of the enemy's fire from the batteries at Bishop's, but doing no damage. On the night of the 21st I laid out two advanced batteries (C and D) near the Kirkland house, on a hill that commanded the river well, and from which could be seen the three rebel iron-clads and four wooden gun-boats. Battery C was for five guns and D for two, both being half-sunken batteries. On the night of the three 30-pounders and four 20-pounders, Ashby's battery, all under command of Captain Pierce, First Connecticut Artillery, were placed in these batteries, with orders to concentrate all guns as soon as daylight would permit on the nearest wooden gun-boat and endeavor to disable her; then, when driven off, to concentrate on the nearest iron-clad. The orders were carried out to the letter and the firing proved excellent. From rebel papers we learn that one gun was disabled on the gun-boat Drewry, 2 men killed and 4 or 6 wounded, and the boat otherwise disabled. One of the iron-clads lost her smoke-stack, and another lost 6 men in killed and wounded by a shell exploding over the grating. All were very much demoralized and driven up the river, from which position they only venture down at night, returning at daylight. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, PETER S. MICHIE, First Lieut., U. S. Engineers, and Brevet Major, U. S. Army. Bvt. Maj. Gen. J. G. BARNARD, Chief Engineer, Combined Armies, City Point, Va. HDQRS. DEPT. OF VIRGINIA AND NORTH CAROLINA, GENERAL: I have the honor to submit the following report of engineering operations in this department for the week ending October 29, 1864: But little engineering work was done on the Eighteenth Army Corps front during this week, owing to its withdrawal from the lines on the evening of the 26th to make a demonstration on the Williamsburg road. Small garrisons were left in all the redoubts and batteries along the line. At Fort Burnham, abatis and magazine were completed, and all other batteries were entirely finished during the week, except some of the small details. The line on the Tenth Army Corps front is also completed, the redoubts, batteries, and parapets having been finished on the 28th. Embrasures have been put in on the rear faces of the redoubts to make them entirely self-defensible. Slashing has been continued on Four-Mile Church Branch and in the ravine in front of Signal Hill. A square redoubt of thirty yards front has been built to command the latter. It has two pieces of artillery and a garrison of 100 men. Slashing to a great extent to the left and right of the redoubt on Camp Holly has been carried on, so that the ground is perfectly impassable for troops of any kind between the works on Camp Holly and Signal Hill without passing under close range of one or other of the works. The redoubt on Camp Holly Hill has embrasures for twenty guns, and has for armament four 20-pounder Parrotts and two pieces of light battery. It has a magazine eight by twelve by six feet finished, and the work itself will be entirely completed in two days. At Fort Brady a large bomb-proof, with two splinter-proof entrances, was constructed and covered with six feet of earth. A strong palisade gate was framed and is nearly ready to be hung. The embrasures of the advanced batteries commanding the river were repaired and strongly revetted with gabions. At Dutch Gap a new dipper-handle for the dredge was made and mounted, the old one having broken. The hoisting gear of the dredge was also repaired. The machine is a very poor one, its framework being so rotten as to be unreliable for two consecutive day's work. The average number of men at work during the week at Fort Brady and repairs to Dutch Gap machinery was thirty-six engineers and eighty infantry daily. A tracing of country about Camp Holly and Signal Hill will be transmitted soon to accompany this report. I have the honor to be, general, very respectfully, your obedient servant, PETER S. MICHIE, First Lieut., U. S. Engineers, and Brevet Major, U. S. Army, Acting Chief Engineer, Department. Bvt. Maj. Gen. J. G. BARNARD, Chief Engineer, Combined Armies, City Point, Va. HDQRS. DEPT. OF VIRGINIA AND NORTH CAROLINA, GENERAL: I have the honor to submit herewith the following report of engineering operations in this department for the week ending November 5, 1864: The engineering work on the whole line occupied by the Tenth and Eighteenth Army Corps has been completed and but very little labor has been expended on small details, such as stockading, clearing ground in front, slashing, and abatis. Redoubts on right flank.-Camp Holly redoubt is now complete, armed and garrisoned. A redoubt was commenced on the 1st of October on south side of New Market road and east of the Kingsland road, and between the forks of the Four-Mile Creek. Two hundred and seventyfive men have been employed in slashing in the vicinity of the redoubts during the week. A corduroy road was also commenced on the 1st October from Aiken's Bridge to Varina road. The labor on Fort Brady was also completed this week, and several small matters attended to as soon as needed at Dutch Gap. A detail from my pontoon company was engaged building an ordnance wharf on James River below Aiken's Bridge. The rest were on duty at pontoon bridges on James and Appomattox Rivers and at the saw-mills. The amount of lumber sawed during the week is 9,865 feet, principally for hospital buildings and platforms for guns. