can be accomplished than to annoy their transports. If any point could be found, and we could make arrangements at night by preparing working parties and previously conveying the guns, carriages, and platforms within easy reach, so that the guns could be put in position before daylight, we might reasonably anticipate good results. This battery would have to be defended by an infantry force, sheltered by proper intrenchments. If such a point can be found and prepared, and troops for its defense cannot elsewhere be obtained, I must spare them from this army. It is the only way that I know by which we can seriously embarrass the communications of the enemy. Please give me your views on the subject as early as practicable. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, R. E. LEE, General. CAMP ENGINEER TROOPS, Col. W. H. STEVENS, Chief Engineer, &c.: At COLONEL: At Colquitt's salient the gallery was extended by the day detachment 6 feet, a total distance of 51 feet from the entrance. Pegram's salient, at mine No. 1, the gallery was extended 1 foot 6 inches, a total distance of 47 feet 6 inches. The frames and sheeting were extended to the end of the excavation. At mine No. 2, extended the gallery 3 feet 2 inches, a total distance of 41 feet from the entrance, and a distance for the day's work of 10 feet 8 inches. In consequence of the rain filling the trenches with water and mud, making it nearly impossible for the men to move the waste material to the soil banks, and retarding the mining operations, the night detachments were relieved from duty. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, HUGH THOS. DOUGLAS, Captain, Engineer Troops, in Charge Mining, &c. WILMINGTON, July 20, 1864. Hon. JAMES A. SEDDON: I will endeavor to avoid all conflict with State. The guard Governor Vance proposes will be welcome if composed of better material than his salt-makers. This work ought to be done by negroes, who could be better controlled, instead of by 200 or 300 able-bodied white men. W. H. C. WHITING, Governor VANCE: [Indorsement.] Major-General. JULY 21, 1864. General Whiting will accept the offer made by you of a guard at the State salt-works, near Wilmington, but urges that the men selected should be of undoubted loyalty. J. A. S., SPECIAL ORDERS, Į S ADJT. AND INSP. GENERAL'S OFFICE, Richmond, July 21, 1864. . I. Maj. S. F. Pierson, artillery, Provisional Army, C. S., is assigned to duty with the reserves of Virginia, and will report to Brig. Gen. J. L. Kemper, commanding, &c., in this city. XXXIX. Capt. C. W. Hardy, assistant quartermaster, is relived from duty with the artillery ordnance train of the Second Corps, Army of Northern Virginia, and is assigned to duty with Maj. R. C. Saunders, quartermaster, &c., Forest Depot, Bedford County, Va. XLI. Col. R. E. Withers, of the Invalid Corps, is assigned to the command of the post at Danville, Va. * By command of the Secretary of War: SAML. W. MELTON, Assistant Adjutant-General. CAMP ENGINEER TROOPS, Col. W. H. STEVENS, Chief Engineer, &c.: COLONEL: At Colquitt's salient the gallery was extended by the day detachment 5 feet, to a point 56 feet from the entrance. The framing was extended 53 feet; had to remove water that had dripped into the gallery, and placed four frames and accompanying sheeting. The night detachment extended this gallery 2 feet, making a total distance for the day's work of 7 feet, and a total length of the gallery of 58 feet 3 inches. This gallery has now reached a point supposed to be about 40 feet in advance of the outer slope of the parapet and nearly under or slightly in advance of our picket rifle-pits. The officer in charge of the night detachment reports that between 9 and 10 o'clock last night he heard picking; supposed at first it was pickets in the rifle-pits, clearing them out; made inquiries and found they had not used picks or shovels, and supposed the sound proceeded from the enemy's workmen in front of our works. After half an hour-our party having stopped work-the sound ceased and was not again heard; it is quite doubtful whether this sound proceeded from the enemy's miners at work on our front. The water continues to accumulate in this gallery. I have ordered its extension to be stopped, and a gallery to branch off from its end to the left as the sound seems to be to the left of our mine. At Pegram's salient, at mine No. 1, the gallery was extended