Benjamnin F. Butler, Butler's Book: Autobiography and Personal Reminiscences of Major-General Benjamin Butler

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General Order No. 225 of the 7th of July relieved Smith from under my command, but the Tenth Corps and Kautz's cavalry division and the rest of the troops remained under my command. The headquarters of the department were continued, as they had always been, at Fortress Monroe. The effect of this was to relieve Smith and the troops under his command from being under my command. Therefore, at General Grant's suggestion, the President had taken him out of my command.

I was more than willing that Smith should go out from under my command. I would have given up a corps to get rid of him. As

Headquarters of Gen. Godfrey Weitzel before Richmond.

soon as this order was promulgated, as I have stated, and I received it, I called on General Grant on the 10th day of July, and I have already stated what passed between us, at which interview he said it did not suit him at all.

Smith says he called upon Grant on Sunday the 10th of July, and found me there but did not speak to me, and that after I had left he had a long confidential conversation with General Grant, after which he went to New York on leave of absence.

The record shows that at thirty minutes past one o'clock P. M. on that Sunday after Smith had gone, Grant suspended the operation