thout
the former commander."_

Grant at once took measures for renewing the attack and for
changing the commander. On the 31st of December the Secretary
of the Navy telegraphs to Porter: "Lieutenant-General Grant
will send immediately a competent force, _properly commanded,_
to cooperate in the capture of the defences of Federal Point."

So in every instance in which the head of the military or
naval department of this country issued an order to cooperate
in this expedition he found it necessary to assure the officer
to whom he gave his orders that the expedition would be properly
commanded. The Secretary adds in his dispatch to Admiral
Porter: "The Department is perfectly satisfied with your
efforts thus far." On the next day Porter writes to General
Grant: "I have just received yours of December 30th. I shall
be all ready; and thank God we are not to leave here with
so easy a victory at hand. Thank you for so promptly trying
to rectify the blunder so lately committed. I knew you would
do it." He adds, speaking of the late expedition: "We lost
one man killed. You may judge what a simple business it was."

On the 2d of January Grant directs that Terry, who is to
command this new expedition, be sent to City Point to see
him. "I cannot go myself," he adds to the Secretary of War,
"so long as Butler would be left in command."

January 4th, the next day but one, Grant asks for the removal
of Butler. He says: "I am constrained to request the removal
of Major-General Butler from the command of the department
of Virginia and North Carolina. I do this with reluctance,
but the good of the service requires it. In my absence General
Butler necessarily commands, and there is a lack of confidence
felt in his military ability, making him an unsafe commander
for a large army. His administration of the affairs of his
department is also objectionable."

Stanton had just left the capital on a visit to Sherman,
at Savannah, and this letter at first received no answer; but
Grant was very much in earnest, and on the sixth he telegraphed
direct to the President: "I wrote a letter to the Secretary
of War, which was mailed yesterday, asking to have General
Butler removed from command. Learning that the Secretary
left Washington yesterday, I telegraph you asking that prompt
action be taken in this matter."

That was practically the end of Butler's military service.
He never received another command.

There is no