by the day detachment 5 feet 2 inches; total distance from the entrance to the back 51 feet 8 inches. The framing extended 46 feet 6 inches, extended by the night detachment 3 feet 10 inches, a total distance for the day's work of 9 feet, and a total distance of 55 feet 6 inches from the entrance. At mine No. 2 length driven by the day detachment 3 feet 3 inches, to a point 44 feet 5 inches from the entrance. Require light at each end of this gallery to work it. The night detachment extended this gallery 2 feet 7 inches, a total distance for the day's work of 5 feet 10 inches, and total length of gallery of 47 feet, 40 feet being timbered. The different detachments made a total distance for the day's work of 21 feet 10 inches. I propose for the purpose of protecting the miners from shells to bomb-proof the mouths of the shafts. HUGH THOS. DOUGLAS, Captain, Engineer Troops, in Charge Mining, &c. [Hon. J. A. SEDDON, Secretary of War:] GREENSBOROUGH, N. C., July 21, 1864. DEAR SIR: My only apology for addressing you at this time is a request that you made that I should communicate anything to you that I might deem important from this section. I fear that there is a plot on hand by some parties near Lexington, N. C., to compel General Lee to evacuate Richmond for want of supplies. To this end a very important bridge was burnt over Rich Creek, which took a week to repair. Scarcely was this done before one but a little distance from it and 220 feet long was burnt, and possibly this over the Yadkin will be consumed. For over ten days Richmond has been drawing its supplies from the stores accumulated at this point, and these stores are nearly exhausted. Would it not be well to send a skillful detective from Richmond to stay about in this neighborhood to ascertain the guilty parties. There are a great many unsound people about here. It would be well to have a guard stationed at all the bridges besides a simple watchman. There is danger also from Colonel Kirk and his deserters and East Tennessee marauders and robbers to Salisbury and Charlotte. Kirk came over with only 140 men with the intention of seizing a train at Morganton and going to the latter place, rescuing the prisoners there, and burning the town and breaking up the railroad communications. Five hundred militia and 80 regulars were kept at bay by him and he escaped with his entire force and 150 prisoners. Very respectfully, WM. SPOTSWOOD FONTAINE. SPECIAL ORDERS, Į ADJT. AND INSP. GENERAL'S OFFICE, * * * XL. Col. T. M. R. Talcott, commandmg First Regiment Engineer Troops, will immediately proceed with his command from his present position on the Richmond and Danville Railroad to headquarters Army of Northern Virginia, via Richmond, and report to General R. E. Lee, commanding, &c. * By command of the Secretary of War: SAML. W. MELTON, Col. W. H. STEVENS, HEADQUARTERS ENGINEER TROOPS, Chief Engineer, Army of Northern Virginia: COLONEL: At Colquitt's mine the gallery was extended by the night. detachment 2 feet 6 inches, making the distance of the principal branch gallery 6 feet. The day detachment extended this gallery 4 feet 4 inches, a total distance of 6 feet 10 inches, and a total length of the gallery of 10 feet 4 inches. At Pegram's salient, mine No. 1, the night detachment extended the gallery to a distance of 60 feet 6 inches, framing 55 feet, drove it 2 feet 8 inches, and put in place two sets of frames and sheeting. The day detachment extended this gallery 4 feet 8 inches, making a distance of 7 feet 4 inches for the day's work, and a total distance of 65 feet 2 inches from the entrance. At mine No. 2 the night detachment extended the gallery a distance of 50 feet from the entrance, the framing a distance of 46 feet, put in two sets of frames, and drove it 1 foot 2 inches. The day detachment at this mine drove the gallery 4 feet, making a distance of 5 feet 2 inches for the day's work, and a total distance of 54 feet. At Gracie's mine sunk the shaft 6 feet 10 inches below the bottom of the rifle-pit, and a depth of 10 feet below the surface; commenced work on the gallery and extended it 2 feet. The enemy's sap-roller at work last night, also moving to-day about 50 yards in front of our shaft. Made a distance at all the mines of 20 feet 2 inches, and sunk a shaft 6 feet 10 inches, a total distance excavated of 27 feet 2 inches. