Page images
PDF
EPUB

such property in their possession, so that the guilty parties, should any be found, might be brought to punishment. I am instructed to add that your report is entirely satisfactory.

S. WILLIAMS, Assistant Adjutant-General.

GENERAL ORDERS, WAR DEPT., ADJT. GENERAL'S OFFICE, Washington, July 7, 1864.

No. 225.

I. The troops of the Department of North Carolina and Virginia serving with the Army of the Potomac in the field, under Major-General Smith, will constitute the Eighteenth Army Corps, and Maj. Gen. William F. Smith is assigned to the command of the corps. Maj. Gen. B. F. Butler will command the remainder of the troops in that depart ment, having his headquarters at Fort Monroe.

By order of the President:

E. D. TOWNSEND, Assistant Adjutant-General.

WASHINGTON, July 7, 1864—12.40 p. m.

Major-General BUTLER: Point Lookout having been attached to Department of Washington and General Barnes assigned to command, the Secretary of War has ordered General Hinks to report for temporary duty there. Acknowl edge receipt.

E. D. TOWNSEND, Assistant Adjutant-General.

HEADQUARTERS,

Near Bermuda Hundred, July 7, 1864-10 p.m.
(Received 12 p. m.)

[ocr errors]

Colonel TOWNSEND, Assistant Adjutant-General : General Grant has already ordered General Hinks to Point Lookout for temporary duty, and he has gone. A rebel deserter reports that it is part of Early's plan to attack Point Lookout and release the prisoners, amusing us meanwhile at Martinsburg. This is sent for what it is worth.

B. F. BUTLER,
Major-General.

HDQRS. DEPT. OF VIRGINIA AND NORTH CAROLINA,
OFFICE OF THE CHIEF SIGNAL OFFICER,
July 7, 1864.

Brig. Gen. G. WEITZEL, Acting Chief of Staff:

GENERAL: The following dispatch has just been received and is respectfully forwarded:

Captain NORTON:

RIVER-BANK SIGNAL STATION,
Spring Hill, July 7, 1864–7.45 a. m.

A train of eleven cars loaded with troops has just passed toward Petersburg.

A. G. SIMONS,

Lieutenant and Acting Signal Officer.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

L. B. NORTON,

Captain and Chief Signal Officer.

HEADQUARTERS EIGHTEENTH ARMY CORPS,

July 7, 1864.

Brigadier-General RAWLINS, Chief of Staff, City Point:

Will you suggest to the lieutenant-general to have all regular approaches at the salient discontinued and have them begun at other places in the line to prevent attracting attention until he has examined the ground and made up his mind for himself?

WM. F. SMITH,

Major-General.

HEADQUARTERS EIGHTEENTH CORPS,

July 7, 1864.

Brigadier-General RAWLINS, Chief of Staff, City Point:

Is there any objection to my visiting City Point this evening? General Franklin will be there.

Major RUSSELL:

WM. F. SMITH,
Major-General.

HEADQUARTERS EIGHTEENTH ARMY CORPS,

July 7, 1864.

General Smith wishes to know if all is quiet on his line.
Respectfully,

OPERATOR.

All is quiet. Even the artillery firing has entirely ceased.
WM. RUSSELL, JR.,
Assistant Adjutant-General.

HEADQUARTERS SECOND DIVISION, TENTH ARMY CORPS, Near Petersburg, Va., July 7, 1864.

Colonel BURTON,

Fifth U. S. Arty., Chief of Artillery, 18th Army Corps: COLONEL: In view of the increase of the enemy's mortar fire on my front, I most respectfully request that an addition of from four to five 8-inch mortars may be added to the artillery of my line that I may keep a preponderance of vertical fire. Only by keeping down the enemy's fire can I escape from a most severe daily loss of life. Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

J. W. TURNER, Brigadier General, Commanding.

POINT LOOKOUT, MD., July 7, 1864.
(Received 8.50 a. m.)

Hon. E. M. STANTON, Secretary of War:

All quiet at this post. General Hinks has just arrived here, with order from General Butler to take command, and subsequent approval of Lieutenant-General Grant.

JAS. BARNES,

Brigadier-General, Commanding District.

(Same to General Augur.)

WAR DEPARTMENT,

July 7, 1864.

Brigadier-General BARNES,

Point Lookout:

The order of General Grant assigning General Hinks to Point Lookout was made in ignorance of the fact that the post was no longer in General Butler's command. The order of the Department assigning you is superior to all others. General Hinks has been directed to report to the Adjutant-General in Washington for duty. You cannot be too vigilant, as the enemy is now operating in Maryland in large force.

EDWIN M. STANTON,

Secretary of War.

Major-General AUGUR,

HEADQUARTERS OF THE ARMY,
Washington, July 7, 1864.

Commanding Department of Washington:

GENERAL: The telegram from General Barnes of to-day's date has been submitted to Major-General Halleck, chief of staff. Colonel Townsend has been instructed to telegraph to General Hinks that General Barnes is commander of Point Lookout and District of Saint Mary's, and that he, General Hinks, will relinquish the command and report back to General Butler.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

ROBERT N. SCOTT,

Captain, Fourth U. S. Infantry, Aide-de-Camp.

