SPECIAL ORDERS, HDQRS. THIRD DIVISION, SECOND CORPS, No. S July 5, 1864. . I. In pursuance of orders from corps headquarters, the Fourth Brigade is discontinued and the troops composing it distributed as follows: Seventy-first, Seventy-fourth, One hundred and twentieth New York, and Eleventh Massachusetts Volunteers to the Third Brigade; Seventythird New York Volunteers to the First Brigade; Eighty-fourth Pennsylvania Volunteers to the Second Brigade. II. Officers of staff departments rendered supernumerary by this consolidation will at once report to the chief of their respective departments at corps headquarters. III. All detached men from the regiments named, serving within other brigades of the division than the one to which their regiment is now assigned, will at once join their respective regiments. IV. The commanding officers of regiments will report without delay to the commanding officer of the brigade to which their regiment is transferred. By command of Major-General Birney: JOHN HANCOCK, Major and Assistant Adjutant-General. JULY 5, 1864-10,30 a. m. General HUMPHREYS: As a preliminary to withdrawing the two corps from my left I think we should construct, beside the small redoubt I have before spoken of, another near General Crawford's headquarters capable of holding a battery and 500 men, and another along the plank road about half-way between the two that will hold 1,500 men. This will, I believe, enable our left flank to be held by a small force without apprehension from an assault. It gives you an idea how important I regard the similar works now held by the enemy in our front. I should like to have the assistance of others in making these two redoubts. I examined the ground for their location with Captain Mendell. Respectfully, G. K. WARREN, HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC, Major-General WARREN, Commanding Fifth Corps: July 5, 1864-10.30 a, m. The major-general commanding directs me to say you can go on with the erection of the redoubt which you proposed to commence throwing up last night, but which was suspended by him until he could receive the report of the chief engineer upon other parts of the line held by the army. A. A. HUMPHREYS, Major-General and Chief of Staff. HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC, Major-General WARREN: Your telegram in relation to works received and referred to Major Duane, who has been instructed to confer with you and take such measures and furnish such means in men and material as may be deemed necessary. GEO. G. MEADE, HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC, Major-General WARREN: July 5, 1864. Do you want any of my men to start the redoubt to-night? G. H. MENDELL, Captain MENDELL: HEADQUARTERS FIFTH ARMY CORPS, I will meet you and Major Duane at General Crawford's headquarters at 1 p. m. Please inform him. G. K. WARREN, Private F. Buckhatter, Sixteenth Mississippi, Harris' brigade, Anderson's division, Hill's corps, came in this evening and delivered himself up. He states that Anderson's division relieved Wilcox's division in our front, and that Wilcox moved farther to their right on the evening of July 3; that the advanced battery in our front near the plank road has places for six guns; that a four-gun battery, Napoleons, of the Washington Artillery, are in the work, and Harris' brigade supports it. General Wright's brigade, of same division, joins Harris' on his left; says this brigade is extreme left of Hill's corps, and believes it connects with Beauregard's troops. .There is a rumor among their men that all General Lee asks of them is to hold their position; they have orders not to fire on our men unless we open on them or advance. This General Anderson is now in temporary command of Longstreet's corps. General Longstreet is still confined by his wound at Lynchburg. The prevailing feeling among their men is that Grant will not take Richmond, nor even Petersburg; that they can hold them both. General Mahone is in temporary command of Anderson's division. S. W. CRAWFORD, Brigadier-General. G. K. WARREN, Major-General, Commanding. Report for this morning: Nothing of importance has transpired. H. G. WRIGHT, Major-General. Major-General HUMPHREYS, HEADQUARTERS SIXTH CORPS, Chief of Staff, Army of the Potomac : GENERAL: Two deserters from a Georgia cavalry regiment, who have for some time been on provost duty at