not take place, however, until after the capture of the rebel president and vicepresident; and the bad faith was exhibited of first disbanding most of his army and permitting an indiscriminate plunder of public property. Owing to the report that many of those lately in arms against the government had taken refuge upon the soil of Mexico, carrying with them arms rightfully belonging to the United States, which had been surrendered to us by agreement among them some of the leaders who had surrendered in person-and the disturbed condition of affairs on the Rio Grande, the orders for troops to proceed to Texas were not changed. There have been severe combats, raids, expeditions, and movements to defeat the designs and purposes of the enemy, most of them reflecting great credit on our arms, and which contributed greatly to our final triumph, that I have not mentioned. Many of these will be found clearly set forth in the reports herewith submitted; some in the telegrams and brief despatches announcing them, and others, I regret to say, have not as yet been officially reported. For information touching our Indian difficulties, I would respectfully refer to the reports of the commanders of departments in which they have occurred. It has been my fortune to see the armies of both the west and the east fight battles, and from what I have seen I know there is no difference in their fighting qualities. All that it was possible for men to do in battle they have done. The western armies commenced their battles in the Mississippi valley, and received the final surrender of the remnant of the principal army opposed to them in North Carolina. The armies of the east commenced their battles on the river from which the army of the Potomac derived its name, and received the final surrender of their old antagonist at Appomattox Court-House, Virginia. The splendid achievements of each have nationalized our victories, removed all sectional jealousies, (of which we have unfortunately experienced too much,) and the cause of crimination and recrimination that might have followed had either section failed in its duty. All have a proud record, and all sections can well congratulate themselves and each other for having done their full share in restoring the supremacy of law over every foot of territory belonging to the United States. Let them hope for perpetual peace and harmony with that enemy, whose manhood, however mistaken the cause, drew forth such herculean deeds of valor. I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant, Hon. E. M. STANTON, Lieutenant General. Secretary of War. REPORTS OF MILITARY OPERATIONS [The following reports of military operations, which are necessarily excluded from this abridgment, will be found in the unabridged Report of the Secretary of War.] Reports of Major Generals G. G. Meade and P. H. Sheridan, of the campaign before Richmond and Petersburg, 1865. Major General W. T. Sherman's report of the campaign of Atlanta, 1864. Major General W. T. Sherman's report of the campaign of Georgia and cap ture of Savannah, 1864. Major General W. T. Sherman's report of the campaign of the Carolinas, 1865. Major General W. T. Sherman's report of Johnston's surrender, &c., 1865. Major General P. H Sheridan's report of operations in the Shenandoah valley, from Winchester to the armies in front of Petersburg, between February 27, and March 28, 1865. Major General G. H. Thomas's report of operations from September 7, 1864, to January 20, 1865, including battles of Franklin and Nashville. Major General G. H. Thomas's report of operations in the department of the Cumberland, from January 20 to June 1, 1865. Major General D. Hunter's report of operations in West Virginia, 1864. Major General B. F. Butler's report of operations against Fort Fisher, 1864. Major General A. H. Terry's report of the capture of Fort Fisher, 1865. Major General W. S. Rosecrans's report of operations against Price, in the department of Missouri. Equipment and Recruiting, navy, report of the chief of.. 135 144 Mining, statement of the Secretary of the Interior concerning 307 Navigation, navy, report of the chief of.. 106 Ordnance, army, report of the chief of.. Ordnance, navy, report of the chief of.. 111 Provisions, navy, report of the chief of. 141 Steam Engineering, navy, report of the chief of... 137 95 Bureaus of the Navy Department, remarks of the Secretary on.............. 90 Burial records of the Quartermaster's department 545 Cabinet of coins and medals at the United States mint.. 304 Capitol, the, remarks of the Secretary of the Interior on report of the Commissioner of Public Buildings on.. the approaches to..... the grounds of... Cattle plague, or "rinderpest" Cavalry regiments, stations of the.. Central superintendency of Indians... 548 384 343 625 320 452 459 456 453 23 557 415 15 597 navy Examining pension surgeons, list of.. Exhibit of the strength of the army in 1864 and in 1865 Expenditures of public money during the fiscal year 1864-'65. Experiments on boilers, naval steam-engine.. ordnance, naval ... 86 554 .560, 564 91 434 561 219 138 118 138 .593, 594 303 34 113 17 552 594 135 660 16 684 115 117 112 H. 352 86 526 577 595 145 108 |