have them here, would secure us against any disaster. If we do not get them here it is my impression that sooner or later we will lose what will cost us many millions of money and many lives to retake. It appears to me that it will not require much ingenuity to get one of our iron-clads over the swash at Hatteras, and the fact of our having such vessels here would prevent the rebels from attempting a raid into the Sounds. Captain Maffitt now commands the ram Albemarle, and we all know that he is not the man to sit down at Plymouth. He was ordered there to do something, and if he can get a fleet of these rams before we receive any iron vessels we must expect disaster. Cannot the Navy Department be aroused to a proper appreciation of this matter? I am, major, very respectfully, your obedient servant, HEADQUARTERS OUTPOSTS, General PALMER : July 19, 1864. I have your kind note; that party goes out. I should be very happy to come down, but am somewhat knocked up, and the doctor says I must keep quiet. I am keeping Kinston in a perfect ferment-my object is, I want to fool them into security and then pounce on them. Please send for that refugee sent in to-day; he can give you some interesting facts with regard to rebel designs on Point Lookout, &c. P. J. CLAASSEN, Colonel, Commanding Outposts. WASHINGTON, D. C., July 20, 1864-4.30 p. m. Lieutenant-General GRANT, City Point, Va.: Yours of yesterday about a call for 300,000 is received. I suppose you have not seen the call for 500,000 made the day before, and which I suppose covers the case. Always glad to have your suggestions. A. LINCOLN. Major-General HALLECK, CITY POINT, July 20, 1864-2 p. m. Chief of Staff: If General Barnard can be spared from Washington I would like to have him ordered back to the field. If he cannot be spared now send him as soon as he can be conveniently spared. I think immediate steps should be taken for completing and connecting the fortifications about Baltimore. The officers in charge of the works about Washington can take charge of those of Baltimore also. I have heard nothing of the determination come to on my recommendation about the merging of the four departments about Washington into one. U. S. GRANT, Lieutenant-General. Hon. EDWIN M. STANTON, CITY POINT, VA., July 20, 1861. Secretary of War: I must enter my protest against States sending recruiting agents into the Southern States for the purpose of filling their quotas. The negroes brought within our lines are rightfully recruits for the U. S. service, and should not go to benefit any particular State. It is simply allowing Massachusetts (I mention Massachusetts because I see the order of the Governor of that State for establishing recruiting agencies in the South, and see no such order from any other State authority) to fill her quota by paying an amount of money to recruits the United States have already got. I must also enter my protest against recruiting from prisoners of war. Each one enlisted robs us of a soldier and adds one to the enemy with a bounty paid in loyal money. U. S. GRANT, WASHINGTON, July 20, 1864—2.30 p. m. Lieutenant-General GRANT: Your telegram of this date is received. The proposition for recruiting in rebel States by the Executives of other States was neither recommended nor sanctioned by this Department, although the President states in a telegram to General Sherman that he was favorable to it. He also authorized Butler to recruit from prisoners of war. It is not permitted in any other instance. For these reasons your protest has been referred to the President for such instructions as he may be pleased to give. Major-General MEADE: E. M. STANTON, CITY POINT, VA., July 20, 1864. A call is made for one more regiment of heavy artillery for the defenses of Washington. You may designate one, to be sent back as soon as the Sixth Corps begins to return. U. S. GRANT, HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC, [General HUMPHREYS:] July 20, 1864. GENERAL: Our men came in this morning from the depot on the left, with the following information: Agent reports that A. P. Hill's corps, as he thinks, was withdrawn yesterday morning. He is quite certain that only one brigade was left at Reams' Station, and that this is all the infantry which is now lying along the railroad. A considerable portion of Hill's corps has been on the plantation of Doctor Ennis. Agent went over yesterday morning and found them all gone, and the people on the plantation told him that when they left they went in the direction of Petersburg. His wife came from Petersburg yesterday. She cannot tell anything, in addition to the above, as to the whereabouts of Hill's corps, but says that the people are moving all their valuables out of the city and are leaving it personally in considerable numbers; that they are digging caves in and about the town, and expect the bombardment to happen soon, against which they do not believe that they will be able to make resistance. The