tr-
umph and it will embolden them to re-
new opposition to the will Of the loyal
masses, believing that they have the EX-
ecutive with them
The services of Gen. Thomas in bat
Ting for the Union, entitle him to some
consideration. He has repeatedly entered
hir protest against being assigned to
either of the five military districts, and
especially being assigned to relieAc Gen.
Sheridan. I'
Gen Hancock ought not to be remov-
ed from where he is His department is
complicated one which will take cw
commander some time to become &C
quainted with.
There are military reasons, pecuniary
reasons, and above all patriotic reasons
why this order should not be issued.
beg to refer to letter, marked private,
which | wrote to the President when first
consulted on the subject of change in
the war department. 1t bears upon the
subject of his removal, and | had hoped
it would have prevented it.
l have the honor to be, with great re-
spect, your obedient servant,
US. GRANT,
Gen u S. A. and Sec'y of War ad. IN
tertm.
EXECUTIVE MANSION, d. c.,
August 10, 1861
GENERAL: have received your com
munication Of the 18th inst, and thank
you for the promptness with which you
have submitted your views, respecting
the assignments directed in my order OF
that date When | stated in my official
note of the 18th that l would be pleased
to hear any suggestions you might deem
necessary upon the subject, it was not
my intention to ask from you formal
report, but rather to invite a verbal state
ment of any reasons affecting the public
interests which, in your opinion, would
render the order ineXpedient Inasmuch,
however, as you have replied in writ
ten communication, it is proper that l
should make some reply. You earnestly
urge that the order be not insisted on, re-
marking that it is Enthusiastically the ex
pressed wish of the country that General
Sheridan should not be removed from
his present command. While | am cog
nizant Of the efforts that have been made
to relieve Gen Sheridan in command OF
the Fifth Military District, am not
aware that the question has even been
submitted to the people themselves for
determination 1t would certainly be un-
just to the army to assume that, in the
opinion of the nation, he alone is capable
Of commanding the States Of Louisiana
and Texas, AMI that were he for any
cause removed, no other General in the
military service of the United States
would he competent to fill his place
General Thomas, whom | have designated
as his successor, is well known to the
country, having won high and honorable
distinction in the field. He has since in
the execution Of the responsible duties OF
department commander exhibited great
ability, sound discretion and sterling pat
riotism. He has not failed under the
most trying circumstances, to enforce
the laws, to preserve peace and order, to
encourage the restoration Of civil author
ity and TO promote, as far as possible, O
spirit of reconciliation. His adminlstra
tion of the army Of the Cumberland will
certainly compare most iavorably with
that OF Gen Sheridan in the military dis
trict. There affairs seem to be in dis