July 14, 1864. HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC, Colonel RICHMOND, Assistant Adjutant-General: Please inform me on what date the Ninth Corps was assigned to the Army of the Potomac? My records for that period are not here. S. WILLIAMS, Assistant Adjutant-General. General WILLIAMS, HEADQUARTERS NINTH ARMY CORPS, Assistant Adjutant-General : The Ninth Corps was assigned to the Army of the Potomac by Special Orders, No. 25, paragraph 1, May 24, 1864. LEWIS RICHMOND, Assistant Adjutant-General. General WILLIAMS, HEADQUARTERS NINTH ARMY CORPS, Assistant Adjutant-General: July 14, 1864–9 p. m. I have the honor to report that nothing of importance has occurred to-day on my line. We are making the usual progress with the mine. A. E. BURNSIDE, Major-General. HEADQUARTERS SECOND MICHIGAN INFANTRY, Colonel GOULD, Corps Officer of the Day, Ninth Army Corps: SIR: I have the honor to report that in pursuance of instructions I visited the lines of the Third Division, both in the night and during the day. I found the men in the trenches and on picket watchful and attentive to the movements of the enemy. There was the usual picketfiring and some digging on the part of the enemy during the night. The latter, I concluded, was simply individual effort for the purpose of making a retreat against shot for the digger. I regret to say there is not as much attention paid to cleanliness in this division as could be desired. The fault arises from men committing nuisances in out of way places. There is not much offal lying about. In most cases the ground occupied by the troops is such that sinks can be dug in covered places without difficulty. I directed the attention of brigade officers of the day to the above facts, but would suggest that unless regimental commanders give some special attention to this neglect it cannot be wholly obviated. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, JNO. L. YOUNG, Capt., 2d Mich. Infty., Div. Officer of the Day, 3d Div., 9th A. C. HEADQUARTERS THIRD DIVISION, NINTH ARMY CORPS, Lieut. Col. LEWIS RICHMOND, Assistant Adjutant-General : July 14, 1864. COLONEL: I have the honor to report that nothing of importance or worthy of note happened in my frout last night. There was some picket-firing in the front of First Brigade. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, O. B. WILLCOX, Brigadier-General. HEADQUARTERS THIRD DIVISION, NINTH ARMY CORPS, Lieut. Col. LEWIS RICHMOND, Assistant Adjutant-General, Ninth Army Corps: July 14, 1864. COLONEL: Nothing of importance has transpired along my front today. The enemy's redoubt on the hill, to the right of my line, seems to have grown considerably in dimensions in the last two days. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, O. B. WILLCOX, Brigadier-General. HEADQUARTERS FOURTH DIVISION, NINTH ARMY CORPS, Near Petersburg, Va., July 14, 1864. ASSISTANT ADJUTANT-GENERAL, FIFTH ARMY CORPS: SIR: I have the honor to report that there are present for duty in this command 4,400 infantry and 250 artillery. There are about 1,000 men on picket duty. The picket-line is about two miles in extent. The balance of the command are at work on the redoubt and intrenchments and felling timber. I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant, EDW. FERRERO, Brigadier General, Commanding. General FERRERO: HEADQUARTERS FIFTH ARMY CORPS, You will at once establish your picket-line (of a strength of not less than 400 men per mile, including reserves and supports) from McCann's, on the Norfolk railroad east, by Westbrook's and Wood's, to the Jerusalem plank road, where it will connect with the picket-line established by General Crawford. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, G. K. WARREN, P. S.-Report every day at 9 p. m. and 9 a. m. whatever has occurred along your line. G. K. WARREN. HEADQUARTERS FOURTH DIVISION, NINTH ARMY CORPS, ASSISTANT ADJUTANT-GENERAL, FIFTH ARMY CORPS: noon. EDW. FERRERO, Brigadier-General, Commanding. HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC, Major-General SHERIDAN, Commanding Cavalry Corps: July 14, 1864. The major-general commanding directs that you get ready at the earliest practicable moment for a movement against the enemy's communications, extending into North Carolina as far as Weldon. You will report to him at once at what time you will probably be prepared to move and what will be the strength of your corps available for the operation. The commanding general directs that during this movement one of the regularly organized brigades of cavalry be left with the army to picket and scout on its left flank. A. A. HUMPHREYS, Major-General and Chief of Staff. ́HDQRS. CAVALRY CORPS, ARMY OF THE POTOMAC, Maj. Gen. A. A. HUMPHREYS, Chief of Staff: GENERAL: I have the honor to report the receipt of your dispatch of this date. I can move on the morning of the 16th with an effective strength of between 8,000 and 9,000 men. Will you have the kindness to inform me more in detail of the contemplated movement, so that I can as quickly as possible make the necessary preparations? P. H. SHERIDAN, Major-General, Commanding. HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC, Major-General SHERIDAN, Commanding Cavalry Corps: GENERAL: I inclose herewith a copy of a dispatch* from LieutenantGeneral Grant to the major-general commanding the army as exhibiting fully the objects of the expedition which you were directed to prepare your command for, and the importance of its successful execution. The commanding general directs me to say that you will regard that dispatch as conveying your instructions, and that he desires to have, as See Grant to Meade, beginning-There is no chance, p. 224. 