Mr. Seward to Mr. Adams
Sir: Since closing my circular of this date, we have received despatches from Lieutenant General Grant as follows:
“City Point, Virginia, 10.30 a. m., March 27, 1865.
“The battle of the 25th resulted in the following loss on our side: Second corps: killed, 51; wounded, 462; missing, 177. Sixth corps: killed, 47; wounded, 401; missing, 30. Ninth corps: killed, 68; wounded, 337; missing, 506. Our captures were: by the second corps, 365; sixth corps, 469; ninth corps, 1,949.
“The second and sixth corps pushed forward and captured the enemy’s strong intrenched picket line and turned it against him, and still hold it. In trying to retake this the battle was continued until eight o’clock at night, the enemy losing very heavily.
“Humphrey estimates the loss of the enemy in his front at three times his own, and General Wright estimates it in his front as double. The enemy sent a flag of truce yesterday for permission to collect his wounded and bury his dead, which were between what had been their picket line and their main line of fortifications. The permission was granted.
“U. S. GRANT, Lieutenant General.
“Hon. Edwin M. Stanton, Secretary of War.”
2d. A despatch dated eleven a. m., containing substance of report made by Major General Sherman, who arrived at Goldsboro’ on the 22d, and combined there with Major General Schofield as follows:
“City Point, 11 a. m., March 27, 1865.
“I am in receipt of Sherman’s report of operations from the time he left Fayetteville up to the 22d instant. I forward it by mail this morning. It shows hard fighting, resulting in very heavy loss to the enemy in killed and wounded, and over two thousand prisoners in our hands. His own loss, he says, will be covered by twenty-five hundred men since he left Savannah. Many of them are but slightly wounded.
“U. S. GRANT, Lieutenant General.
“Hon. Edwin M. Stanton, Secretary of War.”
I am, sir, your obedient servant,
Charles Francis Adams, Esq., &c., &c., &c.
[Same, mutatis mutandis, to all our principal ministers in Europe.]