HEADQUARTERS EIGHTEENTH ARMY CORPS, TO THE OFFICERS AND SOLDIERS OF THE 18TH ARMY CORPS: WM. F. SMITH, GENERAL ORDERS, No. 94. HDQRS. EIGHTEENTH ARMY CORPS, TO THE OFFICERS AND SOLDIERS OF THE 18TH ARMY CORPS: Sincerely regretting that any circumstances or necessity should deprive us of our late commander and his able leadership, by virtue of Special Orders, No. 61, paragraph III, from headquarters Armies of the United States, dated July 18, 1864, I hereby assume command of the Eighteenth Army Corps. I have only to ask that officers and men will be mindful of the favorable reputation which they have acquired by their past conduct and inspired with resolution to maintain it in the future. J. H. MARTINDALE, Brigadier-General, Commanding. HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF NORTH CAROLINA, Maj. Gen. BENJAMIN F. BUTLER, Comdg. Dept. of Virginia and North Carolina, Fort Monroe: GENERAL: A very kind letter written by you on the 20th of May has been very unaccountably delayed until this morning, when I received it. There was nothing in this letter, however, that required special attention. It inclosed a list of the forces from North Carolina in your front. We have kept the rebels at Kinston in some trouble, and the refugees who have last come in inform me that some re-enforcements had recently arrived there. The ram is still in good order, but aground opposite the town, and I have no fears of her. I hope to be able to destroy that ram yet. An expedition, consisting of two or three officers and about thirty picked men, was to have started to-night to try to get at the railroad by taking the paths through the swamps. If I can procure good guides I am in hopes of being able to interrupt the travel from Wilmington for a time at least. I am, general, very respectfully, your obedient servant, P. S.-I have just learned that a large package of letters from department headquarters, forwarded about 20th of May, was by some blundering carried to Hatteras, and there thrown aside; not discovered until a day or two since. In this package was the letter referred to. I. N. P. CITY POINT, VA., July 21, 1861—11 a, m. Major-General HALLECK, Washington, D. C.: You may retain Wright's command until the departure of Early is assured, or other forces are collected to make its presence no longer necessary. I have ordered another regiment of heavy artillery back to Washington, but they will not go while the Sixth and part of the Nineteenth Corps are there. I am now sending back all veterans whose term of service expires previous to the 25th of August. If Early has halted about Berryville what is there to prevent Wright and Hunter from attacking him? U. S. GRANT, Lieutenant-General GRANT, WASHINGTON, July 21, 1864—11.30 a. m. City Point, Va.: General Barnard is ordered to report to you. Engineer officers have been sent several times to Baltimore to lay out the works. Some are there now. I think, from personal examination, that they are better located than the defenses of Washington. It appears that Early sent a small force south with his plunder, and massed the rest near Winchester. General Averell had a skirmish there yesterday, and reports having killed and wounded over 300 rebels, taking 200 prisoners and 4 pieces of artillery. Nothing heard from Wright for three days. When he received your orders he replied that he would return as soon as assured of rebel retreat. Your telegram about merging departments is in the hands of the Secretary of War. I have no good reason for removing or superseding General Augur. He is capable and efficient. General Franklin would not give satisfaction. The President ordered him to be tried for negligence and disobedience of orders when here before, but General McClellan assumed the responsibility of his repeated delays in obeying orders. H. W. HALLECK, Major-General and Chief of Staff. CITY POINT, VA., July 21, 1864–11.30 a. m. Major-General HALLECK, Washington, D. C. : There is no indication of any troops having been sent from here north. Deserters coming in daily indicate nearly every division of Hill's, Longstreet's, and Beauregard's forces. Hill's corps has withdrawn from its position on the extreme right, and was yesterday in rear of the other part of the line held by the enemy. There is a rumor of some force having been sent to Georgia; but if this is so, it is most likely only regiments selected from their commands. U. S. GRANT, WASHINGTON, July 21, 1864-5.40 p. m. Lieutenant-General GRANT, City Point, Va.: When General Ord was sent to you he commanded fragments of the Eighth and Nineteenth Corps. The portion of the latter north has no commander. No order has yet been issued assigning him. If after seeing him you wish it for the Tenth Corps it will be immediately issued. H. W. HALLECK, Major-General and Chief of Staff. HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC, Lieutenant-General GRANT: In compliance with your instructions of yesterday, I have designated the Sixth New York Heavy Artillery as the regiment to be sent to the defenses of Washington. The regiment will leave here as soon as the Sixth Corps begins to arrive. The strength of the regiment present for duty is 21 officers and 685 men. Col. T. S. BOWERS: GEO. G. MEADE, HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC, In compliance with the requirements of paragraph 5 of Special Orders, No. 