until night, when General Burnside promised to relieve him. The next day I asked General Burnside for the two divisions left in his trenches, and finding that he could not send them all to me without inconvenience, I telegraphed General Meade that I could get along with the part which had been returned. The whole reported that night or the next morning.

Inclosed you will find reports of division commanders and reports of casualties.

I am, sir, respectfully, your obedient servant,

E. O. C. ORD,

Major-General of Volunteers, Commanding.

Maj. Gen. A. A. HUMPHREYS,

Chief of Staff, Army of the Potomac.

No. 264.

Report of Brig. Gen. Hiram Burnham, U. S. Army, commtanding First Division, of operations July 30.

HEADQUARTERS FIRST DIVISION, EIGHTEENTH CORPS,

July 31, 1864.

SIR: I have the honor to submit the following report of operations of this division during the action of yesterday in front of the Ninth Corps:

On the evening of the 29th, in obedience to orders from corps headquarters, I relieved Brig. Gen. George J. Stannard, in command of the division. At 10 p. m., that portion of my division which occupied the trenches in my front having been relieved by a detachment of Mott's division, of the Second Corps, I moved to the left with my whole command to a point in rear of the line occupied by the Ninth Corps. I here reported to Brigadier-General Carr, under whose command I had been placed for the day. Under the direction of General Carr, my First Brigade, under command of Col. A. F. Stevens, Thirteenth New Hampshire Volunteers, was assigned a position in the second line on the right, my Second Brigade in the first line on the extreme left, and my Third Brigade directly opposite the enemy's works, which had been previously mined; all these positions being on that part of the line heretofore occupied by the Ninth Corps. In consequence of delays, which were out of my power to prevent, my command did not reach the position indicated until daylight.

At 5 a. m. of the 30th the mine was sprung and the attack commenced, when my Second Brigade, Col. E. M. Cullen, Ninety-sixth New York Volunteers commanding, opened fire on the enemy's works in its front, to which no reply was made, and my Third Brigade, commanded by Col. Guy V. Henry, Fortieth Massachusetts Volunteers, rendered important service, keeping down the fire from the enemy's flanking pits. At 7 a. m. my First Brigade was moved from its position in the second line and took up a position in the rifle-pits near the Norfolk and Petersburg Railroad, where it remained until noon, when it relieved the brigade of Colonel Bell, occupying the front line of pits opposite the crater. During the heavy fire of the morning a number of men in my Third Brigade volunteered to bring in the wounded of the Ninth Corps, who were lying exposed in the open field; two men of the Fortieth Massachusetts

HDQRS. FIRST BRIG., FIRST DIV., 18TH ARMY CORPS,

July 1, 1864.

SIR: Agreeable to orders, I have the honor to report the operations of this brigade.

On the 20th [21st] ultimo we moved at daybreak toward this [point], and at night we relieved a portion of the Sixth Corps occupying the right of the second line and one regiment supporting Regan's battery on the right of the ravine. We remained in this position on the 21st [22d] and 22d [23d] ultimo. At night we relieved the Second Brigade. The next morning [24th] the enemy opened a very heavy fire, enfilading our lines, from some twenty or more guns across the Appomattox. This continued for two hours, when the enemy endeavored to carry our position by assault. Hagood's brigade made the attack. They were easily repulsed, but our men having reserved their fire it was impossible for many to get back. Thus 150 with some 4 or 5 officers, including the commander of the regiment, fell into our hands. We have receipts from the provost-marshal of the division for 130. The attack did not extend beyond the front of our brigade at least more than a few yards. Our loss amounted to 57 killed, wounded, and missing; that of the enemy could not have been less than 400. In this line the brigade remained until night of the 25th ultimo, when relieved in turn. by Burnham's, when it marched back to its old camp, where it rested the two next days. At night of the 27th ultimo it relieved Burnham and reoccupied its old line during the 28th and 29th ultimo until relieved. On the 30th, at 3 p. m., I reported with the command to General Turner and was placed as support to the assaulting [column]. Though under a heavy fire, we were [not] actively engaged, and our casualties amounted to 5. The contemplated advance proving impracticable, or unsuccessful at least, this brigade was moved back to its former camp, where it now is.

I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
EDGAR M. CULLEN,

Colonel Ninety-sixth New York Vols., Comdg. First Brigade. Capt. WILLIAM L. KENT,

Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.

No. 266.

Report of Col. Aaron F. Stevens, Thirteenth New Hampshire Infantry, commanding First Brigade, of operations July 30.

HDQRS. FIRST BRIG., FIRST DIV., 18TH ARMY CORPS,

In the Field, Va., July 31, 1864.

SIR: In obedience to orders, I have the honor to offer the following report of operations of my brigade yesterday:

My command moved from its position in the second line of intrenchments, which it had occupied the night before, about 7 a. m., and rested in the woods in rear of the covered way leading to the pits occupied by the brigade of Colonel Bell. From this point my command moved toward the front, and by order of General Carr took position in the rifle-pits near the railroad, and remained there until about 12 m., when I was ordered to report to General Turner, commanding a divis