Petersburg, just sent in by Colonel Bryan, profess to give information of a character so important, regarding the movements of Breckinridge and Early (Longstreet), that I send them direct to you for examination. The note of Colonel Bryan, commanding cavalry, is also herewith. Very respectfully, &c., [Inclosure.] H. G. WRIGHT, Major-General, Commanding. HEADQUARTERS DETACHMENT CAVALRY CORPS, Major WHITTIER, Very respectfully, T. M. BRYAN, JR., Colonel, Commanding Detachment. HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC, General BURNSIDE, Commanding Ninth Corps : July 5, 1864--2 a. m. "What is the firing that seems to be in your front? (Same to General Warren.) GEO. G. MEADE, General MEADE:· HEADQUARTERS NINTH ARMY CORPS, The firing was only sharp skirmishing and a little more than the usual artillery firing. The enemy in our front are very nervous, I think, and do three-fourths of the firing. Our lines are being shelled by mortars, but our losses are not large, amounting to 480 in last ten days. A. E. BURNSIDE, Major-General. [Maj. Gen. A. E. BURNSIDE:] HEADQUARTERS, City Point, July 5, 1864. DEAR GENERAL: The accompanying list* of questions was drawn up, by my directions, by my Prussian engineer, Captain Munther. They are unnecessarily minute. All I want is to get the main facts, so as to judge of probable results and form data for any future work of the kind. If you will put Lieutenant Oberteuffer in communication with the officer in charge of the mining gallery he will work out the answers. I sent you yesterday the only copy I have of my review of McClellan's report. Any one who reads it must read the preface and there find my justification and motive. I am, respectfully and truly, J. G. BARNARD, Brevet Major-General, &c., HEADQUARTERS NINTH ARMY CORPS, Major-General HUMPHREYS: I have no movements of importance to report on my line to-day. The enemy have been very active on the front of General Willcox, strengthening their line in the direction of the Clarke house. The battery on General Ledlie's line will be ready for the guns this evening. No firing this evening as yet. A. E. BURNSIDE, HEADQUARTERS FIRST DIVISION, NINTH ARMY CORPS, Lieut. Col. L. RICHMOND, Assistant Adjutant-General, Ninth Corps: COLONEL: I have the honor to report that all was quiet in my front last night, the heavy picket-firing being on my left. est occurred to report. Nothing of inter I am, colonel, very respectfully, your obedient servant, JAMES H. LEDLIE, Brigadier-General, Commanding Division. See Part II, p. 610. For answers see Part II, p. 611. 1 HEADQUARTERS FIRST DIVISION, NINTH ARMY CORPS, Lieut. Col. L. RICHMOND, Assistant Adjutant-General, Ninth Corps: COLONEL: I have the honor to report everything has been quiet in my front for the last twelve hours. No movement of enemy observed. The work on the fort on my left is nearly done and it will be ready to receive the guns by 9 p. m. I am, colonel, very respectfully, your obedient servant, HEADQUARTERS SECOND DIVISION, NINTH ARMY CORPS, Near Petersburg, Va., July 5, 1864. Lieut. Col. LEWIS RICHMOND, Assistant Adjutant-General, Ninth Army Corps: COLONEL: I have the honor to report everything quiet on our front during the night. Skirmished with enemy, but nothing worthy of note occurred. I am, colonel, very respectfully, yours, &c., ROBERT B. POTTER, Brigadier-General, Commanding. HEADQUARTERS SECOND DIVISION, NINTH ARMY CORPS, Lieut. Col. LEWIS RICHMOND, Assistant Adjutant-General, Ninth Army Corps: COLONEL: I have the honor to report that everything has been quiet along our front for the past twelve hours. The covered way to the lines has been strengthened and made more secure. The Eleventh Massachusetts Battery, Captain Jones, has been placed in position on the front of First Division, relieving the Second Maine Battery, I am, colonel, very respectfully, your obedient servant, ROBERT B. POTTER, Brigadier-General, Commanding. HEADQUARTERS THIRD DIVISION, NINTH ARMY CORPS, Major-General PARKE, Chief of Staff: July 5, 1864. GENERAL: The enemy kept up a steady musketry fire during the night on the Fifty-first Pennsylvania Veteran Volunteers, which is on the right of my line. Their mortar firing is continued with increased effect, making the casualties in the command more numerous. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, O. B. WILLCOX, Brigadier-General, Commanding. |