HEADQUARTERS FIFTH ARMY CORPS, Brigadier-General GRIFFIN, Commanding First Division: GENERAL: My orders are for you to strengthen your own left to the extent indicated. I suppose you do not need a staff officer from me to show you where that point is. You can use any part of your reserve brigade necessary to enable you to hold that point. You have nothing special to do with the part assigned to General Crawford. Respectfully, G. K. WARREN, Major-General, Commanding. HEADQUARTERS THIRD DIVISION, FIFTH CORPS, Lieut. Col. F. T. LOCKE, Assistant Adjutant-General, Fifth Corps: July 11, 1864. COLONEL: Cavalry scouts from the left (Colonel Bryan's command) report that Hill's corps left Petersburg at 5 p. m. yesterday, going southward, and that sharp skirmishing was heard in the direction of Reams' Station. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, S. W. CRAWFORD, Brigadier-General, Commanding. HEADQUARTERS FIFTH ARMY CORPS, Brigadier-General CRAWFORD, Commanding Third Division: July 11, 1864. GENERAL: The major-general commanding directs me to say that the two square redoubts now being built will be held by your troops, and that you must be prepared to occupy them at a moment's notice, as the Second Corps may be required elsewhere. I am, general, very respectfully, your obedient servant, FRED. T. LOCKE, Assistant Adjutant-General. HEADQUARTERS NINTH ARMY CORPS, Major-General HUMPHREYS, Chief of Staff: I have the honor to report that no change has taken place during the night. There was slight firing along the front of one division. A. E. BURNSIDE, Major-General. CONFIDENTIAL. HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC, July 11, 1864. Major-General BURNSIDE, Commanding Ninth Corps: I am instructed by the major-general commanding to inform you that information received this morning shows that Hill's corps has been withdrawn from our front, and appearances indicate that it has been sent northward. A division of cavalry has been ordered up on our left to make a reconnaissance in connection with the Second Corps, to-night and to-morrow, to ascertain where Hill is. Should it turn out that Hill's corps has been detached from Lee's army, Lieutenant-General Grant proposes that Hancock's and Warren's corps shall make a detour to the left and endeavor to take Petersburg by assault from the west, while your corps and Smith's make a joint heavy assault at one point, say near the Hare house. The commanding general desires you to make such examinations as are necessary to determine how your left should be refused in the event of such a plan being adopted, so that you will be prepared to take up a line for the protection of your left flank. General Ferrero will be ordered back to you if the plan is adopted. A. A. HUMPHREYS, Major-General and Chief of Staff. HEADQUARTERS NINTH ARMY CORPS, Major-General HUMPHREYS: I have the honor to report that nothing worthy of note has occurred on my line to-day. About 5 p. m. the enemy attempted to communicate with us by flag of truce, but it proving to be only an attempt to exchange papers I would not permit it. The ordinary skirmishing continues. A. E. BURNSIDE, HEADQUARTERS FIRST DIVISION, NINTH ARMY CORPS, Lieut. Col. L. RICHMOND, Asst. Adjt. Gen., Ninth Army Corps: COLONEL: I have the honor to report everything quiet along my lines to-day, except the firing of a battery on our right, which had range of us, but threw their shells too much to the rear, without doing any damage of consequence. I am, colonel, very respectfully, your obedient servant, JAMES H. LEDLIE, Brigadier-General, Commanding Division. HEADQUARTERS SECOND DIVISION, NINTH ARMY CORPS, Before Petersburg, Va., July 11, 1864. Lieutenant-Colonel RICHMOND, A. A. G., Ninth Army Corps: COLONEL: I have the honor to report that, with the exception of slight firing at one point on my line, there has been quiet during the past twelve hours. Nothing new to report. I have the honor to be, colonel, very respectfully, your obedient servant, ROBERT B. POTTER, Brigadier-General, Commanding. HEADQUARTERS THIRD DIVISION, NINTH ARMY CORPS, Lieutenant-Colonel RICHMOND, Assistant Adjutant-General: COLONEL: My batteries have been firing during the day at intervals at the houses in my front, to drive out sharpshooters. The houses appear to be pretty well riddled. A working party of the enemy was discovered about 2 this p. m. of considerable numbers. Tents were pitched in their rear. Roemer's battery was opened on them, and they soon retired. Captain Twitchell is using one of his guns, light 12s dismounted, in mortar practice, with very good effect, several shells exploding in the enemy's lines. A white flag was displayed on the enemy's works at 5.30 p. m. Orders were immediately issued to cease the firing, but to hold no communication with the enemy until I should receive orders from your headquar ters, which matter was reported promptly. A soldier from their works came out and offered to exchange papers. This was refused, and the firing recommenced. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, O. B. WILLCOX, Brigadier-General. HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC, Brigadier-General FERRERO, Commanding Division: July 11, 1861—9 p. m. The major-general commanding directs that you change your position at daylight and occupy the redoubt on the old Norfolk road and the line extending from that point to the last redoubt on the plank road, which will be occupied by General Warren's troops. The short line of trench from the redoubt on the old Norfolk road to the swamp on the left you will also occupy. The line indicated is that upon which your troops have been at work to-day. You will throw out a suitable line of pickets in front. General Hancock is ordered to concentrate his corps in the vicinity of the Williams house by daylight and establish a picket-line in the general direction and position of his present line of intrenchments. In the event of his being detached, you will see that a proper connection is made between your pickets and those of General Warren. I will notify you of such change. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, A. A. HUMPHREYS, Major-General and Chief of Staff. HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC, Major-General SHERIDAN, Commanding Cavalry Corps: July 11, 1864-2.15 p. m. The major-general commanding directs that you send here at once a division with its artillery. The division commander will leave his division at some convenient point on our left on the Jerusalem plank road and report in person for instructions at these headquarters. A. A. HUMPHREYS, Major-General and Chief of Staff. General HUMPHREYS: CITY POINT, July 11, 1864—3 p. m. Dispatch for General Sheridan received by me at 2.30 p. in. I have sent it by an officer who should deliver it to General Sheridan by 3,30 p. m. RUFUS INGALLS, HDQRS. CAVALRY CORPS, ARMY OF THE POTOMAC, Major-General HUMPHREYS, Chief of Staff: General Gregg's division will report to you without delay with three days' rations and two days' forage. P. H. SHERIDAN, Major-General, Commanding. HDQRS. CAVALRY CORPS, ARMY OF THE POTOMAC, Brig. Gen. D. McM. GREGG, Commanding Second Cavalry Division: GENERAL: The major-general commanding directs me to inclose you the within copy of a telegraph dispatch* just received from the majorgeneral commanding Army of the Potomac. General Sheridan directs that you move your division at once in compliance with the within dispatch. You will take three days' subsistence and two days' forage. JAS. W. FORSYTH, Lieutenant-Colonel and Chief of Staff. ORDERS.] HDQRS. SECOND DIVISION, CAVALRY CORPS, July 11, 1864-5.15 p. m. The division will move at 6.30 to Jerusalem plank road in the following order: First, Second Brigade; second, First Brigade; third, ambulances, ammunition wagons. All wagons (regimental and other, save those for the headquarters for each brigade) will be at once sent to the division train. One wagon will be allowed to each battery for forage. The commander of the First Brigade will place one regiment in rear of the wagons and ambulances. By command of Brigadier-General Gregg: H. C. WEIR, Captain and Assistant Adjutant-General. HEADQUARTERS THIRD DIVISION, CAVALRY CORPS, Col. J. B. MCINTOSH, Commanding First Brigade, Third Division: July 11, 1864. COLONEL: The brigadier-general commanding directs that you detail one regiment from your command for picket duty, to relieve Captain See Humphreys to Sheridan, 2.15 p. m., p. 166. * Moffitt, commanding Third Indiana Cavalry, at Cocke's Mill, to-morrow, July 12, at 6 a. m.; the men to be provided with three days' rations and forage. This regiment will picket all the roads in the vicinity of Cocke's Mill, particularly the road toward Prince George Court-House, and the road to the left of the church on Prince George Court-House road near Cocke's Mill; the commanding officer to send diagram of the position of his pickets as soon as possible, and to report in writing once a day at least the condition of his line. I am, colonel, with high regard, your obedient servant, CITY POINT, VA., July 11, 1864. Major-General BUTLER, Commanding, &c.: Have you any recent information from Wilcox's division? cross the James River early this month and was said to have gone to Chaffin's Bluff. I would like to know if it is still there. It did U. S. GRANT, HDQRS. DEPT. OF VIRGINIA AND NORTH CAROLINA, Lieutenant-General GRANT, Commanding, de.: Wilcox's division, of Hill's corps, consists of Scales', Lane's, McGowan's (now Conner's), and Thomas' brigades. We have deserters this morning from Thomas' brigade, which is on their right and rear from the Junetion to Swift Creek. They report Scales' brigade holding the line from Swift Creek to the Appomattox. McGowan's (Conner's) and Lane's brigades are in our front opposite Deep Bottom. We had deserters from them yesterday. Allowing 300 men to a regiment, the division has 5,700 men. Thomas' brigade is very small, about 800 men. Gowan's (Conner's) is reported not over 1,000 men. Lane not over 1,200, probably not over 1,000. Of Scales' brigade we have no accurate information. Calling it 1,200 strong and the division has 4,200 men. We have no accurate information as to Lee's whereabouts. Some say he is at Petersburg and some at Richmond. I am inclined to think he is not at either place. Mc B. F. BUTLER, HDQRS. DEPT. OF VIRGINIA AND NORTH CAROLINA, Lieutenant-General GRANT, Commanding Armies of the United States: Colonel Jaquess and Mr. Gilmore are here, and are, of course, desirous to go forward on their mission. If you desire them to go, and will trust to me to get them through the lines, I think I can accomplish it. |