cars on the Weldon railroad do not run into the city, but stop at the lead-works, and the rations are issued from there. There was a rumor yesterday within the enemy's lines that every night for a few nights past some troops, the number of which could not be stated, had been taken from about Petersburg and sent away. It was supposed that they were sent to re-enforce General Early in the Valley. The infantry from Proctor's plantation, on the plank road below Reams' Station, has left. The direction is not known. Our men heard eight or nine trains on the Weldon railroad last night. They return to the depot to-night, and will be in by morning. Very respectfully, GEORGE II. SHARPE, Colonel, &c. HDQRS. ARMY OF THE POTOMAC, SIGNAL DEPARTMENT, Maj. Gen. A. A. HUMPHREYS, Chief of Staff: July 20, 1864. GENERAL: I have the honor to forward the following report, just received from the signal station at the Jordan house: JULY 20, 1864. Intercepted the following message from rebel signal station: "Colonel BRENT, "Assistant Adjutant-General: "One regiment of infantry drilling in open space to our left of Cobb's. About fifty men drilling at battery below Manascillan's. One gun-boat and one steamer off Point of Rocks. One gun-b -boat above pontoon and two steamers below it. On account of the trees which intercept our view we cannot see whether the gun-boat reported last p. m. as approaching Red Bluff coming up, has gone down. ("Same to A. B.") By order: "OPERATOR." CLARK, I am, general, very respectfully, your obedient servant, WM. S. STRYKER, First Lieutenant and Adjutant of Signal Corps. HDQRS. ARMY OF THE POTOMAC, SIGNAL DEPARTMENT, Maj. Gen. A. A. HUMPHREYS, Chief of Staff: July 20, 1864. GENERAL: The following reports have just been received, and are respectfully forwarded for your information: STATION NEAR FIFTH CORPS HEADQUARTERS, July 20. No change. Can see a large camp of enemy about three miles northwest of this point. DUFF, PLANK ROAD SIGNAL STATION, July 20, 1864. All quiet; no movement of troops. This a. m. two trains of cars came out from lead-works, and having gone a few hundred yards south backed in toward the city. Occasional wagons continue to pass both to right and left on road near Weldon railroad. DUFF, Lieutenant. I am, general, very respectfully, your obedient servant, Captain FISHER: HEADQUARTERS FIFTH ARMY CORPS, July 20, 1864. No change. Can see a large camp of enemy's about three miles northwest of this point. WARTS, WALTHALL SIGNAL STATION, July 20, 1864—6.45 p. m. Captain FISHER, Chief Signal Officer, Headquarters Army of the Potomac: At 6 p. m. saw two trains of cars, one with four and the other with two box-cars, move backward on the Weldon railroad toward the depot. Locomotives moving about at that point for an hour previous. Cars appeared to be empty. The enemy's signal officer reports no change in our camps and two gun-boats at the pontoon bridge. Intercepted the following: Col. H. P. JONES: HEADQUARTERS ARTILLERY BATTALION, July 20, 1864. The 30-pounder that I am using at the mortars does very well. The other has been disabled by one of the enemy's batteries and will require a new trail before it can be again used. JOHN LANE, Major, Commanding. The battery where this 30-pounder is located is at Archer's. At 5 p. m. Lieutenant Bartlett reported that five trains had passed Port Walthall Junction to-day, going toward Richmond, partly loaded with troops, and one toward Petersburg, empty. No movement of troops Lieutenant-General Grant desires that you detail a proper officer and a squad of men to repair the defenses at City Point, especially the small redoubt, and the infantry parapet in its vicinity, completing their revetments. The commanding officer at this post will furnish you with a working party, in addition to your own, on your requisition. Very respectfully, C. B. COMSTOCK, Lieutenant-Colonel and Acting Chief Engineer. HEADQUARTERS SECOND ARMY CORPS, Brigadier-General WILLIAMS: There has been no change in the disposition of my troops since last report, except that General Barlow's division relieved General Birney's on fatigue this morning at 5 o'clock. WINF'D S. HANCOCK, Major-General. HEADQUARTERS SECOND ARMY CORPS, General S. WILLIAMS, Assistant Adjutant-General: July 20, 1864. I would like to visit General Butler's headquarters and City Point to-morrow, leaving at 10 a. m., if there is no objection. WINF'D S. HANCOCK, Major-General. [Indorsement.] I have no objection to General. Hancock going. G. G. M. HEADQUARTERS SECOND ARMY CORPS, July 20, 1864—9 p. m. Brig. Gen. S. WILLIAMS, Assistant Adjutant-General: There is nothing new to report. The First Division returned from fatigue at 7.30 this evening, and the Second Division has been detailed Very quiet along my front last night and nothing of importance occurred. A detail of 350 men from the Fourth Division was at work on General Cutler's right under Captain Gillespie, engineer. G. K. WARREN, Major-General, Commanding. |