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JULY 17, 1864.

General W. T. H. BROOKS: Kautz has been ordered to report to you with his men dismounted. Send an aide to notify him to be up in time. Later information by two sets of deserters fixes the point of attack on Meade's left. The enemy is now clearing a ravine there to mass troops. The general commanding directs that you open a furious cannonade on your front and make a feint attack on Foster's front as soon as you hear the attack on the left of Meade. Information points to 4 o'clock or daybreak as the time. G. WEITZEL, Brigadier-General and Acting Chief of Staff.

Major-General BUTLER:

JONES' NECK, July 17, 1864.

I sent a company last night under Captain Bell, Twenty-fourth Massachusetts Volunteers, to reconnoiter toward Malvern Hill. He left the river at Maiden Hall Landing; arrived at a point near Pickett's, where he found the enemy. I will forward by orderly his written report.* I think the lines of the enemy extend from Malvern Hill to Chaffin's Bluff, the troops lying along New Market road and toward Malvern Hill.

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Have your command in readiness by daylight, and if you hear an engagement going on on our left, move out so as to threaten seriously. the enemy in your front.

W. T. H. BROOKS,

Brigadier-General.

HEADQUARTERS,

General WEITZEL:

Deep Bottom, July 17, 1864–10.35 p. m.

Your dispatch received. I will be fully prepared.

R. S. FOSTER,
Brigadier-General.

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC,

Brigadier-General MARTINDALE,

July 17, 1864. (Sent 9.50 p. m.)

Commanding Eighteenth Corps:

Several deserters that came into our lines this evening at different times state that Longstreet's corps will assault our lines to-night or about daybreak. Longstreet's corps is opposite Burnside's left wing See p. 311.

*

and Warren's right wing, perhaps extending more over Warren's front than Burnside's. The corps of this army are notified of this statement and prepared for the attempt. The commanding general has directed me to notify you of the same.

A. A. HUMPHREYS, Major-General and Chief of Staff.

HEADQUARTERS SECOND DIVISION, TENTH ARMY CORPS,
In the Field, July 17, 1864.

Colonel BELL:

The lieutenant-general telegraphs that he anticipates an attack on some part of our lines to-night or to-morrow morning. You will, therefore, have your command on the alert and in readiness. Direct your brigade officer of the day to visit his picket-line several times during the night and see that every man on picket is watchful. Enforce the rule to have one-half of the men on the front line awake; at 3.30 all will be aroused. Your reserves now in the creek bottom will be under arms at the same time.

Respectfully, &c.,

JNO. W. TURNER,
Brigadier-General.

(Same to Colonel Curtis and Lieutenant-Colonel Coan.)

HDQRS. DEPT. OF VIRGINIA AND NORTH CAROLINA,

General KAUTZ,

Jones Neck:

July 17, 1864. (Sent 11.35 p. m.)

The commanding general directs that you report to General Brooks with your men dismounted.

G. WEITZEL,

Brigadier-General and Acting Chief of Staff.

General BARNES,

Point Lookout, Md.:

WAR DEPARTMENT,

Washington, July 17, 1864–11 a. m.

Turn back to Fort Monroe all transports with troops of the Nineteenth Corps.

H. W. HALLECK, Major-General and Chief of Staff.

General AUGUR:

WASHINGTON, D. C., July 17, 1864.

Stop all Sixth and Nineteenth Corps within reach and direct them to re-embark for City Point. General Hardin, at Tennallytown, has been directed to send an officer to turn back all this side of Potomac.

H. W. HALLECK, Major-General and Chief of Staff.

Col. J. W. SHAFFER,

HEADQUARTERS U. S. FORCES,
Deep Bottom, July 17, 1864.

Chief of Staff, Dept. of Virginia and North Carolina: COLONEL: Inclosed herewith please find the report of Captain Bell, Twenty-fourth Massachusetts, whom I sent with a company in the direction of Malvern Hill. I have the honor to submit that in all probability the attack on Malvern Hill would involve the necessity of fighting the greater portion of the troops now in my front and along the New Market road. I would also submit that the distance from New Market to Malvern Hill is shorter and more direct than from the landing on the river, and that the enemy would probably make their attack after we had passed Strawberry Plains, thus being in our rear. This contingency would involve the necessity of leaving the greater part of the force to cover the roads leading from New Market. If the majorgeneral commanding decides to occupy Malvern Hill I would respectfully submit that a strong feint be made from this front in direction of Chaffin's Bluff and New Market, while the gun-boats from Jones' Neck to Curl's Neck shell the country beyond Strawberry Plains and the works on Malvern Hill. I am not advised as to the approaches to the hill or the character of the works. A "contraband" reported that they had a fort on Malvern Hill; if so, whether it could be carried by coup de main or not I am unable to say. If we were detained long in front of the works all the hard fighting would be in our rear. If the majorgeneral commanding deems it impracticable to withdraw my command from this point to attempt the movement, I would respectfully report that I think a cavalry force of 100 or 200 men at Curl's Neck would, in my opinion, cause the evacuation of Malvern Hill by operating on Curl's Neck over Strawberry Plains and toward the road leading from New Market to Malvern Hill. In any event they would stop the enemy from harvesting the grain, as is now done by or in charge of small parties of their cavalry. If any cavalry is sent I would respectfully recommend Major Wheelan, First New York Mounted Rifles, two companies of that regiment and his squadron now being with my command. I would respectfully report that in my opinion this position should be held as threatening Richmond and preventing a permanent blockade of the river at this narrow, which the naval officers with whom I have conversed pronounce the most dangerous to navigation. I omitted to say that the country from this point to Malvern Hill is mostly open and cultivated, affording little or no cover to the movements of troops. has been quiet along the river since yesterday afternoon.

