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ing the allowance of transportation for small-arm ammunition the lieutenant-general designed also to reduce in proportion the amount of ammunition to be carried. Heretofore when three wagons have been allowed for such ammunition sixty rounds per man only have been carried in the wagons.

Major-General MEADE:

GEO. G. MEADE, Major-General, Commanding.

CITY POINT, July 6, 1864.

The number of rounds of small-arm ammunition will be reduced in proportion to the reduction of transportation.

U. S. GRANT,
Lieutenant-General.

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC,

Lieutenant-General GRANT:

July 6, 1864-9 p. m.

A deserter, just in, reports that day before yesterday an officer of his regiment said he saw on the bulletin board at Richmond a dispatch reporting the defeat of Sherman at Atlanta and his retreat. The same deserter says he left a Richmond paper of to-day at the picket-line, which announced the capture of Harper's Ferry by Early. I have sent for the paper, and will forward it when I get it.

GEO. G. MEADE,

Major-General.

General MEADE:

CITY POINT, July 6, 1861.

I have received a dispatch from Harper's Ferry direct, dated 12 m. to-day, and no special alarm is felt for the safety of that place. The enemy are crossing, however, at Antietam Ford. This part of the deserter's story is, therefore, premature, and I have no doubt but the other is. I expect it will be ascertained that Johnston retreated to his works, at Atlanta, and Sherman has failed in an attack on that place.

U. S. GRANT.

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC,
July 6, 1864-10.15 p. m.

Lieutenant-General GRANT:

I am glad to hear the satisfactory news from Harper's Ferry. I attached no importance to the deserter's story in either particular; but as he made the statement, I thought you ought to be apprised of it.

GEO. G. MEADE,
Major-General.

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC,
July 6, 1864-11 a. m.

Lieutenant-General GRANT: General Patrick has gone to City Point to-day to see about the additional duties recently assigned to him. I trust it may not be considered necessary for him to remove his headquarters from here there. I consider it essential that the provost-marshal-general of this army, whose duties are so intimately connected with its police and discipline, should be permanently at these headquarters, and with the telegraph and deputies I see no reason for the separation of General Patrick. In the case of the chief quartermaster, his transfer was at my sugges tion, because I clearly foresaw his duties would require it. It has resulted practically in his complete separation so far as I have any authority or control, and in the selection of a deputy who is in reality the chief quartermaster. Such an arrangement would not, in my judg ment, be convenient in the cases of other staff departments, and I sincerely trust it will not be deemed necessary.

GEO. G. MEADE, Major-General, Commanding.

Major-General MEADE,

Commanding, &c.:

CITY POINT, VA.; July 6, 1864.

General Patrick need not move from your headquarters, at least not until I see you and give further orders in the matter. I should visit the front at least every other day, but the heat and dust makes it a day's work to go up there and back without seeing anything on the lines whilst up there.

Brig. Gen. R. INGALLS,

Chief Quartermaster:

U. S. GRANT,
Lieutenant-General.

CITY POINT, VA., July 6, 1861.

It having been found by experience that the armies in the field operating against Richmond can be more easily and economically supplied from City Point and Bermuda Hundred, you will therefore make the former place the main depot for these armies and the latter a subordinate one.

By command of Lieutenant-General Grant :

T. S. BOWERS, Assistant Adjutant-General.

Brig. Gen. M. C. MEIGS,

HEADQUARTERS ARMIES,
City Point, July 6, 1864.

Quartermaster-General U. S. Army, Washington, D. C.: Ricketts' division of about 5,000 infantry and Sheridan's dismounted cavalry, about 3,000, are embarking here to-day for Harper's Ferry by Baltimore. No wagons or ambulances are taken. If any should happen

to be needed please direct some to be sent from the Washington depot for temporary service. These troops will begin to arrive in Baltimore to-morrow 12 noon.

RUFUS INGALLS, Brigadier-General and Chief Quartermaster.

CITY POINT, June 6, 1864.
(Received 1 a. m.)

General S. WILLIAMS,

Assistant Adjutant-General:

A division of infantry and the dismounted cavalry are ordered to Washington. I will be ready to furnish transports at this point and the cavalry depot as fast as the troops arrive. Please inform me of number and time.

Brigadier-General INGALLS:

RUFUS INGALLS,
Chief Quartermaster.

JULY 6, 1864-9.20 a. m.

Lieutenant-General Grant has directed that the troops ordered to Washington proceed via Baltimore, and from Baltimore report by telegraph to Major-General Halleck, chief of staff of the army, for orders. Please in the name of the commanding general instruct the commanders of the troops accordingly when they embark. General Sheridan has been instructed to send with the dismounted men the unequipped men he has with his command. He has also been instructed to acquaint you as soon as possible with the number of men he will have to embark. Please acknowledge.

S. WILLIAMS, Assistant Adjutant-General.

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC,
July 6, 1864.

Brigadier-General INGALLS:

The commanding general directs that you hand the following to General Ricketts, commanding the division of the Sixth Corps ordered to Washington and now on the way to City Point.

