HEADQUARTERS SECOND CORPS, General D. McM. GREGG, Commanding Cavalry Division : GENERAL: Major-General Hancock directs me to say that he has received a dispatch from Major-General Meade to the effect that the object of the reconnaissance has been accomplished, and directing that unless the enemy take the offensive he withdraw his command behind the intrenchments. Major-General Meade directs that you relieve the command under Colonel Bryan, Eighteenth Pennsylvania Volunteers, taking up his picket-line, holding it with strong reserves, and covering strongly Lee's Mill, or such other place as you may find more convenient for water. When the Second Corps withdraws behind the intrenched line you will report to General Warren for orders. General Meade also directs you to report to his headquarters. If you have any further information about the enemy please communicate. Respectfully, your obedient servant, C. II. MORGAN, Lieutenant-Colonel and Chief of Staff. HDQRS. DEPT. OF VIRGINIA AND NORTH CAROLINA, Lieutenant-General GRANT, Commanding, &c., City Point: This report* respectfully forwarded for the information of lieutenantgeneral commanding. Is there any news from Maryland that can be communicated without detriment to the public service? BENJ. F. BUTLER, Major-General. HDQRS. DEPT. OF VIRGINIA AND NORTH CAROLINA, Brigadier-General WEITZEL, Acting Chief of Staff: July 12, 1864. GENERAL: The following dispatch has just been received and is respectfully forwarded: Captain NORTON: RIVER-BANK SIGNAL STATION, A train of seven freight and two passenger cars, loaded with troops, just passed toward Petersburg. SIMONS, Lieutenant and Signal Officer. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, L. B. NORTON, Captain and Chief Signal Officer. Next, post. HDQRS. DEPT. OF VIRGINIA AND NORTH CAROLINA, Lieutenant-General GRANT, Commanding U. S. Armies: On Kautz's expedition Elder's battery lost all its guns and equipments. The inclosed requisitions are to remount it. My own belief is. that a battery should never be remounted where it loses its guns, without an investigation, and I therefore forward the requisitions to the lieutenant-general commanding for his judgment. This is probably all right, but we lose guns too easily when there is no penalty attached to the loss except to get new ones. BENJ. F. BUTLER, Major-General, Commanding. HDQRS. DEPT. OF VIRGINIA AND NORTH CAROLINA, Lieutenant-General GRANT, Commanding Armies of the United States: I examined a deserter on Saturday, who gave me a very intelligent and graphic account of Hunter's proceedings near Lynchburg, which he received in a letter from his family, which came to him via Gordonsville Junction. He had no doubt that the road was open, upon inquiring of him particularly upon that subject. Further information will be obtained and forwarded, BENJ. F. BUTLER, Major-General, Commanding. HEADQUARTERS ARMIES OF THE UNITED STATES, General WEITZEL, General Butler's Headquarters: Nothing has been heard from Baltimore since the report of Wallace's defeat at Monocacy and retreat toward Baltimore. There seems to be little apprehension in Washington, and it is thought there that the enemy will recross the Potomac on hearing of Wright's arrival. Some of them are reported in a dispatch just received as passing between Rockville and Washington. C. B. COMSTOCK, Lieutenant-Colonel and Aide-de-Camp. Major-General BUTLER, Commanding, &c.: CITY POINT, VA., July 12, 1864. Have you heard whether the enemy have yet run cars from Richmond north to Gordonsville? If you have any scouts who can go out and ascertain certainly I would be glad to have them go. U. S. GRANT, Lieutenant-General. HDQRS. DEPT. OF VIRGINIA AND NORTH CAROLINA, Lieutenant-General GRANT, The Virginia Central road is running as far at least as Gordonsville. Will send a refugee with particulars. BENJ. F. BUTLER, Major-General, Commanding. HDQRS. DEPT. OF VIRGINIA AND NORTH CAROLINA, Lieutenant-General GRANT, Commanding U. S. Armies: I have the honor to inclose a package received by flag of truce in the manner shown by the inclosed note* to General Brooks, together with a Richmond paper of this morning. Colonel Jaquess and Mr. Gilmore are here awaiting any answer, if it concerns them. I have received no answer from my flag of this morning. The bearer will await an answer from you if you do not choose to send it by telegraph. Major-General BUTLER, Commanding, &c.: BENJ. F. BUTLER. CITY POINT, VA., July 12, 1864. The communications from General Lee and Colonel Ould, the latter of which