eral_.

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE UNITED STATES,

_January 30, 1868_.

Respectfully forwarded to the Secretary of War for his information.

U.S. GRANT, _General_.

[Indorsement of the President on General Grant's note of January 24,
1868.[49]]

JANUARY 29, 1868.

As requested in this communication, General Grant is instructed in
writing not to obey any order from the War Department assumed to be
issued by the direction of the President unless such order is known by
the General Commanding the armies of the United States to have been
authorized by the Executive.

ANDREW JOHNSON.

[Footnote 49: See p. 613.]

_General Grant to the President_.

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE UNITED STATES,

_Washington, January 30, 1868_.

His Excellency A. JOHNSON,

_President of the United States_.

SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge the return of my note of the 24th
instant,[49] with your indorsement thereon, that I am not to obey any
order from the War Department assumed to be issued by the direction of
the President unless such order is known by me to have been authorized
by the Executive, and in reply thereto to say that I am informed by the
Secretary of War that he has not received from the Executive any order
or instructions limiting or impairing his authority to issue orders to
the Army, as has heretofore been his practice under the law and the
customs of the Department. While this authority to the War Department is
not countermanded it will be satisfactory evidence to me that any orders
issued from the War Department by direction of the President are
authorized by the Executive.

I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

U.S. GRANT, _General_.

[Footnote 49: See p. 613.]

HEADQUARTERS ARMY UNITED STATES,

_January 30, 1868_.

Respectfully forwarded to the Secretary of War for his information.

U.S. GRANT, _General_.

_The President to General Grant_.

EXECUTIVE MANSION, _January 31, 1868_.

General U.S. GRANT,

_Commanding United States Armies_.

GENERAL: I have received your communication of the 28th instant,[50]
renewing your request of the 24th,[49] that I should repeat in a written
form my verbal instructions of the 19th instant, viz, that you obey no
order from the Hon. Edwin M. Stanton as Secretary of War unless you have
information that it was issued by the President's directions.

In submitting this request (with which I complied on the 29th
instant[5