General MILES, Commanding Division: HEADQUARTERS SECOND CORPs, GENERAL: The major general commanding desires that you will have your skirmish line strongly supported, so as, if possible, to repel the enemy's attack on the skirmish line. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, F. A. WALKER, Assistant Adjutant-General. JULY 29, 1864-10 a. m. Brigadier-General MOTT, Commanding Third Division, Second Corps: The major-general commanding directs that you report in person to Major-General Ord, commanding Eighteenth Corps, for orders. A. A. HUMPHREYS, Major-General and Chief of Staff. CIRCULAR.] HDQRS. THIRD DIVISION, SECOND ARMY CORPS, July 29, 1864. Brigade commanders will hold their commands in readiness to move into position at dark. They will keep the men together and screened from observation as much as possible during the movement. No noise will be made or commands given. By command of Brigadier-General Mott: JOHN HANCOCK, Maior and Assistant Adjutant-General. July 29, 1864-9 a. m. HEADQUARTERS FIFTH ARMY CORPS, Brig. Gen. S. WILLIAMS, Assistant Adjutant-General: I have the honor to report that nothing unusual transpired in my front last night. Five hundred men from Second Division and 300 from the Fourth Division at work on the line during the night. G. K. WARREN, Major-General. HEADQUARTERS FIFTH ARMY CORPS, Major-General HUMPHREYS, Chief of Staff: GENERAL: I have received the programme order for operations tomorrow. I think the minimum of troops that I can depend upon holding my front line with is Griffin's division, which forms a single line of battle, with one brigade of General Cutler's. This will leave me one brigade of General Cutler's and General Ayres' division, at least, to support General Burnside. If I can withdraw the most of my picketline, and abandon the southernmost redoubt on the plank road I can also have two brigades of General Crawford to aid General Burnside. I would like special instructions on this point. In the event of success the division of Crawford would be well posted to follow up along the plank road. I am going to consult with General Burnside as to the co-operation he wishes me to give. Respectfully, [Indorsement.] G. K. WARREN, Major-General. Abandon all south of the large redoubt; keep on the pickets. A. A. HUMPHREYS, Major-General and Chief of Staff. CONFIDENTIAL.] HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC, Major-General WARREN, Commanding Fifth Corps: The commanding general desires to keep up the impression that the enemy evidently entertains that we are withdrawing from before Petersburg, and with that view wishes that the camps of such of your troops as are not necessary to the defense of your line, and as may be in the view of the enemy, should be struck and the troops moved off as though intended to cross the James River at Deep Bottom. After moving so far into the woods as to be unobserved by the enemy they should halt, and return after dark. The two brigades from General Burnside's corps holding the intrenchments between the plank road and the old Norfolk road are directed to rejoin General Burnside as soon as it is dark, taking their pickets. A. A. HUMPHREYS, Major-General and Chief of Staff. The troops should not know they are making a feint movement. Field's division, of Longstreet's corps, moved to the James River last night, leaving two divisions of Beauregard's corps and one of Hill's for the Petersburg front. A. A. H., Major-General and Chief of Staff. HEADQUARTERS FIFTH ARMY CORPS, General HUMPHREYS: I have no troops that I can move in sight of the enemy without causing them to be severely shelled at close range; in fact, all are out of sight except in the trenches. Respectfully, G. K. WARREN, JULY 29, 1864—5 p. m. HEADQUARTERS MAJOR-GENERAL BURNSIDE: Is General Burnside at his headquarters? I propose calling at once if he is there. G. K. WARREN. Major-General of Volunteers. I am going to General Meade's headquarters. Will be back in threequarters or half hour. A. E. BURNSIDE, Major-General. HEADQUARTERS NINTH ARMY CORPS, Major-General WARREN: July 29, 1864. General Ord's men, who are to relieve my first line, have not yet reported, therefore I cannot leave, otherwise I should have been over to see you. No doubt they will be here very soon. I will send you a copy of order. Much obliged for yours. A. E. BURNSIDE, HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC, Major-General WARREN, Commanding Fifth Corps: Your dispatch of 4 p. m. received, and the commanding general directs the withdrawal of your troops to-night from the southernmost redoubt and beyond, south of the large redoubt on the plank road. The pickets should remain, and, if forced back, might occupy the works south of the large redoubt. A. A. HUMPHREYS, Major-General and Chief of Staff. ARTILLERY