General WEITZEL: DEEP BOTTOM, VA., July 29, 1864. (Received 7 p. m.) Is it certain that General Benham will be here in good time? Because I told General Hancock that the bridge would be finished in four hours, which will be done if Foster's bridge is taken up and put below. I am building the approaches now. P. S. MICHIE, Lieutenant and Engineer. HDQRS. DEPT. OF VIRGINIA AND NORTH CAROLINA, Lieutenant MICHIE, Deep Bottom : I don't know whether General Benham will be in time or not. General Butler has just telegraphed to General Grant to have him hurried up. G. WEITZEL, Brigadier-General and Chief Engineer. HDQRS. DEPT. OF VIRGINIA AND NORTH CAROLINA, Captain LUBEY, Jones' Neck: In the Field, July 29, 1864-6.15 p. m. General Grant orders that you construct the approaches at once for a second bridge across the James River below Four-Mile Creek. General Benham will bring the bridge up. Tell this to Lieutenant Michie. Don't disturb the bridge above Four-Mile Creek. G. WEITZEL, Brigadier-General and Chief Engineer. JONES' NECK, July 29, 1864. Brigadier-General WEITZEL: Dispatch received. I commenced approaches as directed, when General Hancock ordered them to be built down stream and below the bridge. The approach on the left bank will not be a good one, but passable for infantry. The boats have not yet arrived. I am now building the approaches as General Hancock directed. LUBEY, Captain. HDQRS. DEPT. OF VIRGINIA AND NORTH CAROLINA, Brigadier-General WEITZEL, Chief of Staff: GENERAL: The signal officer at Spring Hill reports that but two trains passed last night and both toward Petersburg, one at 11 p. m. and the other at 11.40 p. m. One train passed the Junction toward Richmond at 4 a. m. The same officer reports at 6 a. m. that he saw at that time twenty-nine wagons and two batteries of artillery pass by the Junction on turnpike toward Richmond. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, L. B. NORTON, Captain and Chief Signal Officer. HDQRS, DEPT. OF VIRGINIA AND NORTH CAROLINA, Brig. Gen. G. WEITZEL, Acting Chief of Staff: July 29, 1864–7.10 a. m. GENERAL: The signal officer at Spring Hill reports that at 7 a. m. eighteen empty cars passed the Junction toward Petersburg. Very respectfully, &c. L. B. NORTON, Captain and Chief Signal Officer. HIDQRS. DEPT. OF VIRGINIA AND NORTH CAROLINA, Captain DANA, Signal Officer, Headquarters Tenth Army Corps: Tell Bruyn to watch immediately for the crossing of two batteries of artillery and twenty-nine wagons. They passed the Junction at 6 a. m. L. B. NORTON, Captain and Chief Signal Officer. Captain NORTON: JULY 29, 1864-10.30 a. m. More trains of wagons and ambulances have just crossed Chaffin's farm. A few wagons and ambulances are returning from the east toward the enemy's pontoon bridge a little this side of Drewry's Bluff. G. S. DANA, Captain, Signal Corps, U. S. Army. Captain NORTON: SPRING HILL SIGNAL STATION, July 29, 1864—11.10 a. m. Fourteen empty cars have just passed the Junction toward Petersburg. A large force of cavalry is now passing on turnpike near the railroad junction, toward Richmond. SIMONS. Lieutenant and Signal Officer. 40 RR-VOL XL, PT III HDQRS. DEPT. OF VIRGINIA AND NORTH CAROLINA, Brigadier-General WEITZEL, Acting Chief of Staff: GENERAL: The signal officer at the water battery (James River) reports at 11.15 a. m. that he saw twelve guns and caissons, apparently with baggage, also three ambulances and six wagons. all crossing the pontoon below Drewry's Bluff, going east. Very respectfully, &c., L. B. NORTON, Captain and Chief Signal Officer. JULY 29, 1864-1.40 p. m. Captain NORTON: A regiment of cavalry and about thirty more wagons are crossing the enemy's pontoon, going east. G. S. DANA, Captain, &c. JULY 29, 1864-2.40 p. m. Captain NORTON: A cavalry column is passing over