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return by same route, but came by a road nearer Chickahominy, four miles out (from Richmond) on which he saw large body of enemy's cavalry concentrating. Two divisions of infantry crossed from Petersburg to north side during night before last. No troops have been sent to Early, who is not expected to return. Loss of four guns and "about a regiment of prisoners," admitted in Richmond night before last. G. H. SHARPE],

Colonel.

PLANK ROAD SIGNAL STATION, July 29, 1864—9.30 a. m. Capt. B. F. FISHER,

Chief Signal Officer :

A camp of the enemy's situated on Weldon railroad near lead-works is broken up this a. m. Their other camps between plank road and railroad remain the same. The enemy is still at work on new fort southwest from station and on their rear line north of Gregory's house. At 9.30 a. m. two trains of cars passed to our right into Petersburg. J. B. DUFF, Lieutenant and Signal Officer.

JULY 29, 1864–9.30 a. m.

Captain FISHER:

A few rebels at work digging behind front line at various intervals. I. S. LYON, Lieutenant and Signal Officer.

Captain FISHER:

JULY 29, 1864–10.25 a. m.

Heard trains moving on Richmond and Petersburg Railroad an hour since. Can see no indications of trains in city this a. m. Thirteen wagons passed on a road beyond the southwestern part of the city a half hour ago, moving northwesterly. Enemy's signal officer reports this a. m. that we are not working on the fortifications at Gilliam's farm and have no guns there.

Captain FISHER:

CHAS. L. DAVIS,
Captain, de.

JULY 29, 1864–11 a. m.

A small camp of enemy has disappeared from front of Cemetery Hill since yesterday a. m. An unusual number of wagons passing the open space back of Whitehead's Mill, going in both directions. A line of dust a half to three-quarters of a mile long has been rising for the last half hour northwesterly from here. I locate it on the Richmond and Petersburg highway, and judge it to be caused by a column of troops or a wagon train moving to the right. The dust has now disappeared, and was about half an hour or more in passing.

CHAS. L. DAVIS,

Captain, &c.

Captain FISHER:

. JULY 29, 1864-2.15 p. m.

Within the last hour six wagons have passed, going to the right on road south of city and left of lead-works, and fifteen have passed the open space on red road in rear of Whitehead's Factory, going in the same direction. Three have passed the latter point, going in opposite direction.

CHAS. L. DAVIS,

Captain, &c.

HDQRS, ARMY OF THE POTOMAC, SIGNAL DEPARTMENT,

Major-General HUMPHREYS,

Chief of Staff:

July 29, 1864.

GENERAL: The enemy's signal officer on north bank of the Appomattox, in various messages to Colonel Brent, assistant adjutant-general, reports that 400 wagons passed from the Prince George side across the pontoon bridge at Point of Rocks to-day. The enemy were working upon a new redoubt about a mile west of the Gregory chimneys during the day.

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A train of sixty-seven wagons followed by a company of cavalry has just passed over pontoon. Can't see what direction they take after leaving bridge.

(Same to A. B.)

Colonel BRENT,

Assistant Adjutant-General :

W. S. L.

4 P. M.

Wagons are still passing over pontoon, coming from Prince George; 110 have passed since last report.

(Same to A. B.)

W. S. L.

5 P. M.

Colonel BRENT,

Assistant Adjutant-General:

Wagons are still passing over pontoon .coming from Prince George; 400 have already passed. They are apparently taking road to Bermuda Hundred.

(Same to A. B.)

No unusual movements in enemy's lines to-day.

W. S. L.

T. R. CLARK, Captain and Signal Officer,

ORDERS.]

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC,

July 29, 1864.

The following instructions are issued for the guidance of all concerned:

1. As soon as it is dark Major-General Burnside, commanding Ninth Corps, will withdraw his two brigades under General White, occupying the intrenchments between the plank and Norfolk roads, and bring them to his front. Care will be taken not to interfere with the troops of the Eighteenth Corps moving into their position in rear of the Ninth Corps. General Burnside will form his troops for assaulting the enemy's works at daylight of the 30th, prepare his parapets and abatis for the passage of the columns, and have the pioneers equipped for work in opening passages for artillery, destroying enemy's abatis, and the intrenching tools distributed for effecting lodgment, &c.

2. Major-General Warren, commanding Fifth Corps, will reduce the number of his troops holding the intrenchments of his front to the minimum, and concentrate all his available force on his right and hold them prepared to support the assault of Major-General Burnside. The preparations in respect to pioneers, intrenching tools, &c., enjoined upon the Ninth Corps will also be made by the Fifth Corps.

3. As soon as it is dark Major-General Örd, commanding Eighteenth Corps, will relieve his troops in the trenches by General Mott's division, of the Second Corps, and form his corps in rear of the Ninth Corps, and be prepared to support the assault of Major-General Burnside.

4. Every preparation will be made for moving forward the field artillery of each corps.

5. At dark Major-General Hancock, commanding Second Corps, will move from Deep Bottom to the rear of the intrenchments now held by the Eighteenth Corps, resume the command of Mott's division, and be prepared at daylight to follow up the assaulting and supporting columns, or for such other operations as may be found necessary.

6. Major-General Sheridan, commanding Cavalry Corps, will proceed at dark from the vicinity of Deep Bottom to Lee's Mill, and at daylight will move with his whole corps, including Wilson's division, against the enemy's troops defending Petersburg on their right, by the roads leading to that town from the southward and westward.

