The following table exhibits the amount of fire of the different batteries under my command during this battle:

The aggregate of the firing was thus, as follows: 30-pounder Parrott, 447; 44-inch gun (Schenkl), 847; 13-inch mortar, 19; 10-inch mortar, 360; 8-inch mortar, 1,123; Coehorn mortar, 1,037-weighing over 75 tons. In each of the 10-inch mortar shells about thirty 12-pounder canistershot were inserted with the bursting charge on top of them. Their effect was thus more than doubled.

At 11.30 p. m. of July 30 I received a telegram from yourself to withdraw all the train on the fronts of the Fifth and Ninth Corps, with a part of that on the Eighteenth Corps; all to be done with urgent haste. In obedience to this order fifty-two seige guns and mortars, with all their ammunition, implements, platforms, mantlets, &c., complete, were secretly withdrawn from the batteries and transported a mean distance of about seven miles, to Broadway Landing, in twenty-seven hours; and the whole material, weighing some 225 tons, loaded on barges and schooners in thirty-six hours from the receipt of the telegram. For the transportation required, some 200 wagons, I am indebted chiefly to Brigadier-General Ingalls, chief quartermaster, armies in the field, and in part to Colonel Piper, chief of artillery, Eighteenth Corps, who supplied light battery horses for seven siege guns.

During the service of the guns, the only injury which has occurred is the blowing off the muzzle of a 30-pounder Parrott for about one foot from the face. It was cut smooth with cold chisels, and the gun seems to be as accurate in its fire as heretofore. I have now in position on the Eighteenth Corps front three 30-pounder Parrotts, ten 8-inch mortars, and 16 Coehorn mortars. I shall send the 13-inch mortar back as soon as the track is repaired.

I have had reason to be gratified with the earnest exertions of the officers and men of my command, both my own regiment and the Fourth New York Artillery, to render the siege train as effective as possible, and hope that we have answered your expectations.

43 R R-VOL XL, PT I

No. 245.

Report of Brig. Gen. Godfrey Weitzel, U. S. Army, Chief Engineer, Department of Virginia and North Carolina, of operations June

HDQRS. DEPT. OF VIRGINIA AND NORTH CAROLINA,
ENGINEER'S OFFICE,

Bvt. Maj. Gen. J. G. BARNARD,

Chief Engineer, Armies in the Field:

July 7, 1864.

GENERAL: I have the honor to transmit herewith my official report of engineering operations in this department for the month of June, 1864. I also inclose the following maps and tracings,* to wit, viz:

No. 1.-One tracing showing roads between Bermuda Hundred and the enemy's first line of intrenchments on the north and Petersburg on the south; also showing position of our and the enemy's lines of works. No. 2.-A photographic copy showing road between pontoon bridge at Point of Rocks and Petersburg, showing line of intrenchments captured by Eighteenth Army Corps.

No. 3.-A photographic copy of sketch of our works at Deep Bottom. No. 4.-A photographic copy of maps showing position of pontoon bridge on which the Army of the Potomac crossed the James River June 14 and 15, 1864.

No. 5.-A photographic copy of sketch of signal tower on Cobb's Hill, near Fort Wisconsin, on the left of our line of intrenchments. I have the honor to remain, very respectfully, your obedient servant, G. WEITZEL,

Brig. Gen. and Chief Engineer, Dept. of Va. and N. C.

HDQRS. DEPT. OF VIRGINIA AND NORTH CAROLINA,
ENGINEER'S OFFICE,

July 1, 1864. GENERAL: I have the honor to submit the following as my report of engineering operations in this department for the month of June, 1864:

In my last report I mentioned that detached works were in process of construction at Wilson's Wharf, City Point, and Fort Powhatan, on the James River-the two former are now completed; the latter is still unfinished; and in addition to work heretofore mentioned, a signal tower, already sixty feet high, to communicate with City Point, is under construction. These works, assisted by the gun-boats stationed near there, and with garrisons of about 800 men each, will be able to resist any attack of the enemy with four or five times their force. The details of construction of these works have been intrusted to the officers and men of the First New York Volunteer Engineers, and have reflected credit upon them. The line of intrenchments in our front, with the detached works in advance, have never for a day been free from some effort to strengthen them, and every pains has been taken to make them as complete as possible. For the greater part of the month they have been under the charge of Col. H. L. Abbot, First Connecticut Heavy Artillery (captain U. S. Engineers), to whose untiring activity, zeal, and industry their perfection is in a great measure due. Under his supervision also a battery of 20-pounder Parrotts has been erected on the To appear in the Atlas.

*

they were found and hurry them up. Fifteen miles below Jamestown Island they were found at anchor, the captain being asleep. Owing to the strength of the current and tide, and depth of water, it was deemed necessary to moor three schooners each above and below to steady the bridge. These had been brought down the night before with a view to this disposition, were anchored by us, and used by General Benham for that purpose.

June 15, in obedience to instructions from General Grant, I superintended this day the obstruction of the channel of James River, about 800 yards above Aiken's Landing. Four schooners were sunk in the main left channel, first being moored fore and aft and connected with strong chains, and one schooner in the smaller right channel, thus leaving no aperture that a vessel of more than ten feet draught could pass through. The shallow water between the channels was obstructed by booms made from the masts of the vessels, connected by anchor chains. June 16, owing to the strong attack of General Smith upon Petersburg, the enemy were compelled to withdraw all of their troops from our front to go to its relief. Over 1,200 were sent out immediately to demolish the line of works erected by the enemy and to cut timber in our immediate front, heretofore impossible to reach on account of the enemy's sharpshooters. A rapid survey was also made of the enemy's works, the main line of which is shown in the accompanying tracing, with its position in reference to ours.

June 17, a position was determined upon as the site of an advanced redoubt which would permanently secure to us the right center of their line. Owing to the scarcity of men, it was impossible to commence the work before it was again occupied by the enemy in strong force. The cutting of timber to the left of the advanced square redoubt was continued to-day.

June 20, a position on the left bank of the James River, at Deep Bottom, was examined to-day with a view to its occupation. It was ordered that the position should be held by 2,000 men. I indicated to Lieutenant Michie, U. S. Engineers, the general plan of the works and directed him to see to the details. The enemy's pickets being within 300 or 400 yards of the place designated, it required great caution so that they should not give the alarm. Immediately after dark the pontoon boats were brought to the James River, near the commissary wharf, one mile and a half above the point to be occupied, silently unloaded and placed in the stream, and safely and quietly landed 1,400 men at the designated spot in less than thirty minutes after embarkation. The boats were then sent across and turned over to the pontoniers for the bridge. By 11 p. m. the details were at work, as follows: 500 men with shovels, 200 with picks, and 200 with axes, a regiment placed on picket in advance of all. The pontoon bridge, roads, and approaches were all completed before daybreak. With ordinary soil the works would have progressed more rapidly; as it was, we were only able to throw up a simple defensive line. The ground was most unfavorable for excavation and embankment. It was a hard, white soil, breaking into small lumps on every application of the pick, and of such a character that the ravines formed were narrow, deep, and steep. It was impossible to use the ordinary proportion of shovels and picks, requiring here, at first, one pick to every shovel. At this point the James River is but 575 feet wide at high water, but very deep.

June 21, the work being well under way, Captain Eaton, First New York Volunteer Engineers, was placed in immediate charge and 1,800 of the 100-days' men sent to do the fatigue labor. A tracing of the works and position accompany this report.