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Maj. GEORGE B. COOK,

BROADWAY, July 5, 1864. (Sent 1.55 p. m.)

First Connecticut Arty., Battery No. 1, Tenth Army Corps:

The two mortars are ready for mounting in Crow's Nest battery. I have ordered Captain Hatfield to send the gin there at once. Hurry down the men as General Butler orders the mortars to be in position by dusk.

H. L. ABBOT,

Colonel, &c.

HEADQUARTERS SIEGE ARTILLERY,
Broadway Landing, Va., July 5, 1864.

Capt. GEORGE T. BALCH,
Assistant, Ordnance Department, Washington, D. C.:

CAPTAIN: I have just received notification that 15,000 rounds 30pounder ammunition and 6,000 rounds of 43-inch ammunition have been ordered to be sent to me. Please order the invoices to be made out to Capt. S. P. Hatfield, First Connecticut Artillery, who receipts for my entire train. He is regularly detailed on this duty, and all supplies for me should be so invoiced. I would earnestly request that large supplies of ordnance stores forwarded to me may be loaded by themselves on barges or schooners, so that they can be kept afloat until needed. I have a landing and adopt this plan for the entire train, in accordance with instructions from General Grant. My address, Bermuda Hundred, Va.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

HENRY L. ABBOT, Colonel First Connecticut Artillery.

JULY 5, 1864. (Sent 8.35 a. m.)

General BROOKS:

Don't that lookout on the right report anything this morning about the enemy? Is there anything new at all about him that you have heard?

G. WEITZEL, Brigadier-General and Acting Chief of Staff.

Brigadier-General WEITZEL, Acting Chief of Staff:

[JULY 5, 1864.]

Lookout at Crow's Nest reports that a big gun, drawn by fourteen mules, came down the turnpike on the east side of the James from Richmond at 5 p. m.; that it turned toward the river at Chaffin's Bluff and disappeared behind a hill. Had not crossed the river at dark. W. T. H. BROOKS, Brigadier-General.

General WEITZEL:

JULY 5, 1864.

General Foster reports all quiet on his front. No other reports received.

W. T. H. BROOKS,
Brigadier-General.

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Relieve 200 good men of the First New York Mounted Rifles now in the trenches, and order them to report to the commanding officer at camp at once.

By command of Major-General Butler:

H. T. SCHROEDER,

Lieutenant and Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.

JULY 5, 1864. (Sent 8.45 a. m.)

General R. S. FOSTER:

Do you observe anything at all noteworthy in the enemy around you this morning? Watch him closely.

G. WEITZEL,
Brigadier-General.

JONES' NECK, July 5, 1864.

General G. WEITZEL:

On the receipt of your dispatch last evening I caused all preparations to be made to meet the enemy should he make his appearance this morning, but up to this time the usual quiet has prevailed.

Respectfully, yours,

R. S. FOSTER,
Brigadier-General.

General R. S. FOSTER:

JULY 5, 1864.

Dispatch received; the general thinks that attack is coming, but supposes they did not get ready by this morning. He believes that the attack on you will be a feint to cover a heavy attack on Meade's left. G. WEITZEL, Brigadier-General and Acting Chief of Staff.

JULY 5, 1864. (Sent 9 a. m.)

Brigadier-General FOSTER:

The commanding general directs that you destroy all forage and grain you can reach in your vicinity by fire or otherwise.

LUDLOW,

Major and Aide-de-Camp.

HEADQUARTERS SECOND DIVISION, TENTH ARMY CORPS,
In the Field, July 5, 1864.

COMMANDING OFFICER FIRST BRIGADE:

If you deem it desirable, you may withdraw your second line after nightfall to-night, and encamp it on the creek in rear and as nearly opposite to its position on the line as the ground will admit. You will encamp it so as not to intermix with the troops on the right or left, and also that you may readily form line and move up to your position on the works. Let these troops alternate with the troops on the first line every forty-eight hours. No officer or enlisted man on duty in the first line will be permitted to leave his company or regiment except with the written per- mission of his regimental and brigade commander. At any time when you deem your troops encamped at the rear necessary for the defense of your lines, by reason of any demonstration of the enemy or an attack, you will immediately order them to the front without further orders. Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

JNÓ. W. TURNER, Brigadier-General, Commanding.

HEADQUARTERS SECOND DIVISION, TENTH ARMY CORPS, In the Field, July 5, 1864. COMMANDING OFFICERS FIRST, SECOND, AND THIRD BRIGADES: I am instructed by the brigadier-general commanding to inform you that a brigade of colored troops will occupy the second line to-night. Very respectfully, your most obedient servant,

ISRAEL R. SEALY, Captain, Forty-seventh New York Vols., Actg. Asst. Adjt. Gen.

HEADQUARTERS EIGHTEENTH CORPS,

Lieutenant-General GRANT,

City Point:

July 5, 1864.

