Telegram from Abraham Lincoln to Lt. Gen. Ulysses Grant

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Description

Throughout the Civil War private property of both sides was destroyed by soldiers. Usually this was accomplished by burning private homes. Many commanders on both sides attempted to curtail this activity with limited success. This telegram from President Abraham Lincoln to Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant at City Point, VA, outside Petersburg, directs Grant to meet with Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee to prevent further destruction.

Citation

This primary source comes from the Records of the Office of the Secretary of War.

National Archives Identifier: 1656132

Full Citation: Telegram from Abraham Lincoln to Lt. Gen. Ulysses Grant; 8/14/1864; Telegrams Sent and Received By The War Department Central Telegraph Office, 1861–1882; Records of the Office of the Secretary of War, Record Group 107; National Archives Building, Washington, DC. [Online Version, https://docsteach.org/document/telegram-from-abraham-lincoln-to-lt-gen-ulysses-grant/, May 22, 2026]

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