16 R R-VOL XL, PT III soon as possible, your views as to the manner in which you can best carry them out, and your plan of operations under them. The commanding general desires also to learn what force of infantry you consider necessary to co-operate with or aid you in starting, and at what point it should be directed, and how long it should continue its operations in order to render its assistance effectual. General Kautz will be ordered to report to you, and his command will form part of your expedition. The commanding general desires the expedition to start not later than the 17th instant. I am instructed to say that in view of the reduced effective force of the corps, instead of leaving one of the regularly organized brigades for the purposes specified in the dispatch of this morning, the detachment now under Colonel Bryan's command may be left. Colonel Batchelder, acting chief quartermaster, is directed to send you to-morrow the implements procured for a former expedition. A. A. HUMPHREYS, Major-General and Chief of Staff. HEADQUARTERS CAVALRY CORPS, Jordan's Point, Va., July 14, 1861-12 midnight. Maj. Gen. A. A. HUMPHREYS, Chief of Staff': GENERAL: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter, inclosing copy of telegram from Lieutenant-General Grant. I will forward answer to your communication in the morning. Very respectfully, &c., P. H. SHERIDAN, Major-General, Commanding. HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC, Brigadier-General GREGG, Commanding Second Cavalry Division: July 14, 1864. The major-general commanding directs that you report the disposition of your force and the lines picketed and patrolled by you, marking the same upon the map that the staff officer bearing this communication takes with him for the purpose. The commanding general directs that you send the regiments forming the detachment under Colonel Bryan to their respective commands. The commanding general par ticularly desires to be informed whether your command has a sufficient supply of water. A. A. HUMPHREYS, Major-General and Chief of Staff. HEADQUARTERS SECOND DIVISION, CAVALRY CORPS, Maj. Gen. A. A. HUMPHREYS, Chief of Staff, Army of the Potomac: GENERAL: In compliance with the order of Major-General Hancock the cavalry line as established by Colonel Bryan has been maintained, save an alteration on the right to connect with the infantry and an exten sion beyond the Norfolk railroad to connect by patrol with the cavalry at Prince George Court-House. The present line is very long, not less than eighteen miles. If maintained with a single division of cavalry it will not offer serious resistance to an attack or advance of the enemy. To relieve Colonel Bryan's command it will be necessary for me to send a brigade near McCann's, preserving the line as directed by General Hancock. The only place at which a supply of water can be had for a brigade of cavalry is at Lee's Mill, where there is sufficient. Lee's Mill is four miles from McCann's. Some very bad water can be had at McCann's for horses, but in small quantity. I send a staff officer to report to you for instructions concerning the line as now established, whether it is to be maintained. The enemy's mounted pickets are in front of mine, beyond Lee's Mill toward Proctor's. A force of cavalry which I suppose to be guerrillas is reported down the railroad (Norfolk). I will ascertain more about this force this p. m. Beyond Gary's Church, toward Reams' Station, the enemy have mounted pickets; also on the plank road beyond Warwick Swamp. I would request that Colonel Bryan be allowed to remain with his regiment on the right for a day or two at least. The regiments under Colonel B. are well acquainted with all the roads and localities on the right. Oue of his regiments belongs to this division. Very respectfully, D. MCM. GREGG, Brigadier General of Volunteers, Commanding, &c. HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC, Brigadier-General GREGG, Commanding Cavalry Division: July 14, 1864. Your dispatch is received. The commanding general authorizes Colonel Bryan's command to remain and perform the duty it has been engaged upon. The commanding general directs me to say that it is unnecessary to picket more than the line picketed by Colonel Bryan (excepting the connection with the infantry pickets on the right) and what may be necessary for your own security. General Sheridan is ordered to hold his corps ready to move on the 16th or 17th for the destruction of Weldon and other railroads. He is directed to leave a brigade to picket on the left of the army, but the commanding general concludes that it will be better to retain Colonel Bryan with his present command for that duty. I give you the notice respecting the movements of the corps, in order that you may make the necessary preparations if you have not already received directions to that effect from headquarters Cavalry Corps. The absence will be of considerable duration. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, A. A. HUMPHREYS, Major-General and Chief of Staff. HEADQUARTERS FIFTH ARMY CORPS, Brigadier-General GREGG: GENERAL: By direction of General Meade I am going to establish the infantry picket-line to cross the plank road near Finn's, thence |