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army. They can be returned through these headquarters, or, if deemed advisable, through your headquarters. Please let me know if you have no objection to the above, which are submitted because I consider City Point as only partially under my command. GEO. G. MEADE,

Major-General.

CITY POINT, VA., March 16, 1865. (Received 11 a. m.)

Major-General MEADE:

Make the changes you deem proper in the garrison of City Point. Have all the returns of troops here sent to you. In making changes leave with General Patrick the regiment which he has always had with him. There are two colored regiments at City Point, one under the quartermaster. This I will have retained, but the other I will order back to the Twenty-fifth Corps. It will be necessary to replace it with a battalion.

U. S. GRANT,
Lieutenant-General.

NAVY DEPARTMENT,

March 16, 1865.

Maj. Gen. J. G. BARNARD, U. S. Army,

Shall not be with you until Saturday. Notify Lieutenant-General Grant.

City Point, Va.:

G. V. FOX,

Assistant Secretary of the Navy.

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC,
March 16, 1865—2.55 p. m.

Major-General MEADE:

(Through Fifth Corps Headquarters.)

The following dispatch has just been received from the acting chief signal officer:

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GENERAL: I have the honor to report that the following report has just been received from the signal station at the Avery house:

"The enemy along the front line, from the Crater to Fort Mahone, have their equipments all on, ready to move. No tents have been struck to-day. The most of them now sit down, as if trying to keep out of sight."

CHAS. HERZOG, First Lieutenant, Signal Corps, U. S. Ármy.

General Parke is here, and has seen the above report.

Capt. J. C. PAINE:

CHAS. E. PEASE, Assistant Adjutant-General.

PLANK ROAD SIGNAL STATION,

March 16, 1865—9 a. m.

At 8.30 a. m. about 400 of the enemy commenced moving from works extending from Fort Mahone a short distance to the right of plank

road, about 100 of them moving left toward large fort, 200 of them toward the picket-line at different points along our front, and the other 100 still remaining in line in rear of works northwest from station. The wind blows so hard as to prevent me from telling whether there has been any change in the forces garrisoning their front line. A. K. CLAROTHERS],

Capt. J. C. PAINE:

Sergeant.

PLANK ROAD SIGNAL STATION,
March 16, 1865—5 p. m.

The enemy opened on a working party in vicinity of Battery 23, at 9.30 and 10.10 a. m., from Fort Mahone and next battery to its left, throwing about twenty shots. The firing developed their force in our front, which is much less (probably one-third) than the force occupying the lines yesterday. This diminution extends from plank road as far left as yellow house battery. Men reported moving toward picket-line in report of 9 a. m., proved to be reliefs; those relieved moving back and scattering in works along our front. The enemy's picket is a strong one, the men forming it having full marching equipments, including knapsacks; the latter not worn as a general thing by their reliefs. Small parties were drilling at different points during the day. The wind has prevented making any correct observations further left than the lead-works. Some movement of troops was visible in the vicinity of large fort at 1 p. m., but could not distinguish their numbers or what they were doing.

A. K. CAROTHERS,

Sergeant.

SPECIAL ORDERS, HDQRS. ARMIES OF THE UNITED STATES,
City Point, Va., March 16, 1865.

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II. The Tenth Regiment U. S. Colored Troops is relieved from duty at City Point, and will proceed without delay to the Army of the James and report to Maj. Gen. E. O. C. Ord for orders. The quartermaster's department will furnish necessary transportation.

By command of Lieutenant-General Grant:

T. S. BOWERS, Assistant Adjutant-General.

GENERAL ORDERS,

No. 12.

HDQRS. ARMY OF THE POTOMAC,
March 16, 1865.

I. Brig. Gen. M. R. Patrick, U. S. Volunteers, is relieved from duty as provost-marshal-general of this army.

II. Bvt. Brig. Gen. G. N. Macy, colonel Twentieth Massachusetts Volunteers, is announced as provost-marshal-general of the Army of the Potomac, and will be respected and obeyed accordingly. By command of Major-General Meade:

GEO. D. RUGGLES, Assistant Adjutant-General.

Major-General WEBB,

HEADQUARTERS SECOND ARMY CORPS,
March 16, 1865–11.33 a. m.

Chief of Staff:

Some deserters from Hoffman's brigade (formerly Pegram's), Walker's division (formerly Pegram's), report that General Bushrod Johnson rode along their picket-line yesterday, and that when they left camp day before yesterday it was expected their brigade would move to the intrenchments near Petersburg on the following day.

A. A. HUMPHREYS, Major-General, Commanding.

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC,
March 16, 1865-12 m.

Major-General HUMPHREYS:

The Secretary of War with a party leave City Point for these headquarters at 12 to-day. I shall propose to him to witness a review of the Fifth Corps at 2.30 p. m. near the Cummings house. If he accedes the party will be carried there by rail. I shall be pleased to see you and such of your officers as you choose to bring with you either at these headquarters at 1 p. m. or on the review ground at 2.30 p. m. GEO. G. MEADE,

(Same to Major-Generals Wright and Parke.)

Major-General.

Major-General WEBB,

HEADQUARTERS SECOND ARMY CORPS,
March 16, 1865—10 p. m.

