telegraphed to to use all possible dispatch in pushing forward the ammunition wanted. The large amount of these orders, in addition to the current wants of the service, entails a heavy draught on the Department, especially as it is dependent on private parties entirely for its supply of projectiles; yet everything possible will be done to sustain your operations in this respect. In future please make your requisitions on the regular blank forms and inclose it in your letter of explanation, as this mode facilitates issues and is very convenient for making references when necessary. Respectfully, your obedient servant, GEO. D. RAMSAY, Brigadier-General and Chief of Ordnance. BROADWAY LANDING, VA., July 26, 1864. Brig. Gen. GEORGE D. RAMSAY, Chief of Ordnance, U. S. Army, Winder Building, Washington, D. C.: I have on hand at present the following ordnance stores, none having been received since the arrival of the siege train: 962 barrels mortar powder, 287 barrels cannon powder, 143 barrels musket powder, 6,000 10-inch mortar fuses, 1,500 8-inch mortar fuses. HENRY L. ABBOT, Colonel First Connecticut Artillery, Commanding Siege Train. JULY 26, 1864. Major-General BIRNEY, Commanding Tenth Corps: GENERAL: Hancock and Sheridan are going out to-night, commencing at dark, by the two bridges at General Foster's front. They go toward Richmond. It is to be a sort of surprise and raid. This might bring on an attack on the line in our immediate front, and I have therefore ordered up the parts of two brigades of the Nineteenth Corps from Bermuda Hundred to encamp to the left and front of your headquarters and out of sight of the enemy. They will be ordered to report to you if an attack is made. They number together about 2,400. Respectfully, G. WEITZEL, Brigadier-General and Acting Chief of Staff. HEADQUARTERS TENTH ARMY CORPS, Brigadier-General WEITZEL: July 26, 1864. The enemy drove in Foster's picket-line on the right below the creek. He will try and retake it. He reports that the Nineteenth Corps men behave very badly, and add nothing to his strength; that they cannot be relied on in any way. Cannot General Turner be relieved, so as to rejoin the command and give me some reliable troops. I will visit Deep Bottom during the morning. D. B. BIRNEY, Major-General BIRNEY: GENERAL BUTLER'S HEADQUARTERS, Your dispatch received. The commanding general directs me to say that Turner cannot be relieved just now. Are you sure that these troops of the Nineteenth Corps were properly instructed? Were they ordered to fight on the picket-line? The charges against these troops made by Foster seem strange to me, who has seen them behave as gallantly, fight as desperately, and in as difficult places as any soldiers in the U. S. army. Their commander, Colonel Currie, was adjutant to Maj. Gen. W. F. Smith all through the battles of the Army of the Potomac; has been wounded three times, and was promoted for gallantry. Has not something else something to do with their apparent misbehavior? G. WEITZEL, HDQRS. DEPT. OF VIRGINIA AND NORTH Carolina, In the Field, July 26, 1864-9.30 a. m. (Received 12 m.) Major-General BIRNEY: I have received General Foster's dispatch relating to Currie's brigade. I am inclined to think that Foster's censure is a little too sweeping, although I can well pardon the vexation of an officer at the loss of what he had so gallantly won. The fault is that these troops have not been taught the necessity of fighting a skirmish line, but have been used to retire, when an attack has been made with show of force, to the main line. I think it is rather a fault of instruction than of conduct. General Foster will remember that we had the same trouble with the Tenth Corps, and better men never breathed, when we first established our picket-line about the 20th of May at the Bermuda line. I hope General Foster will regain his line. It is impossible to make the change of Turner's division you suggest. Please communicate this telegram to General Foster. (Transmitted by Birney to Foster.) General WEITZEL: BENJ. F. BUTLER, Major-General, Commanding. HEADQUARTERS TENTH ARMY CORPS, I am about leaving for General Foster's command-Deep Bottom. D. B. BIRNEY, HEADQUARTERS TENTH ARMY CORPS, General WEITZEL, Chief of Staff: July 26, 1864. General Foster holds the New Market and Malvern Hill road. Had a sharp skirmish; lost some fifteen killed. The enemy showed considerable force. D. B. BIRNEY, Major-General. HEADQUARTERS TENTH ARMY CORPS, Brigadier-General WEITZEL: July 26, 1864. I have received the orders from department headquarters relieving the battalion of Massachusetts cavalry serving at these headquarters under Major Stevens, and ordering it to report to the lieutenant-colonel of the regiment. The battalion has but about 120 men mounted, and those hardly sufficient for the orderly duty which is necessary to keep up communication along my very extended line and to furnish a very moderate provost guard and escort. I respectfully ask that the mounted force be left