General WILLIAMS: HEADQUARTERS FIFTH CORPS, Nothing of importance transpired in my front last night. The working parties engaged during yesterday and last night were as follows: First Division, 800 men; Second Division, 200 men; Fourth Division, 35 men. G. K. WARREN, Major-General. General WILLIAMS: HEADQUARTERS FIFTH CORPS, I have to report that nothing of importance has transpired in my front to-day. The following details have been at work on the line: 600 men from First Division; 600 men from Fourth Division. I suppose the engineers make all necessary reports in the siege operations. G. K. WARREN, Major-General. General WILLIAMS, HEADQUARTERS NINTH ARMY CORPS, Assistant Adjutant-General: I have the honor to report the usual state of affairs on my line today. The enemy are constructing a new earth-work in front of General Potter's right. There are evidences that the enemy are countermining. We hope they will miss us, but we may be discovered. General BURNSIDE: A. E. BURNSIDE, HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC, It is reported that the Ninth Corps wagon trains keep felling trees on the telegraph wire to General Butler's. The commanding general directs that you at once take measures to prevent this in future. S. WILLIAMS, Assistant Adjutant-General. HEADQUARTERS SECOND DIVISION, NINTH ARMY CORPS, Lieut. Col. LEWIS RICHMOND, Assistant Adjutant-General, Ninth Army Corps: COLONEL: I have the honor to report everything quiet in my front. The commanding officer First Brigade reports that the rebels are constructing a new earth-work in front of the right of our position. I am, colonel, very respectfully, your obedient servant, ROBERT B. POTTER, Brigadier-General, Commanding. HEADQUARTERS THIRD DIVISION, Colonel RICHMOND, Assistant Adjutant-General : COLONEL: I have the honor to report the usual state of things on my lines. Captain Roemer reports that the rebels are constructing a new work in front of Colonel Humphrey. He threw fire shells and drove off the working party temporarily. The working party of Fourth Division made excellent progress last night. Besides completing the covered ways and pits in progress, I shall start a new and I think better covered way from the second to front line. Permit me to suggest that guns might be put in position on General Warren's right, near his new mortar battery work, that would sweep nearly the whole ground in front of my division and part of General Potter's. I have spent the most of the day on the lines and find my pits clean and clear for action. Very respectfully, O. B. WILLCOX, HDQRS. SECOND BRIG., THIRD DIV., NINTH ARMY CORPS, Capt. R. A. HUTCHINS, Assistant Adjutant-General, Third Division : CAPTAIN: I have the honor to report the rifle-pits nearly finished. The covered ways are not so far advanced. Instead of 1,000 men, 730 reported and worked last night. About 600 men can finish the covered ways this afternoon, but they cannot work by day on the rifle-pit. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, WM. HUMPHREY, Colonel, Commanding Brigade. [Indorsement.] HEADQUARTERS THIRD DIVISION, Lieutenant-Colonel RICHMOND, Assistant Adjutant-General: COLONEL: I respectfully forward the only brigade report of import or importance. Rather less firing than usual, particularly in the early part of the night. O. B. WILLCOX, Brigadier-General. HEADQUARTERS CAVALRY CORPS, Jordan's Point Signal Station, Va., July 24, 1864-10 a. m. Major-General HUMPHREYS, Chief of Staff: The brigade that relieved Colonel Chapman has been ordered to remain out five days. P. H. SHERIDAN, Major-General, Commanding. HDQRS. FIRST BRIG., FIRST DIV., CAVALRY CORPS, Picket Reserve, near R. Williams', July 24, 1864—6.30 a. m. Brigadier-General WILLIAMS, Assistant Adjutant-General, Army of the Potomac : GENERAL: I have the honor to report all quiet along my lines for the past twenty-four hours, and no change in the position of the enemy's pickets except at Lee's Mill, in my front. Last evening the captain commanding patrol reported a strong picket post on the opposite side of the stream at that place, and that the bridge had been destroyed. This morning the officer commanding patrol reports the picket withdrawn. I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant, HDQRS. DEPT. OF