HEADQUARTERS EIGHTEENTH CORPS, . Lieut. Gen. U. S. GRANT, City Point: There seems, from the sound, to be trains running on the railroad from Petersburg toward Richmond. Have been firing 30-pounders to keep trains off the bridge. General HUNT, E. O. C. ORD, Major-General, Commanding. HEADQUARTERS EIGHTEENTH CORPS, July 27, 1864. Chief of Arty., Armies before Richmond, General Meade's Hdqrs.: Can you not let me have twenty Coehorns? The enemy annoy my left with them and they are the most effectual weapon to reply at short range. E. O. C. ORD, Major-General, Commanding. HEADQUARTERS EIGHTEENTH ARMY CORPS, Brigadier-General HUNT, July 27, 1864. Chief of Artillery, Charge of Operations against Petersburg: GENERAL: The corps commander is desirous of having additional Coehorn mortars to be placed along the line of intrenchments. He directs me to apply to you for twenty-five additional. We have now ten on hand. I would be very glad to have a number more-as many as can be spared me. A. PIPER, Col. Tenth New York Arty., Chief of Arty., 18th Army Corps. Colonel ABBOT: HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC, Send up all your Coehorns to General Ord to go into position on his left. H. J. HUNT, Subsequently verbally modified to send six. H. L. A[BBOT]. HEADQUARTERS EIGHTEENTH ARMY CORPS, Brig. Gen. J. W. TURNER, Comdg. Division, Tenth Army Corps: GENERAL: Colonel Bell reports thirteen casualties this a. m., and seven since, from enemy's sharpshooters and shells, and that he has received no orders to fire in return by sharpshooters as directed by me yesterday. Please order at once your sharpshooters and batteries to use every effort to check the enemy's fire, and to damage them by every means in their power. E. O. C. ORD, Major-General. General B. F. BUTLER: FORT POWHATAN, VA., July 27, 1861. J. J. Deal, a prisoner here, pledges his honor as a man, and by every thing he holds sacred, should he be released, to do everything in his power to prevent the telegraph line from being cut. Should he fail in this he pledges himself to inform on and guide our troops to the hiding places of those that cut the wire. He also wishes to take the oath of allegiance, leave the State, and remove to Cincinnati, Ohio, with his family. All are willing to take the oath. Had I better try him? G. S. INNIS, Colonel, Commanding. HDQRS. DEPT. OF VIRGINIA AND NORTH CAROLINA, Colonel INNIS, up. Commanding, Fort Powhatan: In the Field, July 27, 1864. I have now sent you a driving engineer officer. You had better hurry General Grant is making movements that may lead to an attack on you. Get your works done quick. Give the engineer officer all your help. G. WEITZEL, Brigadier-General and Acting Chief of Staff. HEADQUARTERS, QUARTERMASTER, Bermuda: You will send a telegraph construction party to Fort Powhatan this evening. By command of Major-General Butler: G. WEITZEL, Brigadier-General and Acting Chief of Staff. General PALMER: HEADQUARTERS OUTPOSTS, In compliance with your desire I have brought Mr. Moulton's traps in. The force I sent out to do this (two companies One hundred and thirty-second New York, D and E, under Captains Green and Geraty) have just returned; they captured one rebel scout. There is nothing whatever above. Colonel Whitford commands at Kinston, who had some re-enforcements sent him from Goldsborough to prepare against another visit of mine; in fact, the disposition of their pickets gives me always the key to their doings, but I can get around Southwest Creek again in spite of their present precautions, of which fact I trust to be able soon to convince Colonel Whitford, who at present seems to seek laurels in murdering and stealing picket posts. P. J. CLAASSEN, Colonel, Commanding Outposts. WASHINGTON, July 28, 1864––9 a. m. Lieutenant-General GRANT, City Point: Will meet you at Fort Monroe at 8 p. m. on Saturday, the 30th, unless you shall notify me that it will be inconvenient to you. A. LINCOLN. CITY POINT, VA., July 28, 1864. A. LINCOLN, President of the United States : I think it will be improper for me to leave here before Monday next, in consequence of present and prospective movements. U. S. GRANT. CITY POINT, July 28, 1864-3.30 p. m. Major-General HALLECK, Chief of Staff: The enemy have attempted to drive our cavalry from the vicinity of Charles City road near New Market. Casualties are not reported, but I suppose have been small. Torbert's division repulsed the enemy in his front, capturing 150 of their number. At last report the enemy in front of Gregg's division were still standing. I am just starting for the scene of action. U. S. GRANT, Maj. Gen. H. W. HALLECK, CITY POINT, VA., July 28, 1864—9 p. m. Chief of Staff: I have just returned from Deep Bottom. The enemy evidently became very restive over our move to the north bank of the river, and have been moving to meet it ever since they discovered it. The position of our troops to-day was-the left of the Second Corps resting at Deep Bottom, and extending along Bailey's Creek; Gregg's and Torbert's cavalry divisions were down to the right of the Second Corps, and extend to the New Market road, with one brigade at Malvern Hill. In getting their position they were attacked