[Indorsement.] HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC, . July 15, 1864-6 p. m. (Sent 6.15 p. m.) The above sent to show that General Hoke is still here and doubtless his division. Three large steamers arrived at Strahan's lower landing about thirty minutes ago; two of them remained only ten minutes and returned down the river. No troops could be seen aboard. W. S. L. 6 P. M. Colonel BRENT, Assistant Adjutant-General: One gun-boat off Point of Rocks, one gun-boat just below Red Bluff, and one large steamer at Strahan's lower landing. (Same to A. B.) W. S. L., At C. CHAS. L. DAVIS, Captain, &c. SPECIAL ORDERS, * HDQRS. ARMY OF THE POTOMAC, July 15, 1864. 4. While the army occupies its present position, corps and other independent commanders will cause their commissaries to issue at least four days' fresh potatoes and three days' fresh onions per week to the troops of their command. Green cabbages will be issued from two to three times per week in lieu of the money value of some component part of the ration, and at the rate of one-fourth pound per man. Fresh beets or fresh turnips or fresh carrots, or whichever one of these articles can be most readily furnished, will be issued from two to three times per week in lieu of beans, peas, rice, or hominy, and at the rate prescribed by regulations, viz: "Thirty pounds to the 100 rations." If the articles above mentioned cannot be obtained from the depot of supplies, the commanders aforesaid will require their commissaries to present to them a statement signed by the officer in charge of the depot to the effect that the articles required by the commissary could not be furnished him for issue at that depot. * 8. As the services of all able-bodied men who are available for duty in the ranks are required with their regiments, as far as practicable, musicians only will be detailed to perform the duties of attendants, nurses, cooks, and orderlies at the hospitals at City Point, and the medical officer in charge of the hospitals at that place will at once make requisition upon the corps commanders for musicians to relieve the able-bodied men of their commands now employed on hospital service, and the latter on being relieved will be returned to their regiments. Each corps commander will select an efficient officer to take the general charge of the musicians of his corps assigned to hospital duty, and he will also, on the requisition of the medical officer in charge of the hospitals, furnish his proportion of a detail for a hospital guard. The guard will be no larger than is indispensably necessary. The requisition on corps commanders for hospital attendants and guard details will be in proportion to the number of men of the corps under treatment. The First and Third Divisions of my command are still on fatigue duty leveling intrenchments; the Second Division is at the Southall house. General Warren notified me last evening that he was relieving the pickets of this division. There has been no other change. WINF'D S. HANCOCK, Major-General. HEADQUARTERS SECOND ARMY CORPS, Brig. Gen. S. WILLIAMS: My fatigue parties are now extending to the right of the Dunn house, and on work partially done by the Eighteenth Corps last night, but abandoned this morning at daylight, it is understood, for fear of being shelled. I desire to know if the work is to be abandoned for fear of being shelled. WINFD S. HANCOCK, HEADQUARTERS SECOND ARMY CORPS, Brig. Gen. S. WILLIAMS, Assistant Adjutant-General, Army of the Potomac : GENERAL: I have the honor to recommend the following officers of the Second Army Corps for promotion to the rank of brigadier-general for distinguished services: Lieut. Col. C. H. Morgan, inspector-general and chief of staff, Second Corps, to date from the 12th of May, 1864. Col. T. W. Egan, Fortieth New York Volunteers, for gallant and meritorious conduct in command of a brigade, to date from May 26, 1864. Col. T. A. Smyth, First Delaware Volunteers, for gallant and meritorious conduct while in command of a brigade, to date from May 27, 1864. Col. H. L. Brown, One hundred and forty-fifth Pennsylvania Volunteers, for gallant and meritorious conduct while in command of a brigade, to date from May 12, 1864. Col. James A. Beaver, One hundred and forty-eighth Pennsylvania Volunteers, for gallant and meritorious conduct while in command of a brigade, to date from June 16, 1864. Col. C. H. Morgan was chief of staff of the Second Corps during the battles of Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville, under Major-General Couch, and during the battle of Gettysburg, under Major-General Hancock; at Bristoe and all subsequent operations of the Second Corps, while under the command of Major-General Warren, and