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Col. H. L. ABBOT:

BUTLER'S HEADQUARTERS,

July 8, 1864.

General Ingalls or General Rawlins was requested by General Butler to move that mortar to Smith's line as soon as it arrives at City Point. I suppose they have done so. Telegraph Smith and see if it has arrived. G. WEITZEL,

Brigadier-General and Acting Chief of Staff.

Brigadier-General WEITZEL,

HEADQUARTERS SIEGE TRAIN,

Headquarters General Butler:

July 8, 1864-8.20 a. m.

Am I to take charge

I received no order yesterday about the mortar. of it; and, if so, where is it, and its ammunition, &c.?

HENRY L. ABBOT,

Colonel First Connecticut Artillery.

GENERAL BUTLER'S HEADQUARTERS,

Colonel ABBOT,

First Connecticut Artillery:

July 8, 1864.

That mortar was ordered up from City Point yesterday.

G. WEITZEL,
Brigadier-General.

General WEITZEL:

CITY POINT, VA., July 8, 1864.

The heavy mortar has gone forward to General Smith. There is a barge here laden with shot, shell, &c., belonging to it. There should be an ordnance officer sent here to take charge of the same. Who will it be?

Colonel ABBOT:

RUFUS INGALLS,
Chief Quartermaster.

BUTLER'S HEADQUARTERS,

July 8, 1861.

The commanding general directs that you send an officer to City Point to take charge of a barge loaded with shot and shell, &c., belonging to mortars which have been sent to Smith.

G. WEITZEL,

Brigadier-General and Acting Chief of Staff.

HEADQUARTERS SIEGE ARTILLERY,
Broadway Landing, July 8, 1864-11 a. m.

Lieut. Col. E. W. SMITH: I have just been directed to send another company of my regiment to Petersburg. I have taken Company A from Battery No. 6. One company still remains there, which is ample to serve the battery and hold the work itself.

H. L. ABBOT, Colonel First Connecticut Artillery.

[First indorsement.]

HEADQUARTERS TENTH ARMY CORPS,

July 8, 1864.

Respectfully referred to Brigadier-General Terry, commanding First Division, for his information. This paper to be returned. By order of Brigadier-General Brooks:

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Captain BROOKER,

July 8, 1864-10 a. m.

First Connecticut Artillery, in charge of Siege Guns,

General Burnside's Headquarters:

I have ordered Captain Gillett, with a platoon of Company A, to relieve Lieutenant Sargeant as soon as they can get there. Lieutenant Sargeant is to report to Major Trumbull as soon as relieved. Please see that no delay occurs.

HENRY L. ABBOT, Colonel First Connecticut Artillery.

Major TRUMBULL,

HEADQUARTERS SIEGE ARTILLERY,

July 8, 1864-1.30 p. m.

First Connecticut Artillery, General Smith's Headquarters: A 13-inch mortar on a truck carriage has been sent this morning to gravel cut on the railroad near General Smith's headquarters. The ammunition, &c., will be started as soon as possible. Everything is in confusion in consequence of no notification having been received until too late. I have ordered Captain Osborne, with the remaining platoon of Company G, to report to you at once to take charge of this mortar. Divide the company properly between it and the six-mortar battery. Send an orderly at once to find the mortar. I give Captain Osborne verbal explanations respecting its objects. I send in Captain Dow's wagon thirty 12-pounder howitzer canisters; they weigh twice as much

(about) as musket-balls, and are used in shells when fired at not less than 600 or 800 yards range. I think a whole canister, forty-eight balls, may be inserted with a bursting charge; put the balls in first. If possible, fire one to the rear and examine the penetration to see if the plan is of service. HENRY L. ABBOT, Colonel First Connecticut Artillery, Commanding.

Maj. C. S. STEWART,

HEADQUARTERS SIEGE TRAIN,
July 8, 1864-5.20 p.m.

Corps of Engineers, U. S. Army, Fort Monroe, Va.:

The mantlets (how many not yet reported) have arrived at City Point. I think the supply on hand is now sufficient for present purposes. Please retain the remaining sixty-eight at Fort Monroe subject to my order.

