“CITY POINT, Va., Aug. 16—­3:30 P. M., 1864. 
“MAJOR-GENERAL SHERIDAN, Winchester, Va.: 

“If you can possibly spare a division of cavalry, send them through Loudoun County to destroy and carry off the crops, animals, negroes, and all men under fifty years of age capable of bearing arms.  In this way you will get many of Mosby’s men.  All male citizens under fifty can fairly be held as prisoners of war, not as citizen prisoners.  If not already soldiers, they will be made so the moment the rebel army gets hold of them.

“U.  S. GRANT, Lieutenant-General.”

“HEADQUARTERS ARMIES OF THE UNITED STATES,
“CITY POINT, Aug. 21, 1864.

“MAJOR-GENERAL SHERIDAN, Charlestown, Va.: 

“In stripping Loudoun County of supplies, etc., impress from all loyal persons so that they may receive pay for what is taken from them.  I am informed by the Assistant Secretary of War that Loudoun County has a large population of Quakers, who are all favorably disposed to the Union.  These people may be exempted from arrest.

“U.  S. GRANT, Lieutenant-General.”

“HEADQUARTERS ARMIES OF THE UNITED STATES
“CITY POINT, Va., Aug. 26,2:30 P. M. 1864.

“MAJOR-GENERAL SHERIDAN, Halltown, Va.: 

“Telegraphed you that I had good reason for believing that Fitz Lee had been ordered back here.  I now think it likely that all troops will be ordered back from the valley except what they believe to be the minimum number to detain you.  My reason for supposing this is based upon the fact that yielding up the Weldon road seems to be a blow to the enemy he cannot stand.  I think I do not overstate the loss of the enemy in the last two weeks at 10,000 killed and wounded.  We have lost heavily, mostly in captured when the enemy gained temporary advantages.  Watch closely, and if you find this theory correct, push with all vigor.  Give the enemy no rest, and if it is possible to follow to the Virginia Central road, follow that far.  Do all the damage to railroads and crops you can.  Carry off stock of all descriptions and negroes, so as to prevent further planting.  If the war is to last another year we want the Shenandoah Valley to remain a barren waste.

“U.  S. GRANT, Lieutenant-General.

“HEADQUARTERS ARMIES OF THE UNITED STATES,
“CITY POINT, Va., Sept. 4,—­10 A. M.—­1864.

“MAJOR-GENERAL SHERIDAN, Charlestown, Va.: 

“In cleaning out the arms-bearing community of Loudoun County and the subsistence for armies, exercise your own judgment as to who should be exempt from arrest, and as to who should receive pay for their stock, grain, etc.  It is our interest that that county should not be capable of subsisting a hostile army, and at the same time we want to inflict as little hardship upon Union men as possible.

“U.  S. GRANT, Lieutenant-General.”

“CITY POINT, Va., Nov. 9, 1864. 
“MAJOR-GENERAL SHERIDAN, Cedar Creek, Va.: