III. Similar orders will be given to the colored brigade serving in the trenches, and near Dow's battery; both these commands will move as promptly as possible, in silence, and without waiting for the other division. IV. General Turner will, as soon as his division is relieved, march it quietly to the place designated for it. Major Michler, U. S. Engineers, will show him the place. V. General Ames will, with his division, follow General Turner's and take up a convenient position near him. VI. The artillery (field) not in position will be harnessed up ready for any orders which may be sent it. Major Trumbull will remain at present headquarters to direct them. VII. The ambulances will also be harnessed and ready to move, under the chief, who remains at present headquarters to give them orders. VIII. The artillery in place will be left there, and commence cannonading at the signal and instructions. By order of Maj. Gen. E. O. C. Ord : WM. RUSSELL, JR., Major and Assistant Adjutant-General. SPECIAL ORders, { HDQRS. EIGHTEENTH ARMY Corps, No. 91. V. Brig. Gen. J. B. Carr, having reported at these headquarters for duty, in accordance with Special Orders, No. 206, paragraph IX, from headquarters Department of Virginia and North Carolina, is hereby assigned to the command of the Third Division. ** * By command of Maj. Gen. E. O. C. Ord: * WM. RUSSELL, JR., Major and Assistant Adjutant-General. CIRCULAR.] HDQRS. SECOND DIV., EIGHTEENTH ARMY CORPS, In the Field, Va., July 29, 1864. Brigade commanders will have their commands in readiness as soon after dark as practicable in view of the movement to be made. The men will be supplied with sixty rounds of ammunition, and be provided with shelter-tents, and blankets rolled and worn over the shoulders, and two days' rations. The preparations will be made as quietly as possible, and immediately upon their respective commands being in readiness to move, brigade commanders will report by staff officers to these headquarters. Every man fit for duty will be placed in ranks, and all available intrenching tools about the camp or at brigade headquarters will be distributed among the regiments. This order will not be construed as interfering with the pioneer corps of the respective commands, who will retain their tools. By command of Brig. Gen. A. Ames: CHARLES A. CARLETON, Captain and Assistant Adjutant-General. HEADQUARTERS EIGHTEENTH ARMY CORPS, Brig. Gen. J. B. CARR, Commanding Third Division, Eighteenth Army Corps: GENERAL: Please direct the colored troops, as soon as they can be relieved, and without waiting further orders or the movements of General Turner's division, to proceed, under the direction of staff officer appointed to guide them, to the part of the trenches which it may have been decided they are to occupy. On their arrival in the trenches send a staff officer to notify me of the fact and their position. I will be found here until 9 p. m. this day, and after 9 at the headquarters of General Burnside. The division of General Stannard will, also, as soon as it can be relieved and brought sufficiently far to the rear to be out of reach of enemy's stray shots, be marched to the place in the trenches vacated by General Burnside's troops which may be assigned to them; this without waiting for the movement of either division, and all the movements will be made in silence and with regard to secresy. Notify me of Stannard's division having arrived in position. Copy of the instructions from General Meade are sent herewith.* Please be governed by them accordingly. Yours, &c., E. O. C. ORD, Major-General, Commanding. HEADQUARTERS EIGHTEENTH ARMY CORPS, July 29, 1864. Brig. Gen. J. B. CARR, Commanding Third Division, Eighteenth Army Corps: GENERAL: The major-general commanding corps directs that after starting your command you push ahead and report to General Burnside for instructions where to place your division. You will go ahead of the column, so that it need not be delayed while you are getting instructions. I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant, WM. RUSSELL, JR., Major and Aide-de-Camp. FORT POWHATAN. July 29, 1864. General B. F. BUTLER, Commanding: GENERAL: I believe I am in possession of reliable information as to the hiding place of the guerrillas who cut our wires between here and Swan Point. Can you send me three or four squadrons of cavalry to assist in capturing them? G. S. INNIS, Colonel, Commanding. HDQRS. DEPT. OF VIRGINIA AND NORTH CAROLINA, Col. G. S. INNIS, Fort Powhatan: Keep watch of guerrillas. I will send youcavalry in a couple of days. J. W. SHAFFER, Colonel and Chief of Staff. See Orders, p. 596. HDQRS. DEPT. OF VIRGINIA AND NORTH CAROLINA, Lieut. H. T. SCHROEDER, Fort Monroe : Order all the recruiting officers to report to Brigadier-General Wild, who is or will be at the fort to take the place of Colonel Draper. R. S. DAVIS, Assistant Adjutant-General. HEADQUARTERS NINTH ARMY CORPS, His Excellency A. LINCOLN, July 30, 1864—10.30 a. m. (Via City Point. Received 4.15 p. m.) President of the United States: I will meet you at Fort Monroe, Va., to-morrow at the hour you desig nated. U. S. GRANT. Maj. Gen. H. W. HALLECK, CITY POINT, VA., July 30, 1864—10 a. m. Chief of Staff: Finding that my effort to surprise the enemy by sending an army corps and three divisions of cavalry to the north bank of the