I am very anxious to show you a portion of my line which can only be seen in the morning about daylight, or in the evening after sunset. If your duties will permit, will you ride up this evening and spend the night with me, or to-morrow afternoon and go with me in the evening? WM. F. SMITH.

HEADQUARTERS EIGHTEENTH CORPS,
Near Petersburg, Va., July 5, 1864.

Brig. Gen. JOHN A. RAWLINS,

Chief of Staff:

GENERAL: Have you received the letter* from me inclosing the statements of Brig. Gen. E. W. Hinks and Captain Choate with reference to the condition of the colored troops of this corps? The division is now commanded by a colonel, who is reported to me by General Hinks as being inefficient. I am extremely anxious the general should take some steps to make this organization as effective as possible. While I think them capable of being made excellent infantry soldiers, they particularly need intelligent, brave, energetic, and resolute officers.

See part II, p. 489.

I

think unless care is taken to give them officers of this class the experiment will prove a failure. If the general is not entirely satisfied regarding the correctness of the report as to the condition of these troops I would respectfully suggest that a commission be appointed to examine into and report upon their necessities in order to render them effective at once.

WM. F. SMITH,
Major-General.

HEADQUARTERS EIGHTEENTH ARMY CORPS,

General WEITZEL:

July 5, 1864.

I deem it essential to the interests of the service that some action should be had by the lieutenant-general upon the condition of the negro troops. I have, therefore, respectfully to ask that the major-general commanding the department may forward to the lieutenant-general commanding the papers sent by me last week to Brigadier-General Rawlins through department headquarters with reference thereto. WM. F. SMITH, Major-General.

HDQRS. DEPT. OF VIRGINIA AND NORTH CAROLINA,
In the Field, July 5, 1864.

Major-General SMITH:

When I had the pleasure of seeing you at your headquarters you said to me that you would send over to Bermuda lines four colored regiments, Tenth United States, Thirty-seventh, Fifth, and Second Colored Cavalry, using the First Colored Cavalry as your ambulance [corps] and stretcher-bearers. Again, you said when I saw you with General Grant that you would Send me the regiments as soon as you could get them out. I was to send Turner's remnants, which was done. I have since sent you the Fourth Rhode Island, 400 muskets, but have not received the Tenth U. S. Colored or the Second Colored Cavalry, If some exigency, which you can explain, does not prevent, please send those regiments, so that they may be perfected in drill and discipline.

Respectfully,

BENJ. F. BUTLER,
Major-General.

Maj. Gen. B. F. BUTLER,

HEADQUARTERS EIGHTEENTH CORPS,

July 5, 1864.

Commanding Department of Virginia and North Carolina: The large sick list, together with the daily casualties, has so reduced my force as to barely leave me enough to properly relieve my troops in the trenches and compelled me to use the regiments spoken of to do the picket duty on the river from my right to the gun-boats. I will make such other disposition, however, to allow me to keep my agreement and return you the regiments to-morrow.

WM. F. SMITH,

Major-General.

HDQRS. DEPT. OF VIRGINIA AND NORTH CAROLINA,
In the Field, July 5, 1864.

Maj. Gen. W. F. SMITH,

Near Petersburg:

Battery E, First Pennsylvania Artillery, six guns, has been ordered to report to you to-day to take the place of James' (Rhode Island) battery.

Respectfully,

G. WEITZEL,

Brigadier-General and Acting Chief of Staff.

JULY 5, 1864-10 a. m.

Will General Smith have the kindness to forward to me the surgeon's certificate upon which Captain Farquhar, of the Engineers, was granted leave of absence, if one was permitted, or state what application and for what purpose leave of absence was granted him.*

BENJ. F. BUTLER, Major-General, Commanding.

Maj. Gen. W. F. SMITH,

Commanding Eighteenth Corps:

JULY 5, 1864. (Sent 12 m.)

Colonel Shaffer is sick at Fortress Monroe. Ever since your lines have been established at Petersburg, and since it seemed probable that siege operations were to be commenced, I have been doing the duties of chief of staff. Lieutenant Michie is really performing the active duties of chief engineer. We are building three batteries on our right, so as to release the navy, which will be driven out without a doubt as soon as the heavy battery which the rebels have at the Howlett house opens. We are fortifying the position at Deep Bottom, six miles distant from here. These works, all commenced under directions from General Grant, are to be pushed. The only reliable man we have here to push them is Michie. I did not know that Bowen was absent sick. I have requested General Barnard now to give you a regular officer from the Army of the Potomac.

Respectfully,

G. WEITZEL,

Brigadier-General and Acting Chief of Staff.

Major-General SMITH:

CITY POINT, July 5, 1864.

I will be away four or
Michie is very likely

Saw General Barnard. He agreed with you. five days unless Comstock telegraphs me or you. to be over.

F. U. FARQUHAR.

*For reply see Smith to Butler, embodied in Weitzel to Barnard, p. 19.

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