HEADQUARTERS, ARMY OF THE POTOMAC, Colonel WAINWRIGHT, Chief of Artillery, Fifth Corps : July 29, 1864. Six siege guns in Fort Hell. Colonel Abbot can supply men for the Coehorns. I will order them up so they can be on hand. HENRY J. HUNT, Brigadier-General. Captain MENDELL, U. S. Engineers, Headquarters Fifth Corps: JULY 29, 1864. I do not want the embrasures of the battery between No. 8 and No. While remaining in our present position all the artillery belonging to the corps will be under the special direction of Colonel Wainwright, chief of artillery. He will supervise the construction of magazines and all other necessary preparations in and around the batteries and when in position. By command of Major-General Warren: CIRCULAR.] FRED. T. LOCKE, Assistant Adjutant-General. HEADQUARTERS FIFTH ARMY CORPS, 1. The mine in General Burnside's front will be sprung to-morrow at 3.30 a. m., to be immediately followed by a column of assault. 2. General Ayres' division will go in position under cover of the railroad cut in rear of General Cutler's division, with the right in front, and both his division and the reserve brigade of General Cutler's will be prepared at 3.30 a. m. to support the columns of attack whenever it may be required, and await orders. 3. The brigade of General Cutler's division in the front line and the division under General Bartlett will open fire with musketry, along with the artillery, as soon as the mine is sprung, the object being to keep down the fire of the enemy's artillery and musketry. They will have an ample supply of ammunition convenient to replenish their cartridgeboxes. 4. General Crawford will have General Baxter's brigade in readiness at 3.30 a. m. to move up to the position assigned General Ayres, but to await orders in its present position. 5. The artillery of the corps along the front will receive its orders through the chief of artillery of the corps. 6. The pioneers will all be with their brigades prepared to remove obstructions, and the wagons of intrenching tools will all be in readiness to move speedily wherever needed. The ammunition train will also be prepared to supply ammunition, either by wagons or on packmules. 7. Headquarters office will remain at the Avery house, but with everything in readiness to move. At the commencement of operations tomorrow the general commanding the corps will be found near the battery of six 4-inch guns west of the Avery house. 8. The medical director of the corps will make the proper arrangements to meet the contingencies of to-morrow. By command of Major-General Warren: FRED, T. LOCKE, Assistant Adjutant-General, HEADQUARTERS FIFTH ARMY CORPS, Major-General HUMPHREYS: I have seen General Burnside and my division commanders. My arrangements for to-morrow were easy to make and are all completed. I have no doubt we shall be on time as expected. I will send you my circular order by a messenger. Respectfully, G. K. WARREN, CIRCULAR.] HEADQUARTERS FIFTH ARMY CORPS, The major-general commanding desires to see you at these headquarters at 7 o'clock this evening. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, FRED. T. LOCKE, Assistant Adjutant-General. (To division commanders.) HEADQUARTERS NINTH ARMY CORPS, Major-General HUMPHREYS: A deserter just in from Field's division, Longstreet's corps, says that his division left our front just after dark this evening for some place across the Appomattox, he thinks for Drewry's Bluff. McLaws' division left yesterday evening, he supposes, for the same place. Field's division was relieved by Bushrod Johnson, and he thinks that there is still one division of Longstreet's corps holding their extreme right, but he is not positive on that point. He says that the portion of Hill's corps that has been here left the lines some days ago, and the understanding is among the men that they have gone either to Johnson or Early; he seems to have been on that part of Field's line just in front of my center, and says that they have been digging nearly two weeks to ascertain whether we were mining them. A large fire is burning now in Petersburg, and we opened artillery to prevent operations to stop it. Bells of the town have been ringing. Your letter in reference to firing of heavy guns has been received and communicated to the proper officers. A. E. BURNSIDE, HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC, Major-General BURNSIDE, Commanding Ninth Corps: I am instructed to say that the major-general commanding submitted to the lieutenant-general commanding the armies your proposition to form the leading columns of assault of the black troops, and that he, as well as the major-general commanding, does not approve the proposition, but directs that those columns be formed of the white troops. A. A. HUMPHREYS, Major-General and Chief of Staff. |