HDQRS. DETACHMENT NINETEENTH ARMY CORPS, Brigadier-General RAWLINS, Chief of Staff, City Point: I am ordered to City Point, where much the largest portion of my command is, and I shall start by the first boat, unless otherwise directed by Lieutenant-General Grant, which is made not improbable by the news of the evening just received. Remain where you are at present. corps will be sent to Washington. Some of it goes immediately. It is more than likely that your U. S. GRANT, General HUMPHREYS: HEADQUARTERS SECOND ARMY CORPS, July 26, 1864. I would like a good engineer officer with me if possible; also any guides familiar with the country the provost-marshal may have. WINF'D S. HANCOCK, Major-General. HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC, July 26, 1864-12 m. Major-General HANCOCK, Commanding Second Corps: Major Duane will send an engineer officer. There are no guides, but Major Duane will send maps. A. A. HUMPHREYS, Major-General and Chief of Staff. HEADQUARTERS SECOND CORPS, July 26, 1864. General HUMPHREYS: The engineer officer ordered to report to me wishes to know where I will be at 9 a, m. to-morrow, when he desires to report. As I cannot tell where I shall be it would be better for him to report this evening. WINF'D S. HANCOCK, Major-General. JULY 26, 1864. Major-General HANCOCK: Major Ludlow, of my staff, and Captain Shaffer will guide your two columns by different routes. They will report to you by 7.30 p. m. If you should happen my way should be glad to chat a moment. Yours, BUTLER, Major-General. HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC, Major-General HANCOCK, Commanding Second Corps: The commanding general directs that the pickets in front of the line of intrenchments occupied by a division of your corps remain until relieved by General Burnside's troops. General Burnside is directed to send a division to occupy the intrenchments as soon after dark as possible, and to relieve your pickets immediately upon reaching there. A. A. HUMPHREYS, Major-General and Chief of Staff. General MEADE: GENERAL BUTLER'S HEADQUARTERS, July 26, 1861-9 p. m. (Received 9.45 p. m.) The head of my column arrived at the bridge at 8.10, and the command is now massing near General Butler's headquarters. I shall move on in a few minutes. WINF'D S. HANCOCK, ORDERS.] HEADQUARTERS SECOND ARMY CORPS, The command will move to-day as follows: The First Division at 4 p. m., conducted by a staff officer from these headquarters. The Third Division will follow the First closely, and the Second will follow the Third. The commandant of artillery will assign three batteries to the Third Division, and two batteries to each of the other divisions. The remaining batteries will follow the Second Division, which will have a rear guard of a brigade. Each division will be followed by twenty ambulances. The remaining ambulances will be sent to the supply train. No wagons will be allowed to accompany the troops excepting those containing intrenching tools, the headquarters spring wagons, one medical wagon for each division, one wagon for each division for hospital tent (flies only), and the necessary transportation for three days' forage from Wednesday morning. The remaining wagons will be sent to join the general train. The pickets will be withdrawn from the right, 30 RR--VOL XL, PT III commencing at 3 p. m., and will be conducted to their divisions by the shorter route by a staff officer from these headquarters. The nature of the movement the command is about to make is such that its success will depend to a considerable extent, if not entirely, upon the discipline and steadiness of the troops. Commanders are enjoined to take effectual measures to prevent straggling. The men will be instructed, in case any of them fall into the hands of the enemy, to give only their names and regiments, and no information which will disclose the strength of the command. By order of Major-General Hancock: FRANCIS A. WALKER, [Memorandum.] JULY 26, 1864. A train to contain forty rounds of small-arm ammunition, five days' rations of subsistence stores, and three days' grain will be made up, ready to move at the hour designated for the movement of the command to such point as may be directed by the major-general commanding. The train will be under the charge of Captain McEntee, assistant quartermaster. The transportation with the general train will move under the direction of Captain Shallenberger, chief quartermaster. C. H. MORGAN]. CIRCULAR.] HEADQUARTERS SECOND CORPS, The command will march to the Point of Rocks, on the Appomattox, in the order in which the troops are now moving. On arriving at a point near that place the divisions will mass in succession, taking great care not to pass over any ground before massing which can be seen from the opposite side of the river. Commanders will await orders at that point, but if the leading division moves out the other troops will follow. By order of Major-General Hancock: FRANCIS A. WALKER, CIRCULAR.] HEADQUARTERS SECOND ARMY CORPS, Division commanders will proceed with their commands in the order they are now marching in to Deep Bottom, crossing the James River by the upper bridge, taking the left-hand side of the road when meeting the cavalry, and massing beyond the bridge, awaiting orders. No fires will be built at any halt. By order of Major-General Hancock: FRANCIS A. WALKER, General S. WILLIAMS: HEADQUARTERS FIFTH ARMY CORPS, Nothing of importance occurred during the night on my line. One deserter from First Texas came in this morning and has been sent up. Six hundred men from Second Division and 400 men from First Division were at work on the line during the night. G. K. WARREN, Major-General MEADE: SADE: HEADQUARTERS FIFTH ARMY CORPS, July 26, 1864. I send you a copy of the Richmond Examiner of to-day. General Hood's report now is that he took 13 guns instead of 22 and 18 colors instead of 5. It speaks of some 5,000 or 6,000 of our troops as having crossed at Deep Bottom yesterday. G. K. WARREN, HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC, Major-General WARREN, Commanding Fifth Army Corps: I am instructed to inform you that Major-General Hancock is moving his corps, and that General Burnside is directed to occupy the intrenchments formerly occupied by Ferrero with a division as soon as it is dark. The pickets of Hancock have been removed. General Burnside's troops will re-establish the line as soon as they reach the ground. A. A. HUMPHREYS, Major-General and Chief of Staff. HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC, July 26, 1864–8 p. m. Major-General WARREN, Commanding Fifth Corps: The order directing General Burnside to send a division to occupy the intrenchments on your left, formerly occupied by General Ferrero, is suspended. A. A. HUMPHREYS, Major-General and Chief of Staff. CONFIDENTIAL.] HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC, July 26, 1864-8 p. m. Major-General WARREN, Commanding Fifth Army Corps: I am instructed to inform you that General Hancock is moving his corps across the James River, and that General Sheridan, with two divisions of cavalry, is likewise moving across it. It is supposed that this movement will induce the enemy to send a considerable part of his force now in our front toward Richmond, and that an opportunity will be presented to attack him here. Should it occur, an assault will be made from Burnside's front, preceded by the springing of his mine, which is now being prepared for explosion. In such case you will be required to support Burnside's attack, concentrating your force on his left. This will require the abandonment of a part of the front you now hold. The commanding general desires you to have in view the arrangements necessary to carry out such project, and to be prepared to execute orders to that effect. The mine cannot probably be fully prepared before to-morrow night. A. A. HUMPHREYS, Major-General and Chief of Staff. HEADQUARTERS FIFTH CORPS, July 26, 1864. Major-General HUMPHREYS: If the picket-line is relieved on my left, east of the plank road, what line is it expected I shall picket? The infantry picket-line on your left, east of the plank road, was taken off this afternoon and has not been replaced. The commanding general does not think that any material modification of your picket-line there is necessary. A. A. HUMPHREYS, Major-General and Chief of Staff. HEADQUARTERS FIFTH ARMY CORPS, July 26, 1864. Brig. Gen. S. WILLIAMS, Assistant Adjutant-General : I have the honor to report all quiet and nothing unusual transpiring on my front to-day. The following details have been at work on the line to-day: First Division, 400 men; Second Division, 600 men; |