during the present campaign, commencing May 3, 1864, to the present date. His rare intelligence, activity, and gallantry, as displayed during the long period which he has been attached to the Second Corps in the capacity referred to, fairly entitles him to the promotion recommended. This officer has heretofore been recommended by General Couch and General Warren for promotion to the rank of brigadier-general. I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant, The officers are presented in this list in the order in which it is desirable that they should be promoted. Colonel Brown is now a prisoner of war in Charleston, S. C. The recommendations of these officers by division commanders are inclosed. WINFD S. HANCOCK, General S. WILLIAMS: HEADQUARTERS SECOND ARMY CORPS, I have nothing new to report. My First and Third Divisions are still on fatigue; the Second in reserve. WINF'D S. HANCOCK, Major-General. HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC, Colonel Morgan, July 15, 1864-8.45 p. m. General Gibbon will take his division to the rear of the Dunn house (behind Burnside's headquarters) and be ready to work leveling the old works. An engineer officer will be there with the tools. They will work by reliefs until relieved. Birney's and Barlow's divisions will not work to-night after Gibbon's division arrives, or when the time of the present relief is up. The 600 men should be relieved, and you can work the detail if you can find the working place. They should be relieved from Birney's and Barlow's of men who did not work long on last night. We will not move as suggested. I will be home soon. WINF'D S. HANCOCK, Major-General. HEADQUARTERS THIRD DIVISION, SECOND CORPS, Lieut. Col. F. A. WALKER, Assistant Adjutant-General, Second Corps: COLONEL: I have the honor to report that the division moved from its position near the Williams house at 6 a. m. on the 13th instant to its present position, since which time nothing of note has occurred. As the division is lying on reserve and not in the trenches this report was not thought necessary. I am, colonel, very respectfully, &c., D. B. BIRNEY, Major-General of Volunteers, HEADQUARTERS THIRD DIVISION, SECOND CORPS, Lieut. Col. F. A. WALKER, Assistant Adjutant-General, Second Corps: COLONEL: I have the honor to report that the entire division has been on fatigue duty (leveling the enemy's earth-works) for the last twenty-four hours, with the exception of 400 men, who have been on duty thirty hours. No changes in the lines of this division or anything else of importance has taken place in the command since my last report. Very respectfully, &c., D. B. BIRNEY, Major-General of Volunteers. What was the result of sending up the rockets last night? A. E. BURNSIDE, GENERAL: I forward you a deserter sent me by Colonel Bryan, and also the report of one of his officers concerning him. The prisoner says the rebel colonel on foot passed through a dense wood, about 100 yards in extent, between the left of the infantry and right of Colonel Byran's line. The information of the deserter, if reliable, is important. All quiet on the cavalry line. Yours respectfully, D. MCM. GREGG, Brigadier-General of Vols., Comdg. Second Cavalry Division. Colonel BRYAN: [Inclosure.] [JULY 15, 1864.] With this dispatch I send to you for examination one Henry Williams, deserter from the rebel lines, who came into my line this morning. Says he is a native of Washington, and was pressed into service a week ago. Reports that an attack will doubtless be made on all our lines to-day or to-morrow, and that some of their officers have been between the cavalry and infantry lines, and even in rear of infantry lines, and drawn correct maps of our lines and works. The infantry line is much weakened, and all the brigade (reserve) left and fell back last night. I think I have found the opening where their officers passed through (if they passed between the two lines), and have thrown in an additional post, but the connection between my line and the infantry is not what it should be, and I cannot remedy the difficulty. Your obedient servant, JOHN D. MYRICK, Captain, First Maine Cavalry, Commanding Outposts. HEADQUARTERS FIFTH ARMY CORPS, Brigadier-General GREGG: July 15, 1864. GENERAL: I have seen the deserter you sent in. I don't think much of his story about there being a gap in our lines where officers went through. I went along the whole line yesterday myself and saw no such place. It is very probable they may make a dash to get information, and if their necessities are great may try to hold out on the railroad. I don't know under what instructions you are operating, but you can strengthen your lines wherever you think necessary. It is not neces |