7. Major Duane, acting chief engineer, will have the pontoon trains parked at convenient points in the rear prepared to move. He will see that supplies of sand-bags, gabions, fascines, &c., are in depot near the lines ready for use. He will detail engineer officers for each corps. 8. At 3.30 in the morning of the 30th Major-General Burnside will spring his mine, and his assaulting columns will immediately move rapidly upon the breach, seize the crest in the rear, and effect a lodg ment there. He will be followed by Major-General Órd, who will sup port him on the right, directing his movement to the crest indicated, and by Major-General Warren, who will support him on the left. Upon the explosion of the mine the artillery of all kinds in battery will open upon those points of the enemy's works whose fire covers the ground over which our columns must move, care being taken to avoid impeding the progress of our troops. Special instructions respecting the direction of fire will be issued through the chief of artillery.

9. Corps commanders will report to the commanding general when their preparations are complete, and will advise him of every step in the progress of the operation and of everything important that occurs.

10. Promptitude, rapidity of execution, and cordial co-operation are essential to success, and the commanding general is confident that this indication of his expectations will insure the hearty efforts of the commanders and troops.

11. Headquarters during the operation will be at the headquarters of the Ninth Corps.

By command of Major-General Meade:

S. WILLIAMS, Assistant Adjutant-General.

CIRCULAR.]

ARTILLERY HDQRS., ARMY OF THE POTOMAC,
Before Petersburg, July 29, 1864.

1. The batteries are not to open to-morrow morning until the signal is given. This signal will be the explosion of the mine under the battery in front of the advanced position of Burnside's corps.

2. Immediately on this mine being sprung the batteries will all open. The greatest possible pains will be taken to avoid interfering with the storming party, which will advance as soon as the mine is sprung, and over the ruins of the explosion. So soon as an entrance is effected here, strong bodies of troops will move to the right and left behind the enemy's line to clear out his troops, and to the front to gain the crest, and, if possible, enter the town of Petersburg. A careful watch must be kept on these movements so as to avoid the possibility of interfering with the advance.

3. The fire will in preference be turned on those batteries which command the point of assault and the ground over which our troops will move. These batteries will probably be found on the crest near the salient, or on the flank of the salient looking toward the Ninth Corps. 4. The batteries in the small redan, and the work known as Fort Hell, will not fire on the advanced point of the salient, as there is danger of such shot striking our attacking troops. They will be directed against the face of the salient, so that the shot which pass over it may strike the work on the crest above it, and after time has elapsed sufficient for an assaulting party to pass well over the crest the guns will be directed still more to the left so as not to strike the town.

5. Commanders on the lines will watch the fire closely, and take all possible precautions against injuring our own troops, whilst bringing their guns to bear on the batteries of the enemy. They will also watch for the movements of the enemy's troops toward our attacking columns, and use every effort to drive them back or retard their movements.

6. The artillery on the line of the Eighteenth Corps will open at the same time as that of the Fifth and Ninth, so as to fully employ the enemy in its front. The fire of the guns and mortars on the left of the line of the Eighteenth Corps will especially be brought to bear on such batteries in front of them as have a fire on Burnside's front.

7. When the enemy's fire has been silenced, the firing on his batteries will cease, and a strict watch be kept on the movements of his troops, and any attempt to reopen the fire of his batteries will be at once met. HENRY J. HUNT, Brigadier-General and Chief of Artillery.

CITY POINT. July 29, 1864-9.30 p. m.

General A. A. HUMPHREYS,

Chief of Staff:

(Received 10 p. m.)

Perhaps it may be your wish that I should report that about the last of my bridging by General Grant's orders has gone to lay a third bridge at Deep Bottom, which bridge I expect back again to-morrow afternoon. H. W. BENHAM,

Brigadier-General.

General MEADE:

HEADQUARTERS SECOND ARMY CORPS,
July 29, 1864—6 a. m.

A prisoner who just came in, and whom I questioned (he has been just sent up), says there is a great movement of troops of the enemy this morning. They were drawing rations, &c. He says that the troops he belongs to (B. Johnson's) mans one of those intrenchments covering the railroad, and that when he was taken there was only a skirmish line. He says many troops marched up the railroad yesterday (probably Hill), and that a great many troops have arrived within a day or two from the West or somewhere; that the ambulance train of his division went back into the intrenchments this morning. WINF'D S. HANCOCK, Major-General.

General WILLIAMS,

HEADQUARTERS SECOND ARMY CORPS,
July 29, 1864.

Assistant Adjutant-General:

GENERAL: The following is the field return for the 28th: Commissioned officers, 865; enlisted men, 13,572; aggregate, 14,437. The following is the report of casualties for the 27th: Killed-enlisted men, 17. Wounded-commissioned officers, 4; enlisted men, 65. Missing-commissioned officers, 3; enlisted men, 6. Total, 95.

WINF'D S. HANCOCK,
Major-General.

HEADQUARTERS SECOND ARMY CORPS,
July 29, 1864—6.30 a. m. (Received 8 a. m.)

General HUMPHREYS,

Chief of Staff:

Two soldiers from Heth's division have just come in. It holds the same position as yesterday, on the crest in my front. They deserted because they were not allowed to vote yesterday. They say that in very few cases, and those depended on the character of officers, were any allowed to vote who did not vote for Vance, These men both voted for sheriff but were not allowed to vote for governor. WINED S. HANCOCK, Major-General,

(Copy to General Grant.)

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