61, headquarters Armies of the United States, the following regiments, whose terms of service expire before August 25, have been ordered to Washington: Eighteenth Massachusetts Volunteers, aggregate strength present, 137; Seventy-second Pennsylvania Volun teers, aggregate strength present, 126; One hundred and sixth Pennsylvania Volunteers, aggregate strength present, 29; also two companies Sixty-second Pennsylvania Volunteers, aggregate strength present, 47; aggregate of the force sent, 339. These are all the regiments reported in the Second, Fifth, and Ninth Corps as coming within the provisions of the order. No report has as yet been received from the Cavalry Corps. GEO. G. MEADE, SPECIAL ORDERS, Į HDQRS. ARMIES OF THE UNITED STATES, I. Subject to the approval of the President, Maj. Gen. E. O. C. Ord, U. S. Volunteers, is assigned to the command of the Eighteenth Army Corps, and will relieve Brig. Gen. J. H. Martindale, now temporarily commanding. II. Subject to the approval of the President, Maj. Gen. D. B. Birney, U. S. Volunteers, is assigned to the command of the Tenth Army Corps, and will relieve Brig. Gen. A. H. Terry, temporarily commanding. IV. Col. Henry S. Burton, Fifth U. S. Artillery, is relieved from duty in the Eighteenth Army Corps, and will report to Maj. Gen. George G. Meade, commanding the Army of the Potomac, for orders. By command of Lieutenant-General Grant: E. S. PARKER, Assistant Adjutant-General. HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC, General HUMPHREYS:] July 21, 1864. GENERAL: From our party sent out last night and returned this morning we learn as follows: Our agent reports that there is no doubt whatever that the divisions of Hill's corps on the enemy's right were moved night before last by rail to the vicinity of Petersburg. All the trains which ran night before last carried troops, and he has learned by the evidence of those who have seen them that Hill's troops were lying yesterday about a mile and a half from Petersburg on the easterly side of the Weldon railroad. The expression used was, they were "lying there in camps," and the person describing them said he thought they reached along a distance of about half a mile. It is also certain that most of the infantry was moved from Reams' Station night before last, that it returned to the vicinity of Petersburg on the cars, and that but 150 infantry are now in that vicinity. Colonel Phillips, of a Georgia regiment of cavalry, is in command on the enemy's right, having his headquarters at Wyatt's house; and his command seems to be a mixed one, made up of small detachments from various cavalry regiments. The rumor is still prevalent within the enemy's lines that for several nights past some troops have been moved away. This rumor is very indistinct, and can be traced to no particular facts; but yesterday it was said that troops were being sent to Georgia. Our men brought Richmond and Petersburg papers of yesterday, and another party which was expected to get beyond the Weldon railroad last night is expected in every moment. Very respectfully, GEORGE H. SHARPE, Colonel, &c. [Indorsement.] HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC, Lieutenant-General GRANT: The foregoing is forwarded for your information. The papers referred to are sent by orderly. GEO. G. MEADE, HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC, Major-General HUMPHREYS, Chief of Staff: July 21, 1864. GENERAL: Three deserters from the Fifth North Carolina Regiment, Gordon's old cavalry brigade, W. H. F. Lee's division, came into our lines this a. m. about 10 o'clock. They were forwarded from the head quarters of the Second Brigade, Third Cavalry Division. They left their brigade on the west side of the Norfolk railroad, about four miles from Petersburg. They are unintelligent and possess no information. They state that Hampton's division of cavalry is somewhere in the vicinity of their division, but cannot locate it. They know of no movements in Lee's army. Two contrabands brought in with them left Petersburg yesterday morning. They came down the railroad as far as Reams' Station, and came into our lines from that point. They know of no troops having been sent away from Petersburg. They possess no military information. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, JNO. C. BABCOCK. [First indorsement.] Mr. BABCOCK: It is stated these deserters left their brigade west of "the Norfolk railroad, about four miles from Petersburg." Is not the Weldon railroad meant? [Second indorsement.] A. A. H., GENERAL: The stenographer made a mistake in copying. It is the Norfolk [Weldon] railroad. Respectfully, J. C. BABCOCK. HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC, Colonel SHARPE, Deputy Provost-Marshal-General, City Point: From deserters received to-day we can learn of no movements whatever in Lee's army. I do not believe Hill's corps has left the trenches at all. Other party not in. J. C. B. JULY 21, 1864. Captam FISHER: No change in enemy's camps about the city. Lieutenant Bartlett reports this a. m. two trains moving past Port Walthall Junction toward Petersburg with a few passengers aboard. CHAS. L. DAVIS, Captain, de. HEADQUARTERS FIFTH CORPS, Captain FISHER: No change this a. m. A train of ten cars, loaded with forage, came out from lead-works a short distance and returned. No movements of troops. J. B. DUFF, |