S. WILLIAMS, Assistant Adjutant-General.

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC,
July 6, 1864-10 a. m.

Brigadier-General RICKETTS,

Commanding Division:

Lieutenant-General Grant has directed that the troops ordered to Washington proceed via Baltimore, and from Baltimore report by telegraph to Major-General Halleck, chief of staff of the army, for orders. You will be governed accordingly and will give the necessary instructions to the commanders of your troops as they embark. Please acknowledge.

By command of Major-General Meade:

S. WILLIAMS, Assistant Adjutant-General,

General WILLIAMS:

CITY POINT, July 6, 1864—11.40 a. m.

The dispatch for General Ricketts has been handed to him, I shall have transportation for him as fast as he can embark. Captain Pitkin went early to Jordan's Point to have transportation in readiness for dismounted cavalry. Does General Meade wish Ricketts to take any wagons and ambulances with his division?

RUFUS INGALLS,
Brigadier-General, &c.

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC,

Brigadier-General INGALLS,

July 6, 1864-12 m.

Chief Quartermaster, Armies in Southeastern Virginia: The trains of the Sixth Corps were ordered at 9 o'clock to City Point to be embarked if it was so decided.

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

CITY. POINT, July 6, 1864–1 p.m.
(Received 1.30 p. m.)

General S. WILLIAMS,
Assistant Adjutant-General:
The orders relative to the wagons and ambulances of General
Ricketts' division are already given. Sheridan and Ricketts are em-
barking. The former thought he would be ready at daylight, but actu-
ally was not until near 12 m. Our boats were at the wharves ready.
RUFUS INGALLS,
Brigadier-General and Chief Quartermaster.

[JULY 6, 1864.-For Hunt and Duane to Humphreys, reporting examination of enemy's lines in front of the Fifth and Ninth Corps, &c., see Part I, p. 285.]

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC,
PROVOST-MARSHAL-GENERAL'S DEPARTMENT,

Major-General HUMPHREYS,

Chief of Staff:

July 6, 1864.

GENERAL: A deserter from the Second North Carolina Cavalry (Barringer's brigade, W. H. F. Lee's division) came into our lines last night about dark near Lee's Mill, on the Stony Creek and Prince George Court-House road. He left his brigade on the Vaughan road between the Dinwiddie Court-House plank road and the Weldon railroad, about four miles northwest of Reams' Station. He thinks that nearly all of Stuart's cavalry is encamped between this point and Stony Creek Depot. There is none of it, to his knowledge, on the east side of the Weldon

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railroad, with the exception of small scouting parties. He corroborates previous information that they are rapidly repairing the Weldon railroad at Reams' Station. He crossed the railroad yesterday afternoon near the Prince George Court-House road, with a scouting party of several other men from his brigade. Before informant left his camp yesterday he heard that a train had arrived from Danville on the South Side Railroad, and that the road had been repaired at Burkeville so that trains could pass from Danville to Petersburg. Full rations have been issued all along, as usual, with the exception of corn. The cav alry have been on half rations of corn for several days, having to draw their supply by wagon from Stony Creek Depot. Very little is known in their army of the whereabouts of Ewell's corps. It was reported to be operating in the Valley. Informant thinks it is certain that it is not here, for convalescents and furloughed men belonging to Ewell's corps are under charge of the provost-marshal at Petersburg awaiting its return. He reports the number of effective merr for duty in his brigade to be about 800.

Very respectfully.

GEORGE H. SHARPE,

Colonel, de.

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC,
OFFICE OF PROVOST-MARSHAL-GENERAL,

General HUMPHREYS:

July 6, 1864.

A contraband who accompanied our scouts on an expedition a few days since in the direction of Reams' Station got lost from the party and returned this morning. He crossed the railroad two miles above Reams' Station last evening. He states that they are busily engaged repairing the road at Reams' Station, and that a train came down the road last evening between sundown and dark. This was understood to be the first train that had passed over the road since it was torn up. There is a brigade of infantry on Colonel Wyatt's place on the low ground near the railroad-west side. Colonel Wyatt's place is about two miles and a half above Reams' Station.

Very respectfully,

GEORGE H. SHARPE,

Colonel, &c.

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC,
PROVOST-MARSHAL-GENERAL'S DEPARTMENT,
July 6, 1864.

General HUMPHREYS:

A deserter from the Forty-eighth Mississippi Regiment, Harris' brigade, Mahone's division, came into the lines of the Third Division, Fifth Corps, at noon to-day. He can give no important information other than the position of troops along that part of the line where his brigade is stationed. He thinks the extreme right of the infantry line is at the lead-works, resting on the railroad, which is held by Heth's division, which occupies about one mile of the line. Next on the left is his own division (Mahone's), which is posted from right to left as follows: Wright's brigade, Harris' brigade, Wilcox's, and Mahone's, with Finegan's (Florida) brigade in reserve. He does not know what is farther on the left. On the part of the line occupied by Wright's brigade are a

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