I am, very respectfully,

All

R. S. FOSTER, Brigadier-General, Commanding.

[Inclosure.]

CAMP TWENTY-FOURTH MASSACHUSETTS VOLUNTEERS,

Capt. P. A. DAVIS,

Deep Bottom, Va., July 17, 1864.

Asst. Adjt. Gen., 3d Brig., 1st Div., 10th Army Corps: CAPTAIN: I have the honor to submit the following report of a reconnaissance made by order of Brig. Gen. R. S. Foster in the direction of Malvern Hill on the night of the 16th day of July, 1864:

The command consisted of Company C, Twenty-fourth Regiment Massachusetts Volunteers. At dusk proceeded in pontoon boats to

Curl's Neck, bivouacked at that place until 12 midnight, marched by the side of the banks of the river to about half a mile beyond Maiden Hall Landing, thence took the road that crosses the plantations of Messrs. Allen and Taylor, being nearly a direct road from the river to Mr. Pickett's house near the Richmond road. At Pickett's house the road turns to the left leading into the road to Richmond. I had proceeded three miles in this direction without meeting with any opposition or seeing any force of the enemy when I came upon the pickets of the enemy on the Richmond road. My command having become much reduced in numbers, being compelled to station guards at the different cross-roads on the plantations, all of these cross-roads lead to some point on the Richmond road to the left, it being near daylight, deemed it extra hazardous to proceed farther in such an open country with such a small force, as the enemy could easily cut me off in my rear. I went to within half or three-quarters of a mile of Malvern Hill; a thick woods covers the front of the hill; did not see any works of the enemy. The roads which I passed over were in good condition, the country level, many parts of it under cultivation, such as wheat and corn. Some of the wheat had been recently cut, I should judge during the night. Returned with command, arriving about 6 a. m.

Truly, yours,

JAS. B. BELL,

Captain, Twenty-fourth Massachusetts Vols., Comdg. Company C.

HEADQUARTERS OF THE ARMY, Washington, D. C., July 18, 1864-10.30 a. m.

Lieutenant-General GRANT,

City Point:

Considering the condition of the garrisons of Washington and Baltimore, I have determined to retain the two heavy artillery regiments of the Sixth Corps, unless you direct otherwise.

H. W. HALLECK, Major-General and Chief of Staff.

GRANT'S HEADQUARTERS,

July 18, 1864-11.45 p. m. (Received 2.15 p. m. 19th.)

Maj. Gen. H. W. HALLECK,

Chief of Staff:

Your dispatch of 10.30 a. m. in regard to retaining the heavy artillery of Sixth Corps received. I had just ordered another regiment of this sort from here, but will suspend the order unless more than two regiments are required.

U. S. GRANT,
Lieutenant-General.

SPECIAL ORDERS, HDQRS. ARMIES OF THE UNITED STATES,

No. 61.

City Point, Va., July 18, 1864.

I. Colonel Dyer, commanding Fifteenth Maine Regiment, Tenth Army Corps, will report with his regiment to Maj. Gen. B. F. Butler, commanding Department of Virginia and North Carolina, at Bermuda Hundred, Va., for orders.

III. Paragraph I, of General Orders, No. 225, Adjutant-General's Office, current series, of date Washington, July 7, 1864,* is hereby suspended, and the following assignments to the command of corps announced, until permanent assignments are made by the President. Brig. Gen. J. H. Martindale is temporarily assigned to the command of the Eighteenth Army Corps. Brig. Gen. A. H. Terry is temporarily assigned to the command of the Tenth Army Corps.

*

V. All regiments now with the armies operating from the James River whose term of service expires before the 25th of August, 1864, will be sent, without delay, to Washington, D. C. Also one regiment of heavy artillery will be sent to Washington, D. C., from the Army of the Potomac. Army commanders will attend to the prompt execution of this order.

By command of Lieutenant-General Grant:

E. S. PARKER, Assistant Adjutant-General.

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC,
OFFICE OF PROVOST-MARSHAL-GENERAL,

Major-General HUMPHREYS,

Chief of Staff:

July 18, 1864.

GENERAL: A deserter from the Fifty-ninth Georgia, of Anderson's brigade, Field's division, Longstreet's corps, has just been forwarded. He came into our lines about 12 o'clock last night. He states that orders were issued to the pickets last evening to fire on any man seen going beyond the picket-line. These orders were peremptory and have never been given before; that his colonel said no attack would be made on our lines, as so many deserters came into our lines yesterday and told us all about it. They did not leave the trenches. Informant says that it was generally understood an attack was to be made last night. Longstreet was to assault us in front and Hill would make a circuit in our rear. The movement was freely discussed among officers and men and did not meet with much favor. It was looked upon as a foolish and desperate movement. Informant is intelligent and his information corroborates all we have relative to Longstreet's position, &c. Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

JNO. C. BABCOCK.

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC,
July 18, 1864—9 a. m.

Lieutenant-General GRANT:

The foregoing is forwarded as an explanation of the failure to make the threatened attack. All has been perfectly quiet.

GEO. G. MEADE,

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