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HEADQUARTERS SECOND DIVISION, SECOND ARMY CORPS, July 9, 1864-11.45 p. m. (Received 11.50.)

Lient. Col. C. H. MORGAN,

Chief of Staff :

COLONEL: Will you direct the commanding officers of the troops of the Third Division and First Division to report to me at my headquarters as soon as their troops are in motion to take up position on my left? Two batteries will be required to be placed in position near the Williams house road. Will you have them report to me?

JOHN GIBBON, Major-General of Volunteers, Commanding Division.

HEADQUARTERS THIRD DIVISION, SECOND CORPS,
July 9, 1864.

Lieut. Col. F. A. WALKER,

Assistant Adjutant-General, Second Corps:

COLONEL: I have the honor to state, in answer to circular from headquarters Second Corps, this date, that I have no brigade in · reserve, my brigades being all in the front line, owing to the extension of my line in front of the left of Fifth Corps. I have a few regiments in

reserve.

D. B. BIRNEY, Major-General of Volunteers.

HDQRS. DIVISION OFFICER OF THE DAY, THIRD DIV., July 9, 1864. Maj. J. HANCOCK,

Assistant Adjutant-General:

MAJOR: I have the honor to submit the following report of my tour of duty as division officer of the day for the 7th instant: No unusual movements were noticed along the enemy's front. The total strength of the picket now on is 500 men besides officers. There are eightythree posts, averaging about six men to the post. There is no reserve at present, all the men being on the line. If, however, it is the desire to establish a grand reserve for the line it might be done by reducing the posts to the ordinary strength of three men and a corporal. My own impression is that where, as is now the case, the picket is relieved every twenty-four hours and all the men are required to keep awake during the twenty-four hours, it is more desirable to have the line as it now is.

In reply to communication received at 2 o'clock this a. m., relating to a report of the corps officer of the day, in regard to the picket-line of this division, and directing me to report "why the omissions mentioned were not reported to him (division commander) at once, and also why they were allowed to exist until my attention was called to them by the corps officer," I would report that the change I made was so simple, and did not to any extent change the line, that I did not consider it necessary to report the matter till I sent in my regular report. In answer to the second interrogatory I would reply that corps offi cers arrived at that portion of the line before I got there in the morning, and therefore noticed the defect before I could. The statement that there was a gap in the line is not, I submit, strictly correct. The line of posts at this point (a) are thrown in echelon, in order, as I suppose, to occupy a little breast-work (b) running part way across the

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open field. I inclose a rough sketch. The change I made was simply to fill the two pits then unoccupied. This part of line has been called weak, but when we consider that an enemy advancing across this open field would be exposed to a fire from two directions, it seems to me to be rather the strongest part of the line. The picket-line might easily be established where the vedettes now are and vedettes still thrown out from there. This would make it a straight line, and could be easily done at night by sending out a small fatigue party to prepare the pits quietly. One deserter came into the lines and was sent to division headquarters. Several cases of neglect of duty were noticed, and charges will be sent in during the day.

I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
GEORGE W. MEIKEL,
Lieut. Col. 20th Indiana Vet. Vols., Div. Officer of the Day.

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Brig. Gen. S. WILLIAMS,

Assistant Adjutant-General, Army of the Potomac : GENERAL: In compliance with Special Orders, No. 171, headquarters Army of the Potomac, June 28, I have the honor to submit the following report:

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HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC,
July 9, 1864-8.45 p. m.

Major-General WRIGHT,

Commanding Sixth Corps:

The major-general commanding directs that you move your corps at once to City Point and embark it there and report to Major-General Halleck upon arriving at Washington. You will take your artillery and trains to the vicinity of City Point and park them there under charge of a suitable guard. General Ferrero is ordered to the Williams house, and General Hancock is ordered to dispose his command as he did when you moved to Reams' Station.

A. A. HUMPHREYS, Major-General and Chief of Staff.

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC,

Major-General WRIGHT,

Commanding Sixth Corps:

July 9, 1864—8.50 p. m.

Direct Colonel Bryan, commanding cavalry detachment picketing on the left, to report to General Hancock.

A. A. HUMPHREYS, Major-General and Chief of Staff.

HEADQUARTERS SIXTH CORPS,

July 9, 1864-9 p. m.

