WALTHALL STATION, July 16, 1864–10.20 a. m. Captain FISHER, Chief Signal Officer: Just intercepted: 10 A. M. Colonel BRENT, Assistant Adjutant-General : One large steamer just passed Point of Rocks loaded with troops going toward the James River. Cannonading heard in the direction of the James River. W. S. L., (Same to A. B.) At C. [CHAS. L. DAVIS, Captain, &c.] July 16, 1864. HEADQUARTERS FIFTH ARMY CORPS, Capt. B. F. FISHER: A detachment of infantry, numbering about 250, passed to our left near Weldon railroad this a. m.; also a small squadron of cavalry, about fifty in number, passed in same direction. Nothing else of importance. J. B. DUFF, Lieutenant and Signal Officer. Captain FISHER: Intercepted messages: Colonel BRENT, WALTHALL SIGNAL STATION, July 16, 1864. 2 P. M. Assistant Adjutant-General : Thirty-five wagons have passed open space going from enemy's front toward Cobb's. W. S. L., (Same to A. B.) At C. 2.30 p. M. Colonel BRENT, Assistant Adjutant-General: Horsemen, wagons, and ambulances have been constantly passing pontoon bridge coming from Prince George side toward Cobb's. Heavy clouds of dust on the Prince George side indicate unusual activity of the enemy. W. S. L., At C. Have seen the smoke from a locomotive at the Weldon railroad depot for an hour past. Four more wagons, apparently loaded, just passed toward city on Richmond and Petersburg road. CHAS. L. DAVIS, Captain and Signal Officer. WALTHALL SIGNAL STATION, Captain FISHER, Chief Signal Officer: Four wagons just passed on Richmond and Petersburg road going toward Petersburg. Two of them uncovered and loaded with flour barrels. Column of smoke now rising south 25 degrees west from here and about five miles off. Another large column of smoke south 33 degrees west about same distance. Both of them appear to be woods on fire. Intercepted message: Colonel BRENT, Assistant Adjutant-General: 1.05 P. M. One large steamer has just passed down the river. I could see no troops on board. Wagons constantly passing the bridge coming and going. (Same to A. B.) Captain FISHER: OPER At C. CHAS. L. DAVIS, Captain and Signal Officer. JULY 16, 1864—5.30 p. m. Communication open with the tower. Have you anything new to say to Captain Norton? Fifteen straggling infantry with arms and knapsacks just passed the open space, supposed to be the Richmond and Petersburg road, moving to enemy's right. Nothing more than this to indicate a movement of any force. CHAS. L. DAVIS, Captain, &c. JORDAN HOUSE SIGNAL STATION, Captain FISHER, Chief Signal Officer: T. R. CLARK, Captain and Signal Officer. HEADQUARTERS SECOND ARMY CORPS, Brig. Gen. S. WILLIAMS: The following changes have occurred in the disposition of troops of my command since last report: The First and Third Divisions were released from fatigue duty about midnight last night, and the Second Division placed upon the same duty. The work of leveling intrenchments has been prosecuted to a point in rear of Eighteenth Corps, some half a mile beyond the Prince George Court-House road, and the work is reported as nearly completed. General WILLIAMS: WINF'D S. HANCOCK, HEADQUARTERS SECOND ARMY CORPS, Since my report of this a. m. General Gibbon's division having completed the work indicated by the engineer department has returned to camp, and all my corps is now in camp, except 600 men of the Second Division on fatigue duty on the line between the Spicer house and the Jones house. WINF'D S. HANCOCK, Major-General. HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC, Major-General WARREN, Commanding Fifth Corps: July 16, 1864. (Sent 8.30 a. m.) I am instructed to inform you that General Gregg is ordered to return to his former camp on Jordan's Point, and leave one of his brigades to picket and patrol on the left of the army. The commander of the brigade will be directed to report to you everything that occurs as well as to these headquarters. He will picket about on the line now picketed, connecting with the infantry picket on the right, and extending around to the plank road near the church. Will patrol well down the plank road, well down the old Norfolk road, and to Lee's Mill, and across to the Prince George Court-House road, and send out scouting parties toward the railroad, Wyatt's, and toward Reams' Station. A. A. HUMPHREYS, Major-General and Chief of Staff. HEADQUARTERS FIFTH ARMY CORPS, General WILLIAMS: Nothing unusual occurred in front of my lines during the night. General HUMPHREYS: HEADQUARTERS FIFTH ARMY CORPS, I think it would be a good arrangement to have a brigade of the Second Corps relieve General Ferrero's picket-line and let us have his troops to work with. It will make a better working force and a better picket-line. The line is not in sight of the enemy and can be