by the enemy in heavy force. The fighting lasted several hours, resulting in a loss which Sheridan thinks will not exceed 200 on our side, the greater part of whom are but slightly wounded, and some are prisoners in the hands of the enemy. We have taken 200 prisoners, besides wounded, many of whom were left in our possession. The number could not be estimated because ambulances were still engaged bringing them in when I left the ground. In front of Torbert's division 158 of the enemy's dead had been counted. There was equally as much, if not more, fighting in front of Gregg's division, and probably as many of the enemy's dead were left there. We have failed in what I had hoped to accomplish-that is, to surprise the enemy, and get on to their roads with the cavalry near to Richmond and destroy them out to South Anna. I am yet in hopes of turning this diversion to account, so as to yield greater results than if the first object had been accomplished. U. S. GRANT, Lieutenant-General. HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC, Lieutenant-General GRANT: The following dispatch* just received. Major-General Hancock has been advised he must act on his own judgment, under the instructions received from you, all of which have been transmitted to him. GEO. G. MEADE, Major-General, HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC, Lieutenant-General GRANT: Deserters from Finegan's brigade, Mahone's division, came in last night. They report that last evening Wright's brigade of their division relieved Heth's division on the extreme right of their line, and that this division moved north of the Appomattox. This confirms what I telegraphed you at midnight. Have you sent any additional instructions to Hancock? GEO. G. MEADE, CITY POINT, VA., July 28, 1864. Major-General MEADE, Commanding, &c.: I have given General Hancock no instructions that have not gone to you. My dispatches to you in the night I directed to be taken off at Foster's headquarters, for Hancock, so as to save time. If Hancock does not crush the enemy this morning I think it will be well to withdraw him during the night and get him in rear of Burnside before the enemy can return, keeping the cavalry and Butler's troops to occupy the attention of the enemy. This would be with the view of making the assault in front of Burnside. U. S. GRANT, HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC, Lieutenant-General GRANT: This dispatch forwarded for your information: HEADQUARTERS SIGNAL DEPARTMENT, July 28, Major-General HUMPHREYS, Chief of Staff: "JORDAN'S HOUSE, July 28, 1864-10 a. m. "Locomotives are more active than usual in Petersburg and Pocahontas this a. m. A column of cavalry has moved out of Petersburg in direction of Pocahontas; twentyfive minutes in passing a point. I have the honor to be, your obedient servant, “T. R. CLARK, B. F. FISHER, Captain and Chief Signal Officer. See Hanco k to Meade, 7 a. m. 28th, p. 560. Major-General MEADE: CITY POINT, VA., July 28, 1864—11.30 a. m. Bringing Hancock back to-night, his corps will be too much fatigued for active operations in the morning. He can, however, hold the ground of the Eighteenth Corps and leave that ready to join the Ninth in a charge. I will hear what you have to say on this subject and then make the necessary orders. Do you think the necessary preparations can be made for an assault in the morning? U. S. GRANT, HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC, Lieutenant-General GRANT: Your dispatch of 11.30 received. An assault cannot be made to-morrow, as you suggest, because there will not be time in the night to withdraw Hancock and relieve the Eighteenth Corps. That being the case, I would suggest Hancock being withdrawn to-night and massed in Burnside's rear to-morrow. This will give him the necessary rest, and it could then be determined about assaulting the next morning with the Ninth and Second or Eighteenth, as you may desire, adding the available reserves of the corps in line. The assault might, perhaps, be made to-morrow evening. It could only be made to-morrow morning by putting in the Second Corps, and they would hardly reach the scene of action till after daylight. GEO. G. MEADE, HEADQUARTERS ARMIES OF THE UNITED STATES, Major-General MEADE, Your dispatch of 12 m. received. Unless something turns up north of the James between this and night that I do not expect, you may withdraw Hancock, to be followed by Sheridan, and make arrangements for assault as soon as it can be made. We can determine by the movements of the enemy before the time comes whether it will be advisable to go on with the assault. I would put in the Eighteenth Corps or not, as you deem best. U. S. GRANT, HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC, Lieutenant-General GRANT: Your dispatch of 12.20 received. On reflection, I think daylight of the 30th is the earliest time it would be advisable to make the assault. Besides the time required to get up heavy guns and mortars we require the night to make certain preliminary arrangements, such as moving troops, removing abatis from the débouché of the assaulting columns, &c. I shall make the assault with the Ninth Corps, supported by the |