VIRGINIA AND NORTH CAROLINA, Maj. J. C. DUANE, Chief Engineer, Headquarters Army of the Potomac : Please send me a tracing of that part of that rebel map of which Comstock had a part yesterday which includes Jones' Neck, Deep Bottom, Malvern Hill, and the vicinity only. I need it for military purposes, and if you could send it to me by this evening I would be ever so much obliged. G. WEITZEL, HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC, General G. WEITZEL, Bermuda Hundred: July 24, 1864. That part of the rebel map to which you refer, including Jones' Neck, Deep Bottom, Malvern Hill, and the vicinity, is not in our office. I have only that part of which Colonel Comstock has a tracing. N. MICHLER, Major of Engineers, U. S. Army. HDQRS. DEPT. OF VIRGINIA AND NORTH CAROLINA, In the Field, July 24, 1864. I am about consulting with General Grant in respect to recruiting, and will send you the information when it has been determined upon. BENJ. F. BUTLER, Major-General, Commanding. HEADQUARTERS, Col. J. W. SHAFFER, Chief of Staff, Fort Monroe: In the Field, July 24, 1864. By direction of the lieutenant-general commanding no passes or permits to recruiting agents of States will be given allowing such agents to come to the front. BENJ. F. BUTLER, Major-General, Commanding. Lieutenant-Colonel BIGGS, Chief Quartermaster: SUNDAY, July 24, 1864. through the canal and the rations and where they are. Send me a list of all the boats in the department capable of going sound; also their capacity in men and This is to be confidential. BENJ. F. BUTLER, Major-General, Commanding. Captain EDSON, HEADQUARTERS SIEGE TRAIN, Broadway Landing, Va., July 24, 1864—9 a. m. Ordnance Officer, Fort Monroe: I am greatly in need of Coehorn mortar ammunition. A large supply has been ordered for me to be sent to Fort Monroe. If you can forward a few hundred rounds, 2,000 if possible, in advance of its arrival, I shall be greatly obliged. Please reply. HENRY L. ABBOT, Colonel First Connecticut Artillery. FORT MONROE, July 24, 1864. Col. H. L. ABBOT, First Connecticut Artillery, Commanding, &c.: Eight hundred and thirty-eight shells for Coehorn mortars will be sent you by boat to-day. T. EDSON, HEADQUARTERS, Major-General BIRNEY, In the Field, July 24, 1864—12.30 p. m. Commanding, &c.. Your telegram in relation to the relief of Turner's division is received. I wish as heartily as you do that it might be carried out, but the exigencies of the service, as I understand the plan of the lieutenantgeneral, do not permit it. BENJ. F. BUTLER, Major-General, Commanding. Major DAVIS, HEADQUARTERS TENTH ARMY CORPS, July 24, 1864—11.45 a. m. (Received 12.15 p. m.) Assistant Adjutant-General : Lieutenant-Colonel Hooper, Twenty-fourth Massachusetts Volunteers, officer of the day for General Foster, was captured this morning while scouting outside picket-line. I hold the crest to-day. No attempt on part of enemy to retake it. The loss yesterday was small. Will send report. D. B. BIRNEY, Major-General. HDQRS. DEPT. OF VIRGINIA AND NORTH CAROLINA, Major-General BIRNEY, Commanding Tenth Army Corps: July 24, 1861-12.30 p. m. Report received. Hold the crest if possible. Let the men intrench. Only the cavalry at Malvern Hill has been brought against you, as I am informed. BENJ. F. BUTLER, Major-General, Commanding. HDQRS. DEPT. OF VIRGINIA AND NORTH CAROLINA, Major-General BIRNEY, Tenth Corps: In the Field, July 24, 1864. I consider it very important for you to know that not a shot has been fired on our front on this neck of land for nearly a month. I think it would be well to be assured that the officers and men have not become careless and unguarded thereby. Respectfully, G. WEITZEL, Brigadier General and Acting Chief of Staff. Brig. Gen. R. S. FOSTER, Deep Bottom: JULY 24, 1864. The major-general commanding desires to know the effective strength of your command as soon as possible.* ED. W. SMITH, Assistant Adjutant-General. Major DAVIS, HEADQUARTERS TENTH ARMY CORPS, Assistant Adjutant-General: July 24, 1864—9.50 p. m. In answer to inquiries made by the major-general commanding I report the strength of General Foster's command as follows: Present *For reply, see Part I, p. 692 and next, post, 28 R R-VOL XL, PT III |