By personal arrangement with Grant at City Point at his headquarters, as I went down the river on my way to Fortress Monroe to make final preparations for the expedition, I was to go in its command for a reason which was agreed upon between us in the consultation. The reason was this, that General Weitzel, while a very able general, was quite a young man, and I was very anxious to see this powder expedition go on and succeed, for it was a very grave one. “I think,” said I, “I had better go with the expedition so as to take the responsibility off General Weitzel, as I am an older officer.” To this General Grant assented. “ We shall want,” I continued, “an intelligent report of the work around Wilmington, and of the effect of this expedition. Give me your best engineer officer for that purpose. Give me Comstock.” “ Certainly, General,” he replied, “and any other of my staff that you think will aid you, for we are not doing anything here.” General Grant immediately ordered Colonel Comstock to report to me, and in obedience to that order Comstock went down to Fortress Monroe with me on my boat that evening (the 8th). He was with me all the time, and made a report upon the action of the experiment. It was further understood that I was to stay until General Weitzel successfully effected a landing ; and then I was to determine whether there should be a dash made on Wilmington, and go as far as that if necessary, and then come back to my command of the Army of the James. In consequence of this arrangement I took almost my whole staff with me, and also my horses and other means of moving across the country. I went to Fortress Monroe on the evening of the 8th of December. The transportation for the expedition was to be furnished by General Ingalls, General Grant's chief quartermaster. On the 6th I had moved the troops for this expedition out of the trenches, and got them ready to embark. I fix the date by a telegram from General Terry to General Turner, my chief of staff.1
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1 See Appendix No. 107.
A. M. Thayer and Co. 1892.
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