HEADQUARTERS SECOND DIVISION, CAVALRY CORPS, Major-General HANCOCK, Commanding Second Army Corps: GENERAL: General Davies reports his advance within one mile of Reams' Station. Dismounted men are seen behind works near the station and cavalry formed in rear. Whether these dismounted men are infantry or cavalry the general cannot decide; nor can he ascertain since they are behind works. General Davies has fired a few shots with artillery without reply from the enemy. The country is very unfavor able for cavalry operations, being heavily wooded. Yours, respectfully, D. MCM. GREGG, Major-General of Volunteers. Major-General HUMPHREYS, HEADQUARTERS SECOND CORPS, Chief of Staff : General Davies reports to General Gregg at 3.30 that he has been skirmishing with the enemy, and finds them strongly posted behind earth works about one mile long, with flanks protected, and expresses the opinion that the whole division could not get to Reams' Station. I have sent Barlow's division to the cross-roads to give General Gregg an opportunity of using his whole force on either road to ascertain what is there. One Union man stated that Wickham's brigade was in Davies' front, with Hill's corps at the station. His note is rather illegible, but I understand General Davies to say several other citizens contradict the report about Hill's corps. The Union man says two of Hill's corps were at his house last night. General Davies' brigade having returned from Reams' Station, I put my command in march for Proctor's, but, unfortunately, when my regiments fell back over the bridge to-day, some officer ordered it to be destroyed. Mounted troops cannot pass over it at all, and it will require so long a time to repair it that I have sent two mounted regiments around by Lee's Mill, to approach Proctor's in that direction. The infantry which you have ordered here will not be required. If the infantry is at Proctor's their presence will as certainly be known by going by Lee's Mill as by the plank road. D. MCM. GREGG. WINF'D S. HANCOCK, General HUMPHREYS, Chief of Staff: HEADQUARTERS SECOND CORPS, Colonel Smyth, brigade commander of the division on picket, reports that a force of the enemy struck tents and moved from his front about an hour since. He is on my right. He could not tell the number, but thinks it one or two brigades. By the dust he judged that they moved to our left. HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC, Lieutenant-General GRANT: This dispatch, just received, is forwarded. It confirms my idea that the enemy will re-enforce the force at Reams', and not allow themselves to be dislodged without making all the resistance possible. GEO. G. MEADE, HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC, July 12, 1864—8.30 p. m. (Received 9.45 p. m.) COMMANDING OFFICER SECOND CORPS: Your telegrams of 5.25 and 8 p. m. received, and your course and that of General Gregg approved. The re-enforcement of the enemy as reported by Colonel Smyth is in accordance with my expectations. I do not believe you can dislodge the enemy from the railroad without employing all your corps, and then the operation will depend on the capacity of the enemy to detach. I have submitted this in full to the lieutenant-general commanding, and am awaiting his orders. In the meantime you must remain where you are and be prepared either to advance or withdraw. If the former, I shall require the cavalry to assist you, and would suggest your ascertaining whether they are well supplied with ammunition. If not, send at once for it, and also see that they do not get out of forage and subsistence. GEO. G. MEADE, Major-General, Commanding. HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC, Major-General HANCOCK: The lieutenant-general commanding considers the object of the reconnaissance has been accomplished, and he does not desire any further operations of an offensive character. You can therefore make your arrangements to withdraw to-morrow after daylight to the position indicated, in rear of the left of the line of the Fifth Corps. You will give the necessary instructions to General Gregg to picket strongly all the line now picketed by Colonel Bryan and cover his position at Lee's Mill, or such point as is most convenient for him to water. You will confer with General Warren as to withdrawing General Gibbon's pickets. General Warren has so much of his force employed in the trenches and working parties that it may be necessary you should furnish him some force to assist in picketing his line. If so, I desire you to furnish it. The line of pickets need not be so far out as before you vacated your recent position, but the cavalry pickets in front of them should be strong, with good reserves, so that Warren could be notified of any advance of the enemy. This dispatch is predicated on the supposition that the enemy remains on the defensive. If to-morrow morning any movement is reported which looks like an advance on their part you will exercise your judgment about meeting it, whether to check them by advancing or retiring to the position now occupied by Warren and Ferrero. When you have withdrawn Gregg should report to Warren and to these headquarters. Bryan should be directed to report to Warren. Major-General WARREN: GEO. G. MEADE, HEADQUARTERS SECOND CORPS, July 12, 1864. I understood from General Meade