until relieved by a squadron, otherwise I shall be without a mounted man. D. B. BIRNEY, Major-General, Commanding. Major-General BIRNEY: GENERAL BUTLER'S HEADQUARTERS, July 26, 1864-6.55 p. m. The commanding general directs me to say to you the intention of that order is not to remove that squadron of cavalry from its present position or duty, only to make written reports to the lieutenant-colonel for organization. Major Ludlow, inspector of cavalry, will be over to-morrow to explain to you. Respectfully, G. WEITZEL, HDQRS. DEPT. OF VIRGINIA AND NORTH CAROLINA, In the Field, July 26, 1864. (Received 8.20 p. m.) Major-General BIRNEY, Commanding Tenth Corps: The commanding general directs that you order the Second Brigade of the First Division (Colonel Dyer commanding) of the Nineteenth Corps, now near your headquarters, to proceed at once to Bermuda Hundred, there to embark on the steamer Cahawba for Washington. General Paine will be at the dock to superintend the embarkation. General McMillan will be there also in person. General WEITZEL : G. WEITZEL, HEADQUARTERS TENTH ARMY CORPS, Dispatch received. Order issued to Colonel Tyler [Dyer]. D. B. BIRNEY, GENERAL: Your dispatch as delivered to General Birney said Col onel Tyler. Respectfully, R. O'BRIEN. SPECIAL ORDERS, HEADQUARTERS TENTH ARMY CORPS, 7. Brig. Gen. H. W. Birge, commanding First Brigade, Second Division, Nineteenth Army Corps, will report with his command to Brig. Gen. O. S. Ferry. 9. Colonel Molineux, commanding Second Brigade, Second Division, Nineteenth Army Corps, will report with his command to Brig. Gen. A. H. Terry, commanding First Division, Tenth Army Corps. 10. Colonel Dyer, commanding Second Brigade, First Division, Nineteenth Army Corps, will report with his command to Brig. Gen. O. S. Ferry, commanding Third Division, Tenth Army Corps. 11. Colonel Dyer, commanding Second Brigade, First Division, Nineteenth Army Corps, will proceed at once with his brigade to Bermuda Hundred, and embark on the steamer Cahawba for Washington. By command of Major-General Birney: ED. W. SMITH, Assistant Adjutant-General. HEADQUARTERS FIRST DIVISION, TENTH ARMY CORPS, Col. J. B. HOWELL, Eighty-fifth Pennsylvania Volunteers, Comdg. First Brigade, Col. J. R. HAWLEY, Seventh Connecticut Volunteers, Comdg. Second Brigade: COLONEL: In pursuance with instructions from corps headquarters, the line of defenses will be manned at taps, the troops to be allowed to sleep at the works, and to return to camp at half an hour after sunrise to-morrow, if at that time there is no alarm at the front. By order of Brig. Gen. A. H. Terry: A. TERRY, Assistant Adjutant-General. HEADQUARTERS FIRST DIVISION, TENTH ARMY CORPS, Capt. L. L. LANGDON, First U. S. Artillery, Commanding Artillery Brigade: CAPTAIN: The brigadier-general commanding directs that the caissons of the batteries in position on the line of defense be hitched up and kept in readiness to move until half an hour after sunrise to-morrow, at which hour, if no alarm occurs, the horses will be unharnessed. I have the honor to be, captain, very respectfully, your obedient servant, A. TERRY, Assistant Adjutant-General. HEADQUARTERS FIRST DIVISION, TENTH ARMY CORPS, Captain AGER, First Connecticut Heavy Artillery, Comdg. Battery No. 3, Captain PENDRELL, Thirteenth New York Heavy Artillery, Comdg. Detachment: CAPTAIN: The brigadier-general commanding directs me to request that you will order the artillerists under your command to sleep to-night by their guns ready for action. I am, captain, very respectfully, your obedient servant, A. TERRY, Assistant Adjutant-General. SPECIAL ORDERS, HDQRS. 3D BRIG., 1ST DIV., 10TH A. C., 7. The commanding officer of the Thirtieth Maine Volunteers will at once move with his command to the bluff below Four-Mile Creek, reporting on arrival to Col. L. D. H. Currie, commanding brigade. I send you a Buffalo Courier* as it comes to me marked. I care nothing for the abuse personal, as, if I drink whisky it will be known, and if I do not it will be found out, and I certainly do think a well behaved negro better than the writer of that article. But for the abuse of General Grant and the real hand of the writer, whom I take to be some sutler's clerk, I think you will do well to see if you can discover the writer, as he will, with his present feeling, more readily give information to the enemy than aid to the Union. I would not trust such a man lest he should betray me.. As his correspondence must pass through your headquarter's mail, he may readily be prevented from using it to injure the country. Yours, truly, BENJ. F. BUTLER, Major-General, Commanding. HDQRS. THIRD BRIG., FIRST DIV., TENTH ARMY CORPS, Brig. Gen. G. WEITZEL, Deep Bottom, July 26, 1864–12.10 a. m. Chief of Staff, Department of Virginia and North Carolina: I regret to say that the right of my line below Four-Mile Creek was driven back about fifty yards, and they now occupy the line that was held the day Lieutenant Michie was over here. I think if some of my |