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, HUGH THOS. DOUGLAS, Captain, Engineer Troops, in Charge Mining, &c. AUGUSTA, July 22, 1864. Hon. J. A. SEDDON, Secretary of War: I can return to my command if my services are essential. If they are not, I would prefer to remain in Georgia until my arm is entirely restored. Answer. As you preferred service in Virginia there is no pressing call for your presence. You are always desired, but your recovery is first to be considered. J. A. SEDDON, Secretary. General WADE HAMPTON, Commanding, &c.: HEADQUARTERS, GENERAL: In reply to your letter of the 20th I will state that I thought it important to have a body of cavalry north of the Virginia Central Railroad, in view of the reported operations of the enemy on the Potomac and the threatening position of Sheridan on the James. I suggested Rosser's brigade, both on account of its reliability and the opportunity it would enjoy, both of communicating with the Valley, gathering fresh horses, its absentees, &c. I dislike to send off any of the cavalry, especially any from your division, and in the uncertainty of what direction the enemy may direct his next expedition it is difficult to know what arrangements will prove most beneficial. I had proposed sending the brigade to Culpeper, where I understand grass is abundant, and where the horses would derive much benefit. I have heard nothing since I last wrote of movements of the enemy in that direction, and as General Early is now in the lower Valley it may deter any operations against the railroad. You can, therefore, suspend any movements for the present. If you think it better to send a brigade from either of the other divisions I will direct it to be held in readiness. Very respectfully, your obedient servant. R. E. LEE, General. His Excellency JEFFERSON DAVIS: PETERSBURG, July 23, 1864. Mr. PRESIDENT: I have had the honor to receive your letter of yesterday relative to our supply of corn. If the news of the glorious victory at Atlanta, reported this morning, prove true, it will again open to us Alabama and East Mississippi, and remove a part of the great weight pressing upon us. But as far as I am informed there is still a large supply of corn in East Georgia, and with what could be collected in South and North Carolina there would be enough to support us till the new crop is available. That which is now in Richmond should be reserved if possible, and every effort made to increase the supply. The destruction of the railroad bridges beyond Greensborough is a serious evil. I understand it was done by incendiaries, which makes it more lamentable. Those bridges will therefore have to be guarded by the reserves, like those exposed to the enemy. The trains arrived last night from Weldon, but only brought sufficient corn for the cavalry. That was some relief, but obliges us still to diminish our reserve. With great respect, your obedient servant, R. E. LEE, General His Excellency JEFFERSON DAVIS: PETERSBURG, July 23, 1864. Mr. PRESIDENT: I have had the honor to receive your letter of the 22d instant inclosing a memorandum of information obtained of the probable movements of General Grant's army. I am aware of the ease with which the troops sent for the protection of Washington can be returned to this point. I, however, think it very doubtful whether President Lincoln will permit this to be done as long as General Early is so close to the Potomac. Should he be able to obtain a large militia or volunteer force on the north bank of the Potomac, it might be hazarded, but I have not discerned any alacrity exhibited by such troops to take the field. General Early supposed the force which engaged him on the 18th at the Shenandoah to be composed of the Sixth Corps, Hunter's troops, and two divisions of the Nineteenth Corps. I had previously heard of the arrival in Washington of the latter corps from New Orleans, and that it was originally destined for Grant's army, but was diverted to meet that emergency. Its presence in Washington is confirmed by the inclosed letter,* which seems to be from Mr. Baxter, member of Congress from Vermont. I have written to General Early to inquire what has become of the force he drove across the Shenandoah, and to say that if he cannot detain it on that frontier, it will be neces sary for him to return. I have thought much upon the subject of intercepting the enemy's communications on James River, and have written Not found. |