this morning that you were to relieve part of my picket-line. I do not know that it can be done in the daylight. My picket line now strikes my old breast-works near the Strong house, which would be a very good place for you to break off in case I move. While I am here I keep up the line running near Smith's and Temple's to Sturdivant's Mill, but if I move my picket will be withdrawn. If I move during the day I will leave on the men on the extreme right in plain sight of the enemy. General HANCOCK: WINF'D S. HANCOCK, HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC, I have just returned to my headquarters and find your dispatch about relieving your pickets. I have sent word to General Crawford to do it to-night. I hope you will not have to withdraw your picketline before to-morrow night, as I will have to work all day to-morrow before I can make the line secure. The enemy perhaps will feel us to-morrow to see what is going on, and I have made all arrangements I can to meet such a contingency. G. K. WARREN, HEADQUARTERS SECOND ARMY CORPS, Major-General WARREN, Commandiny Fifth Corps: Your dispatch of 9.50 is received. Unless the enemy appears here in the morning, I am ordered to withdraw to the rear of your headquar ters as a reserve to cover the left flank. Colonel Smyth, commanding one of General Gibbon's brigades, pickets from the left of your line to the road leading from the plank road by the Williams house to the railroad, and he will be ordered to remain there under your orders till you relieve him to-morrow night, and if you wish that picket-line to be extended to the left as far as the plank road it will be done. These troops will be from General Gibbon's division, whose headquarters will be at the Southall house, and the rest of his division will be in that vicinity. Since writing the above I have received orders from General Meade which direct me to leave the picket-line, as suggested above, from your left to the plank road beyond the Williams house. The rest of my command will be across the railroad behind General Gibbon. As soon as I leave, I have directed General Gregg to report to you, and also Colonel Bryan, who pickets nearest to you. If you should hereafter relieve my present picket-line there are several small roads leading out from the vicinity of the Jones house to that line which might be picketed by cavalry to give the infantry warning. Most of my picket-line is protected by abatis and slashing, and all the ground lately occupied by my line of battle is so protected, offering great facilities against attack. WINF'D S. HANCOCK, P. S.-I have destroyed all my intrenchments. Major-General. W. S. H. HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC, Major-General HANCOCK: GEO. G. MEADE, HEADQUARTERS SECOND ARMY CORPS, Major-General HUMPHREYS, Chief of Staff: Order concerning picketing in front of Ferrero has been received and will be executed, at least until General Warren relieves them. I shall leave on my infantry picket from General Warren's left by the Williams house to the plank road, relieving all to the left of that, which will be covered by the cavalry. This I suppose to meet the general's views, and will so notify General Warren. When I last saw Colonel Bryan he feared his negro scout had been captured, as he had not returned at last report. WINF'D S. HANCOCK, HEADQUARTERS SECOND ARMY CORPS, Major-General HUMPHREYS, Chief of Staff : The order for the withdrawal of the corps appears to direct General Gregg to take up Colonel Bryan's picket-line, though they are ordered to report to General Warren. Is it intended to withdraw Colonel Bryan's and put General Gregg's command on the same line? Colonel Bryan's command is tolerably familiar with the country now. WINF'D S. HANCOCK, Major-General. HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC, Major-General HANCOCK: It is not intended to withdraw Colonel Bryan (or relieve him), but to place him under the command of General Gregg, so that there shall be but one head of cavalry, and as General Warren commands the left flank, it is designed [that] General Gregg should communicate with and report to him what occurs instead of [to] yourself, as he has been doing to-day. He is also instructed to report to these headquarters. GEO. G. MEADE, Major-General, Commanding. HEADQUARTERS SECOND DIVISION, CAVALRY CORPS, July 12, 1864-11.15 p. m. (Received 12.40 a. m. 13th.) Major-General HANCOCK, Commanding Second Corps: GENERAL: Two prisoners of Sixth Virginia Cavalry, captured tonight, report Fitz. Lee's division and Rosser's brigade in my front, and as having engaged me to-day. They say they know nothing of any infantry on the plank road or at Reams'. They know nothing of a movement of Hill's corps. Yours, respectfully, D. MCM. GREGG, Brigadier-General of Volunteers, Commanding Second Division. (Copy sent General Meade 2.40 a. m. 13th.) HEADQUARTERS FIRST DIVISION, July 12, 1864-3.10 a. m. Lieut. Col. F. A. WALKER, Assistant Adjutant-General: COLONEL: The division officer of the day reports that he has heard a few shots fired in his front to-night; that the cars have been running frequently, and that the dogs at the house in his front have barked continually as though there was some disturbance near. Very respectfully, FRANCIS C. BARLOW, Brigadier General of Volunteers, Commanding. |