James River, under cover of night, for the purpose of getting on to the railroads north of Richmond, drew all of his forces from Petersburg except three divisions, I determined to attack and try to carry the latter place. The enemy's earth-works are as strong as they can be made, and the ground is very broken and favorable for defense. Having a mine prepared running for a distance of eighty feet along the enemy's parapet, and about twenty-two feet below the surface of the ground, ready loaded, and covered ways made near to his line, I was strongly in hopes, by this means of opening the way, the assault would prove successful. The mine was sprung a few minutes before 5 o'clock this morning, throwing up four guns of the enemy and burying most of a South Carolina regiment. Our men immediately took possession of the crater made by the explosion, and a considerable distance of the parapet to the right of it, as well as a short work in front, and still hold them. The effort to carry the ridge beyond, and which would give us Petersburg and the south bank of the Appomattox, failed. As the line held by the enemy would be a very bad one for us, being on a side hill, the crest on the side of the enemy, and not being willing to take the chances of a slaughter sure to occur if another assault was made, I have directed the withdrawal of our troops to their old lines. Although just from the front, I have little idea of the casualties. I think, however, our loss will be but a few hundred, unless it occurs in withdrawing, which it may not be practicable to do before night. I saw about 200 prisoners taken from the enemy. Hancock and Sheridan returned from the north side of the river during the night, and are now here. U. S. GRANT, CITY POINT, VA., July 30, 1864-10 p. m. Major-General HALLECK, Washington, D. C.: I have ordered a division of cavalry to proceed immediately to Wash ington. U. S. GRANT, HEADQUARTERS FIFTH ARMY CORPS, Lieutenant-General GRANT: Several regiments of Burnside's men are lying in front and in the crater, apparently, of the mine. In their rear is to be seen a line of battle of a brigade or more, under cover, and, I think, between the enemy's line and ours. The volley firing half an hour ago was from the enemy's works in Warren's front. C. B. COMSTOCK, HEADQUARTERS FIFTH ARMY CORPS, Lieutenant-General GRANT: About a brigade more of our men has moved up to the crater, and then filed off to the right, along the enemy's line. They are still mov、 ing to the right. C. B. COMSTOCK, Lieutenant-Colonel and Aide-de-Camp. HEADQUARTERS FIFTH ARMY CORPS, July 30, 1864–9.15 a. m. (Received 9.35 a. m.) Lieutenant-General GRANT: I cannot see that we have advanced beyond the enemy's line in the vicinity of the mine. From here it looks as if the enemy were holding a line between that point and the crest. C. B. COMSTOCK, Lieutenant-Colonel and Aide-de-Camp. Major-General MEADE: CITY POINT, July 30, 1864. General Butler reports that none of the enemy have yet returned from north of the James. U. S. GRANT, CITY POINT, VA., July 30, 1864. Major-General MEADE, Commanding, &c.: The enemy have not yet recrossed the James River. This will therefore be a favorable opportunity to send a corps of infantry and the cavalry to cut fifteen or twenty miles of the Weldon railroad. Instruct the cavalry to remain for this purpose, and either corps of infantry you may designate. If Ord's, inform General Butler of the fact. Five days' rations will be sufficient for them to take along. They should get off by daylight to-morrow morning, and strike the road as near Petersburg as they can to commence work. I cannot yet help feeling that if our cavalry should get well round the enemy's right, before our troops are withdrawn from their present position, we may yet take Petersburg. I do not feel like giving additional instructions on this subject, howU. S. GRANT, Lieutenant-General. ever. HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC, Lieutenant-General GRANT: July 30, 1864—2.15 p. m. I have just received a report from General Gregg, commanding cavalry. He reports his command in presence of the enemy at the Gurley house, and at other points near the railroad. He does not appear to have made any effort to advance, but reports this as the result of his reconnaissance which he was directed to make when offensive operations were suspended. At the same time he says his horses have not had water for forty-eight hours, and he is in want of forage for his animals and subsistence for his men. Seeing no prospect for the cavalry being able to do anything this afternoon, in view of their condition and your orders for a raid to-morrow, I have directed him to withdraw, and make his preparations for the movement to-morrow. I find Ord's corps so mixed up with Burnside's, I have concluded it will be quicker work to send Hancock to support the cavalry, and have accordingly ordered Ord to relieve Hancock as soon after dark as possible, and ordered Hancock at the same time to move over to the Jerusalem plank road. GEO. G. MEADE, HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC, Lieutenant-General GRANT: Major-General MEADE, Commanding, &c.: CITY POINT, VA., July 30, 1864. Our experience of to-day proves that fortifications come near holding themselves without troops. If, therefore, the enemy should attempt to |