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HDQRS. DEPT. OF VIRGINIA AND NORTH CAROLINA,
In the Field, July 8, 1864.

General BROOKS:

General Butler directs me to ask: First, how many troops you have on picket? Second, how many old troops you have on your lines?

Fourth, whether you have

Third, how many new troops on your lines? any regiments not attached to brigades? Fifth, whether you can spare with safety to your lines a brigade?

CHAS. J. PAINE,

Colonel and Aide-de-Camp.

Colonel PAINE:

HEADQUARTERS TENTH ARMY CORPS,

July 8, 1864.

I will answer your questions categorically when I have seen the division commanders that I have sent for. Does the general mean brigade of soldiers of 100-days' men? W. T. H. BROOKS, Brigadier-General.

HEADQUARTERS TENTH CORPS,

July 8, 1864.

Colonel PAINE,

Aide-de-Camp:

We have 900 men on picket from the James to head of ravine, old troops; along the ravine 100 men, new troops; on the left of the ravine 400 new troops and 300 dismounted cavalry. There are no old troops to relieve these last. Not counting picket and artillery we have 2,484 old troops, 2,593 new troops to defend the works with. The Thirtyseventh New Jersey and dismounted cavalry are not brigaded. I suppose a brigade could possibly be spared, but I hope it will not be taken unless there is a great necessity, and, too, that its place is taken by colored troops.

S[MITH].

HDQRS. DEPT. OF VA. AND N. C., ENGINEER'S OFFICE, July 8, 1864. (Sent 8 p. m.) Brig. Gen. W. T. H. BROOKS,

Commanding, &c.:

The commanding general directs that you order a detail of 100 men to report to Captain Lyon at the pontoon bridge, Appomattox River, every morning at 6 o'clock until further orders. It would be desirable to order them from some other regiment, as the command at Spring Hill is so small that it cannot furnish the two details required in full. Respectfully, your obedient servant,

G. WEITZEL, Brigadier-General and Acting Chief of Staff.

HEADQUARTERS EIGHTEENTH ARMY CORPS,

July 8, 1864-1.55 p. m.

General RAWLINS,

General Grant's Headquarters:

Have some documents forwarded by me through General Butler's headquarters, with reference to the colored troops, been received at your headquarters?

WM. F. SMITH,

Major-General.

Maj. Gen. W. F. SMITH,

CITY POINT, July 8, 1864.

Commanding Eighteenth Army Corps:

There will probably be no movements for a week or ten days, and you have permission to use this time to visit New York. Communicate this to General Butler, with whom the lieutenant-general has spoken. By command of Lieutenant-General Grant:

JNO. A. RAWLINS, Brigadier-General and Chief of Staff.

HEADQUARTERS EIGHTEENTH CORPS,

Brigadier-General RAWLINS,

Chief of Staff, City Point:

July 8, 1864.

More than one week since I had the honor to forward certain papers for the consideration of the lieutenant-general commanding the armies of the United States. These papers had reference to the condition of the negro troops, and I deemed the suggestions of importance to the service. I have, therefore, respectfully to request that the major-general commanding the Department of Virginia and North Carolina may be called upon to forward those papers, which were sent to the headquarters of the armies through the headquarters of the department. WM. F. SMITH, Major-General, Commanding.

(Copy to General Weitzel.)

HEADQUARTERS EIGHTEENTH CORPS,

July 8, 1864.

Brigadier-General RAWLINS,

Chief of Staff, City Point:

Is it not possible to send me some troops to relieve a portion of my line? My troops are so exhausted it is very difficult to make them work.

WM. F. SMITH,
Major-General.

HEADQUARTERS EIGHTEENTH CORPS,

Brigadier-General RAWLINS,

Chief of Staff, City Point:

July 8, 1864-7.15 p. m.

The enemy opened quite heavily with artillery upon my lines about two hours since, after which their infantry mounted the parapet of their rifle-pits and delivered a volley, but upon receiving a volley from my lines they again retired.

WM. F. SMITH,

Major-General.

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