_El Senor Noriel, General de Brigade_.

Sir: In pursuance of our conversation of yesterday and the message which Captain Arevalo brought to me during the night, I beg to inform you that my troops will occupy the intrenchments between the Camino Real and the beach, leaving camp for that purpose at 8.00 o'clock this morning.

I will be obliged if you will give the necessary orders for the withdrawal of your men.

Thanking you for your courtesy, I remain, very respectfully, your obedient servant, _F.

V.Greene, Brigadier General_, commanding.'" [126] This clear direct declaration of intention by General Greene is the actual transaction referred to by Blount as "Jockeying the Insurgents out of their trenches." He bases his statements concerning the matter on a newspaper report.
The attitude of the army officers in the matter of obtaining permission to occupy the trenches needed in preparing for the assault on the city could not have been more correct.
On August 10 General Merritt gave the following emphatic instructions relative to the matter:-- "No rupture with Insurgents.