relieved at any time. Respectfully, G. K. WARREN, HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC, Major-General WARREN: [July] 16, 1864. I will be at your headquarters to-day, but I can't set an hour at present. Captain Harwood was ordered to report to you this morning. G. H. MENDELL, Captain, &c. Captain MENDELL: [JULY 16, 1864.] Captain Harwood is here. I wish to see you about working on the redan on the plank road, when you are ready to come, G. K. WARREN, Major-General. HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC, Major-General WARREN, Commanding, &c.: July 16, 1864. My redoubt is completed, except magazine and gorge defense, which are in progress. The line of rifle pits is completed for a little more than half the distance to the redoubt on the right, with the exception of a gap of 300 yards to the left of the negro brigade. Abatis is in position on the front of my redoubt, and more hauled on the flanks for about eighty yards in front of the line and along the whole length. The slashing on the left of the redoubt is nearly done. About thirty trees still standing. F. HARWOOD, [JULY 16, 1864.] Captain HARWOOD: I am going to have the rifle-pits begun by my corps on the right tomorrow. I went along the line to where the work stops. There is no pressing necessity for the rifle-pits. To-morrow will probably finish them. Go on with your work in the daytime. G. K. WARREN, General S. WILLIAMS: HEADQUARTERS FIFTH ARMY CORPS, I have nothing special to report this evening as having occurred today. Work generally goes on by daylight whenever it is practicable, and this extends all along our left from the large redoubt on the plank road to the one on the railroad. All the heavy work on this line will be done in a day or two more, and is now so far completed that I have directed a suspension of night work on it. All the redoubts are now occupied with artillery. Night work continues along the front toward the enemy, under direction of Major Duane. We shall soon have our defensive works so complete as to allow a considerable increase of our reserves, and perhaps an extension of our line to the left, so as to cover the establishment of another battery. Respectfully, G. K. WARREN, General WILLIAMS, HEADQUARTERS NINTH ARMY CORPS, Assistant Adjutant-General : I have nothing of note to report. There was very little firing last night. The enemy have placed sand-bags along their parapet for the benefit of their sharpshooters. The battery is nearly finished at the burnt house, and the main gallery of the mine will be completed today. General WILLIAMS: A. E. BURNSIDE, HEADQUARTERS NINTH ARMY CORPS, It has been quiet on my front to-day. Our mortar practice has become very excellent and is doing much execution. One of the shells caused an explosion in one of their redoubts, it is supposed of a magazine, as the explosion was heavy and logs were seen to fly up. The enemy were seen on one occasion to jump on the outside of their works to avoid our shells, there being no picket-firing to prevent them. In General Potter's front some force of the enemy were seen moving to our right, apparently relieving part of their line. We opened on them with artillery. The mine will be under the enemy's works during the night. A. E. BURNSIDE, IN THE TRENCHES OF THE NINTH ARMY CORPS, Lieut. Col. LEWIS RICHMOND, Assistant Adjutant-General, Ninth Army Corps: COLONEL: In obedience to orders from corps headquarters, I entered on duty as general of the trenches at 8 a. m. yesterday, relieving Colonel Steere, Fourth Rhode Island Infantry. Immediately on relieving Colonel Steere I made the round of the trenches and found everything in good condition. The trenches are well built and are covered along their whole front by strong abatis. The batteries from the position they occupy have a good command of the enemy's works along the front of the corps. From the twelve-gun battery now being erected in rear of the burnt house, and which is nearly completed, the entire line of the enemy's works in front of the Ninth Corps, and a good part of the line in front of the Fifth and Tenth Corps, can be reached, enfilading nearly the whole length of the enemy's lines in front of the Tenth Corps. There has been considerable firing by the artillery and mortars during the past twenty-four hours, generally very accurate and with good effect, silencing the enemy's guns almost as soon as opened. At 5 p. m. yes terday a magazine was blown up in the enemy's redoubt just to the left of the main road. There has been no change in the line since yester day, and no work has been done, except on the redoubt in rear of the burnt house. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, WM. HUMPHREY, Colonel Second Michigan Infantry. |