you have seen, are both on the same subject. Your action in the matter is satisfactory. U. S. GRANT, HDQRS. THIRD BRIG., FIRST DIV., TENTH ARMY CORPS, Maj. Gen. B. F. BUTLER, Deep Bottom, July 12, 1864-6.35 p. m. Commanding Department of Virginia and North Carolina: SIR: A flag of truce in charge of Captain Hatch, assistant adjutantgeneral, and assistant commissioner of exchange, C. S. Army, arrived at my outpost and was met by Captain Davis, my assistant adjutantgeneral. Robert Ould, commissioner of exchange, was of the party and presented a communication of which the following is a copy: COMMANDING OFFICER U. S. FORCES, Deep Bottom, Va.: WAR DEPARTMENT, Richmond, Va., July 12, 1864. SIR: A communication from Lieut. Gen. U. S. Grant, of the date of July 8, 1864, to General R. E. Lee, requesting that Col. James F. Jaquess and J. R. Gilmore, esq., be allowed to meet the undersigned at such place between the lines of the two armies as may be designated, having been referred to the War Department, I am directed to request you to notify Lieutenant-General Grant that I will be in attendance at some convenient point between Deep Bottom and Chaffin's Bluff (say at Mrs. Grover's) on Thursday, July 14 instant, at 1 p. m., to receive any communication which the above-named parties have to make. Respectfully, your obedient servant, ROBERT OULD, *Not found. The original of this I forward by orderly. Mr. Ould requests that an answer be sent to him at 1 p. m. to-morrow whether the parties will be able to meet him at the time stated in his communication; also, it the place is agreeable. I would request that Ruffin's house be substituted for Mrs. Grover's, the latter being one of my reserve picket stations. Respectfully, yours, R. S. FOSTER, HDQRS. DEPT. OF VIRGINIA AND NORTH CAROLINA, Lieutenant-General GRANT, Commanding, &c.: Since writing my first communication I have received the inclosed* from Deep Bottom, which, I take it, covers the whole matter in question, and have returned the following answer: Brigadier-General FOSTER, Commanding Deep Bottom: Please inform Mr. Ould that Colonel Jaquess and Mr. Gilmore will meet him at the time and place proposed, 1 o'clock on Thursday, the 14th, at Ruffin's house, between Deep Bottom and Chaffin's farm. General BUTLER: BENJ. F. BUTLER, BERMUDA, July 12, 1864. GENERAL: Three refugees, who state that they left Richmond last Sunday afternoon, have been received from the navy. They were picked up at Haxall's yesterday morning. They appear to be intelligent men. Shall I send them to your headquarters? JOHN CASSELS, HDQRS. DEPT. OF VIRGINIA AND NORTH CAROLINA, Governor CURTIN, Harrisburg, Pa.: First Lieut. David W. Chambers, of the Third Pennsylvania Artillery (One hundred and fifty-second Regiment), has conducted of his own planning a very gallant, successful, and serviceable expedition, * See Ould to commanding officer at Deep Bottom, embodied in next, ante. capturing and destroying a large amount of enemy's property, 1 officer and 15 men. Please send me by telegraph word that he will be appointed to the first vacant captaincy in his regiment. Such acts as his earn promotion, and prompt recognition is the way to get gallant service. BENJ. F. BUTLER, Major-General, Commanding. HDQRS. DEPT. OF VIRGINIA AND NORTH CAROLINA, Major-General BUTLER, Commanding: July 12, 1864--10.30 a. m. GENERAL: The following message has just been received and is respectfully forwarded: Captain NORTON: RIVER-BANK SIGNAL STATION, Spring Hill, July 12, 1864–9.30 a. m. Four pieces of artillery came from the direction of Petersburg into the road one mile and a half east of railroad station going north. At this point lost sight of them. SIMONS, Lieutenant and Signal Officer. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, (Forwarded to General Grant.) Brig. Gen. H. J. HUNT, S. N. ROGERS. Lieutenant and Signal Officer. JULY 12, 1864—8.30 a. m. Headquarters Army of the Potomac : Your telegram received. Have ordered an officer to report as directed to Captain Turnbull. Captain TURNBULL, HENRY L. ABBOT, Colonel First Connecticut Artillery. JULY 12, 1864– -8.30 a. m. U. S. Engineers, Headquarters General Burnside: By direction of General Hunt I have ordered Lieutenant Douglass, First Connecticut Artillery, to report to you for the duty of supervising the construction of the battery at Taylor's house. His company will serve the guns there. He will probably arrive at General Burnside's headquarters by noon, having no horse. HENRY L. ABBOT, Colonel First Connecticut Artillery. |