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, First Lieutenant, U. S. Engineers, Brevet Major, U. S. Army, Acting Chief Engineer, Dept. of Virginia and North Carolina. Bvt. Maj. Gen. J. G. BARNARD, Chief Engineer, Combined Armies, City Point, Va. HDQRS. DEPT. OF VIRGINIA AND NORTH CAROLINA, November 16, 1864. GENERAL: I have the honor to submit the following as my report of engineering operations in this department for the week ending November 12, 1864: On the 9th commenced corduroying supply roads leading to the Tenth Army Corps front with daily details of 300 men. A line of breast-works was thrown up on the night of the 9th along the high road bordering the Four-Mile Creek between the Kingsland and New Market roads, fronting eastward and terminating at the redoubt at the base of Signal Hill; 2,000 men were employed. This line will be the line of defense of the Eighteenth Corps reserves in case the enemy pass the redoubts on Camp Holly and to the right of the New Market road approaching down that road. A well has been made in the redoubt of Camp Holly, water being obtained at thirty-five feet depth. One has been commenced in the redoubt on Signal Hill and is now twenty-six feet deep. The redoubt in the forks of the Four-Mile Creek is well advanced, embrasures being ready for eleven guns; abatis surround it; an infantry parapet runs from its flank across the New Market road and up the New Market Hill, defended by an abatis in front. This prevents a cavalry dash down the road and past our redoubts. Considerable labor has been expended on a battery south of Four-Mile Creek to command the New Market road, in rear of Signal and Camp Holly Hills, and in slashing timber in Four-Mile Creek and ravines near it. The corduroy road across the ravine between Aiken's Bridge and the high ground is progressing slowly. Teams are scarce and the timber has to be brought from a distance. At Dutch Gap a gallery has been run into the embankment at the west end a distance of forty feet; it is four by five feet high. It starts in at the left side twenty-five feet from the face of the embankment, and runs in twenty-five feet on a slope of 1 on 4 and then turns to the right five feet. A shaft three feet in diameter is sunk here eleven feet, and from the bottom a gallery is run in eighteen feet parallel to the gallery above. At ten feet from the end a gallery is made to the left to the distance of ten feet, as shown in the accompanying plan and section. From rough computation there remains but 4,500 cubic yards to remove now, which is being taken out at the rate of 400 cubic yards per day. A railroad and some dump cars have been put in operation to aid in removing the dirt; one of the dumping boats, which was sunk, has been raised, repaired, and is again in use. On the Eighteenth Corps front wells have been sunk near the ditch of Fort Burnham to prevent mining by the enemy. The rear of other batteries have been stockaded; abatis has been strengthened along the lines. The saw-mills have been at work steadily all the week. The bridge at Aiken's needs resheathing and will be attended to during the coming week. I have the honor to be, general, very respectfully, your obedient servant, PETER S. MICHIE, First Lieutenant, U. S. Engineers, Brevet Major, U. S. Army, Bvt. Maj. Gen. J. G. BARNARD, Chief Engineer, Combined Armies, City Point, Va. HDQRS. DEPT. OF VIRGINIA AND NORTH CAROLINA, November 20, 1864. GENERAL: I have the honor to submit the following report of engi neering operations Army of the James for the week ending November 19: A detail of 300 men has been employed daily until Saturday constructing corduroy road from Tenth Army Corps front along New Market road toward Deep Bottom. Plank platforms have been made in the redoubts on the right flank. The redoubt near Four-Mile Creek is now completed, having embrasures for thirteen guns. It is revetted and constructed like those on Camp Holly and Signal Hills, and surrounded with abatis. The infantry parapet connecting this work with the crest of New Market Hill is nearly completed. The work on the new line in advance of the lunette (No. 2) is almost finished and will have sixteen embrasures. Slashings in front and flank of Camp Holly redoubt is being continued daily with a detail of seventy-five men. The corduroy road (twenty-eight feet wide) crossing the ravine beyond Aiken's Landing is finished. All engineering work has been delayed by unfavorable weather. The excavation at Dutch Gap Canal has been prosecuted with but small details. Blasting has been tried with favorable results in the stiff blue clay, which forms the bed of the canal. The mine for the charge to blow out the main embankment has been sheathed with stout gallery frames. But little water has been met with until lately, when a small stream has been opened; it can be kept out, however, by buckets. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, PETER S. MICHIE, Brevet Major, U. S. Army, Lieutenant, U. S. Engineers, Acting Chief Engineer, Dept. of Virginia and North Carolina. Bvt. Maj. Gen. J. G. BARNARD, Chief Engineer, Combined Armies, Virginia. HDQRS. DEPT. OF VIRGINIA AND NORTH CAROLINA, ENGINEER'S OFFICE, GENERAL: I have the honor to submit the following report of engineering operations for the week ending November 27, 1864: Four batteries designed for two 30-pounder guns each were laid out on the banks of the James River below the Dutch Gap Canal. Fifteen engineers and 150 men were employed two nights, and fifteen engineers and about sixty-five men for two days, in their construction during the week. Twenty-two engineers have been engaged for three days in making a new bomb-proof for a second dredge, the one formerly in use having been sunk by a mortar shell. A few engineers have also been engaged in repairing damages caused by rains at Fort Brady. Platforins of 2-inch plank have been laid in the redoubts on the right during the week. Slashing timber in their vicinity has occupied a detail of seventy-five men daily. Corduroying roads has been generally undertaken during the past week. Guard-houses have been built at |