Brigadier-General BARNES,

WAR DEPARTMENT,

July 7, 1864.

Commanding, Point Lookout:

The Navy will furnish any additional force of gun-boats you may require for protection. Report your wishes. Has General Hinks started for Washington, or where is he? The utmost vigilance on your part is essential for the security of your command.

EDWIN M. STANTON,
Secretary of War.

POINT LOOKOUT, July 7, 1864.
(Received 10.20 a. m. 8th.)

Hon. EDWIN M. STANTON,

Secretary of War:

Your telegram of this p. m. has been received and will be attended to. General Hinks left this afternoon at 4 o'clock for Washington. All

quiet.

JAMES BARNES. Brigadier-General, Commanding.

Lieutenant-General GRANT,

WASHINGTON, July 8, 1864-2.30 p. m.

City Point, Va.:

General Canby telegraphs from New Orleans, July 2, that over 6,000 men would embark that day, and would reach Fort Monroe from the 8th to the 10th; 6,000 more would be ready as soon as transports arrived, and that the whole number to be sent will be 20,000. Ricketts' division arrived at Baltimore and was sent forward to the Monocacy. Dismounted cavalry ordered here for remounts, but none yet arrived. General Sheridan says 2,496 of those sent are sick. If so, we shall have but 500 for the field. Hunter's army moves so slow, and the railroad is so broken up, that I fear he will be too late to give us much aid. Enemy around Maryland Heights, at Hagerstown, Boonsborough, and Middletown, and threatening Frederick. Also, guerrillas at Brookeville, threatening Washington and Baltimore road. There has been consid erable alarm in Washington, Baltimore, and Pennsylvania.

[blocks in formation]

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC,
July 8, 1864--10.15 a. m.

Lieutenant-General GRANT:

There was considerable artillery and musketry firing in front of the Ninth Corps last night, principally the enemy, who seemed to suspect the operations there. Major-General Burnside reports that the enemy's mortars are beginning to annoy him. The work on the redoubt to the left and rear of the Fifth Corps is progressing rapidly. The signal officers report a train of cars with materials as going out of Petersburg this morning on the Weldon railroad toward Reams' Station, and there is no doubt from the report of deserters and refugees that the enemy are repairing this road, their working parties protected by their cavalry force with infantry supports.

GEO. G. MEADE,
Major-General.

CITY POINT, July 8, 1864-11.30 a. m.

Maj. Gen. GEORGE G. MEADE:

Colonel Comstock is going out this morning and will explain to you my idea. If the approaches are made it will be with the view of ultimately making an assault on the enemy's lines, but I have always hoped to go through in General Butler's front so as to carry the north bank of Swift Creek. This, however, cannot be done until the Nineteenth Corps arrives, without giving up too much ground that we have

already fought for. This would make no difference, except in case of failure to get through to Swift Creek. The advantage of commencing our regular approaches on your front now would simply be that we would be that far advanced if we were compelled at last to advance in that way, and it would tend to divert the enemy from the proposed advance in General Butler's front. We ought by all means to cut the Weldon road so as to make it useless to enemy. I think Wright's two divisions should take the place of Hancock's corps, and the latter should support the cavalry whilst it destroys the road down as far as Hicksford. Preparations for this, I think, should be made at once so as to start from your left by the night of the 10th.

U. S. GRANT,
Lieutenant-General.

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC,
July 8, 1864-12 m.

Lieutenant-General GRANT:

The order sending sutlers to the rear issued by me before crossing the Rapidan, has never been rescinded. The objection to permitting them to come to the front is the necessity either of allowing them the use of Government wagons to bring their goods from City Point, or else permitting them to bring their own wagons, thus increasing the animals, to be fed and the number of wagons using the roads, some three or four hundred. Another objection is the uncertainty of our position and the difficulty of getting rid of them in the event of a sudden movement. Situated as I am I neither feel that I have the full authority to act in this matter, nor the proper information to enable me to act advisedly without a reference to you. I would therefore be glad to have your idea upon this point. There are many articles only to be procured from the sutlers, which are necessary to the men's comfort and which they are now in want of, and I think it would be well to let the sutlers come up, if it is practicable.

GEO. G. MEADE,

Major-General.

Major-General MEADE,

Commanding, &c.:

CITY POINT, VA., July 8, 1864.

You are authorized to use your own judgment about allowing sutlers with the army, and the manner of getting their goods to the front. U. S. GRANT.

CITY POINT, VA., July 8, 1864-5.10 p.m.

Major-General MEADE,
Commanding, &c.:

Was there any heavy artillery regiment in the division sent north under General Ricketts? If not one will have to be sent to Washington without delay. There are no troops in the trenches about Washington who know anything about artillery, and I have now received two dispatches to return one of the heavy artillery regiments.

U. S. GRANT,
Lieutenant-General.

« PreviousContinue »