Chief of Staff, Army of the Potomac:

We have a deserter from Wallace's brigade, of Bushrod Johnson's division, picketing on the other side of Hatcher's Run. He says they began picketing there yesterday morning and completed relieving the pickets of Gordon's corps this morning. Johnson's division was to have completed the exchange of position with Walker's division to-day. If, however, Bushrod Johnson's division is as strong as he represents it it would take two of Gordon's divisions to occupy the same line. A. A. HUMPHREYS, Major-General, Commanding.

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC,
March 16, 1865—7.30 a. m.

General WARREN,
Fifth Corps:

The major-general commanding deems it proper to caution you against permitting too large a number of the officers or men of your corps to attend the races to-morrow. The attitude assumed by the enemy during the past few days requires watchfulness on our part and does not permit of any relaxation in the vigilance now required. Corps commanders will also see, through their provost-marshals, that no

improper use of public animals is made by officers or men visiting the race-course. The commanding officer of the cavalry division will take especial pains to prevent any abuses of the animals of his command by the enlisted men

ALEX. S. WEBB,

Brevet Major-General and Chief of Staff.

(Same to General Parke, Ninth Corps, General Wright, Sixth Corps, General Davies, Cavalry Division.)

HEADQUARTERS FIFTH ARMY CORPS,

March 16, 1865.

Col. GEORGE D. RUGGLES,

Assistant Adjutant-General :

I have the honor to report all quiet on this front during the past twenty-four hours.

Respectfully,

G. K. WARREN, Major-General of Volunteers.

HEADQUARTERS FIFTH ARMY CORPS,
March 16, 1865.

Col. GEORGE D. RUGGLES,

Assistant Adjutant-General:

I have the honor to report one rebel deserter just received-name, Emil Leath. He belongs to Graham's four-gun battery of horse artillery; has been stationed at Stony Creek, but is now on the march to Roney's Mill, where it is to go into camp. Three brigades of Lee's cavalry are with the battery; all going into camp between Roney's Mill and Dinwiddie Court-House. This deserter thinks the rebel troops more demoralized than ever before. They will fight, but not so well as heretofore. He knows of no movement of troops except as above; has heard nothing definite of Sherman; rumors very contradictory.

Respectfully,

G. K. WARREN, Major-General of Volunteers.

HEADQUARTERS FIFTH ARMY CORPS,
March 16, 1865.

Col. GEORGE D. RUGGLES,
Assistant Adjutant-General:

Three deserters have just arrived-one Forty ninth Virginia Infantry, and two Fifty-eighth Virginia Infantry, all of Colonel Kasey's brigade, Walker's division, Gordon's corps. They report that Gordon's corps has been moved to the front of Petersburg and its place supplied by Bushrod Johnson's division. They report the rebel soldiers as very disconsolate, and many of the officers have lost confidence. A guard is now kept in the rear of the rebel troops to prevent desertions to the These men will be forwarded immediately to army headquarters. Respectfully,

rear.

G. K. WARREN, Major-General of Volunteers

Į

GENERAL ORDERS, HEADQUARTERS FIFTH ARMY CORPS

No.

March 16, 1865.

The corps will be formed for review on the ground near Humphreys' Station, leaving camp at 1 p. m., or as soon after as practicable. The First Division will be formed on the ground it occupied on the preliminary review of the 14th and in the same manner. The Second and Third Divisions will form on the same line occupied by the Third Divis ion at that time, the Second Division being on the right of the Third. The formation will be by battalions en masse. The honorable Secretary of War will be present.

By command of Major-General Warren:

FRED. T. LOCKE,

Brevet Colonel and Assistant Adjutant-General.

P. S.-Each division will turn out its pioneers in full marching order, with their tools.

HEADQUARTERS SIXTH ARMY CORPS,
March 16, 1865. (Received 11.15 a. m.)

Col. GEORGE D. RUGGLES,

Assistant Adjutant-General:

I have the honor to report that nothing of importance has transpired on the lines of this corps during the past twenty-four hours. One man from the Tenth New Jersey Volunteers deserted to the enemy. H. G. WRIGHT, Major-General.

HEADQUARTERS SIXTH ARMY CORPS,

March 16, 1865—10.20 p.m. (Received 10.30 p. m.)

Major-General WEBB:

Two deserters from Scales' brigade report that no movements of troops have taken place of late, except the exchange of Pegram's for Johnson's division; that Rodes' division went to North Carolina about a week ago and Pickett's to meet Sheridan, being replaced by Mahone's; that Sherman was in Fayetteville some days ago; that the rebel troops are concentrating at Raleigh, where they expect a fight, and that an engagement took [place] about ten miles from Raleigh yesterday, in which our forces were thrashed. No details given as to the forces engaged, but it is supposed to have been a cavalry affair only. Two batteries removed from the left of their line to accompany the troops which went off, but know of none other being withdrawn.

H. G. WRIGHT, Major-General, Commanding.

HEADQUARTERS NINTH ARMY CORPS,
March 16, 1865. (Received 9.55 a. m.)

Bvt. Maj. Gen. A. S. WEBB,

Chief of Staff:

No further demonstrations were made on our lines since the report of yesterday. Nothing definite or positive has been arrived at in refer

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