Mr. President,—Your letter of the 1st is just received.
I have been willing to detach officers to recruit negro troops, and sent in the names of many who are desirous of recruiting companies, battalions, or regiments, to the War Department.
After receiving the general orders on that subject establishing recruiting depots in the several States, I supposed that this mode of raising the troops was preferred.
I will continue to submit the names of those who offer for this service, and whom I deem competent, to the War Department; but among the numerous applications which are presented, it is difficult for me to decide who are suitable for the duty.
I am glad your
Excellency has made an appeal to the
Governors of the States, and hope it will have a good effect.
I have had a great desire to confer with you upon our condition, and would have been to Richmond before this, but anticipating movements of the enemy which have occurred, I felt unwilling to be absent.
I have considered our condition very critical, but have hoped that the enemy might expose himself in some way that we might take advantage of and cripple him. Knowing, when
Sheridan moved on our right, that our cavalry would be unable to resist successfully his advance upon our communications, I detached
Pickett's division to support it. At first
Pickett succeeded in driving the enemy, who fought stubbornly, and, after being reinforced by the Fifth corps (U. S. A), obliged
Pickett to recede to the Five Forks, on the
Dinwiddie Courthouse and Ford's road, where, unfortunately, he was yesterday defeated.
To relieve him I had to again draw out three brigades under
General Anderson, which so weakened our front line that the enemy last night and this morning succeeded in penetrating it near the Cox road, separating our troops around the town from those on
Hatcher's Run.
This has enabled him to extend to the
Appomattox, thus inclosing and obliging us to contract our lines to the city.
I have directed the troops from the lines on
Hatcher's Run, thus severed from us, to fall back toward Amelia Courthouse, and I do not see how I can possibly help withdrawing from the city to the north side of the
Appomattox to-night.
There is no bridge over the
Appomattox above this point nearer than
Goode's and
Bevil's, over which the troops above mentioned could cross to the north side and be made available to us; otherwise I might hold this position for a day or two longer, but would have to evacuate it eventually, and I think it better for us to abandon the whole line on
James