Chief Quartermaster, &c.:

Brig. Gen. R. INGALLS,

I am ordered to march my corps to City Point. There will be about 11,000 men and they will start within an hour. Can't you furnish me with a small boat for my headquarters, horses, orderlies, &c.? Please acknowledge.

H. G. WRIGHT,
Major-General.

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time for the balance. A small steamer can be furnished for your headquarters, &c. Will you please inform me when the head of your column will reach here?

Major-General HUMPHREYS:

RUFUS INGALLS,

Brigadier-General.

HEADQUARTERS SIXTH CORPS,

July 9, 1864. (Received 9.50 p. m.)'

I have received dispatch from General Hancock in reply to mine, stating that it will not be possible to relieve my pickets at once on

account of the difficulty of the operation. I have 1,400 men on picket, which, if not relieved, will be a serious diminution of my force. My picket officers are, of course, available to assist in relieving their men. H. G. WRIGHT,

Major-General.

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC,

Major-General WRIGHT,

Commanding Sixth Corns:

July 9, 1864-10.20 p.m.

General Hancock has been ordered to relieve your pickets at once. His working parties on the redoubts are ordered to be sent back to him immediately.

A. A. HUMPHREYS, Major-General and Chief of Staff.

HDQRS. PROVISIONAL BRIGADE, CAVALRY COrps,

Maj. Gen. A. A. HUMPHREYS,

Chief of Staff:

July 9[?], 1864.

GENERAL: I have been fighting these guerrillas for some days past, capturing 1 (sent to General Wright's headquarters) and killing 6. have lost 1 lieutenant killed, 1 lieutenant missing, and 2 men missing. I have ordered out a squadron to scour the country in that direction. Very respectfully,

ORDERS.]

T. M. BRYAN, JR.,
Colonel, Commanding.

HEADQUARTERS SIXTH ARMY CORPS,
July 9, 1864-9.20 p. m.

The corps will move at once to City Point, there to embark for Washington, in the following order: First, Second Division; second, First Division; third, trains and Artillery Brigade. The pickets will be withdrawn under direction of Brigadier-General Grant, as soon as relieved by other troops, and will follow the corps to City Point. The trains and artillery will not accompany the corps, but will be parked in the vicinity of City Point, the former under charge of the chief quartermaster of the corps and the latter under charge of the chief of artillery. General Russell will cause the three companies of the Second Connecticut Artillery, ordered to report to Colonel Tompkins, to do so to-night, and they will compose the guard for the artillery and trains. By command of Major-General Wright:

C. H. WHITTELSEY,
Assistant Adjutant-General.

ORDERS.]

HEADQUARTERS FIRST DIVISION, SIXTH CORPS,

July 9, 1864-10.30 p. m.

This division will move at once, following the Second Division. Order of march: Second Brigade, Third Brigade, First Brigade. The

trains and artillery will not accompany the corps, but will be parked in the vicinity of City Point, under charge of the chief quartermaster of the corps. The pickets are to be withdrawn under the direction of Brigadier-General Grant as soon as relieved by other troops, and will follow the corps to City Point. A staff officer will be sent to conduct the leading brigade. The others will follow in order. By command of Brigadier-General Russell:

HENRY R. DALTON,
Assistant Adjutant-General.

HEADQUARTERS NINTH ARMY CORPS,
July 9, 1864-9 a. m.

Major-General HUMPHREYS,

Chief of Staff:

I have the honor to report that last night was one of unusual quiet on my front. Everything progressing favorably.

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In sending in your recommendations for general officers you are desired to state whether the officers you nominate have heretofore been recommended for promotion; and, if so, when.

S. WILLIAMS, Assistant Adjutant-General.

HEADQUARTERS NINTH ARMY CORPS,

July 9, 1864.

General S. WILLIAMS,

Assistant Adjutant-General:

Your dispatch received. I have received no instructions to nominate general officers; should be glad to do so if authorized. Have any orders been issued?

A. E. BURNSIDE,
Major-General.

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC,

Major-General BURNSIDE:

July 9, 1864.

A circular was issued to corps commanders on the 7th instant, calling upon them for recommendations of officers deserving promotion to the rank of general. A copy was prepared for you and was supposed to have been sent. A duplicate will be forwarded at once.

S. WILLIAMS, Assistant Adjutant-General.

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