from Petersburg and Richmond turnpike, going east. Two regiments have already crossed the river. G. S. DANA, Captain NORTON: Captain, &c. JULY 29, 1864-5 P. m. A regiment of infantry and about thirty wagons loaded with forage are now crossing Chaffin's farm, going east. G. S. DANA, Captain NORTON: HEADQUARTERS TENTH ARMY CORPS, A train of forty wagons just crossing the enemy's pontoon. Captain NORTON: G. S. DANA, SPRING HILL SIGNAL STATION, A train of eighteen cars, empty, just passed the Junction toward Petersburg. HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC, July 29, 1864. Col. H. L. ABBOT, Commanding: Will the service of the mortars be under your instructions, or do you expect that to be looked after here? H. J. HUNT, Brigadier General and Chief of Artillery. BROADWAY LANDING, VA., July 29, 1864. Brigadier-General HUNT, Headquarters Army of the Potomac: I should detail a company of the Fourth New York Artillery to serve the Coehorns if ordered up. HENRY L. ABBOT, Colonel First Connecticut Artillery. BROADWAY LANDING, VA., July 29, 1864-9.15 a. m. Brigadier-General HUNT, Headquarters Army of the Potomac : Have you decided whether to order up the Coehorns for Fifth Corps front? I can only supply 600 rounds for them. I have ten of them here. I telegraphed to you this morning to send up all the Coehorns. If you have not done so, six will be enough to send. Please advise me. HENRY J. HUNT, Brigadier-General. BROADWAY LANDING, VA., July 29, 1864—12.45 p. m. Brigadier-General HUNT, Headquarters Army of the Potomac : Your two telegrams about the Coehorns are received. I sent preparatory orders to Colonel Allcock by an orderly, and now send a telegram for him to your care. I shall send the six with 100 rounds each. Am now starting for your headquarters. HENRY L. ABBOT, Colonel First Connecticut Artillery. BROADWAY LANDING, VA., July 29, 1864-12.40 p. m. Lieutenant-Colonel ALLCOCK, Commanding Fourth New York Artillery: (Care General Hunt, Headquarters Army of the Potomac.) The Coehorns, six in number, will be sent with the train of guns to General Warren's headquarters. Have the company ready to receive them there and put them where indicated by Colonel Wainwright, chief of artillery, Fifth Corps, to-night. HENRY L. ABBOT, Colonel First Connecticut Artillery, Commanding. HDQRS. DEPT. OF VIRGINIA AND NORTH CAROLINA, Major-General BIRNEY, Your dispatch received. General Butler desires to get a prisoner or deserter from your front as soon as possible to ascertain what is going on. He directs that you immediately instruct your picket-lines that he will give any of our men a thirty days' furlough who will, in the course of the day, bring in a live rebel soldier, either as a prisoner or by inducing one to desert. Have them sent in direct if any are obtained. Respectfully, G. WEITZEL, HDQRS. DEPT. OF VIRGINIA AND NORTH CAROLINA, Birge and his brigade have orders to report to you again as soon as Hancock gets across. Respectfully, G. WEITZEL, Brigadier-General and Acting Chief of Staff. HDQRS. DEPT. OF VIRGINIA AND NORTH CAROLINA, Major-General BIRNEY, Commanding Tenth Corps: In the Field, Va., July 29, 1864. The commanding general directs me to inform you that LieutenantGeneral Grant has directed all the troops on the north side of James River, excepting Foster's command, to withdraw after dark to-day. The navy has been requested to assist Foster all they can to hold his old position. Lieutenant-General Grant says with regard to Foster as follows: General Foster, I think, had better level the line of rifle-pits we captured from the enemy and hold his old position if possible. The lower pontoon bridge should also be swung round to the west bank of the river. It may be advisable for General Foster to move his teams and surplus property to the west bank. |