GENERAL BUTLER'S HEADQUARTERS, Lieutenant-General GRANT: At 4.15 p. m. a train of four passenger and six freight cars loaded with troops passed Port Walthall Junction toward Richmond. Respectfully, G. WEITZEL, Brigadier-General and Acting Chief of Staff. JULY 26, 1864-6.06 p. m. Lieutenant-General GRANT: There is delay in the pontoon bridge at Broadway. It was not begun till 5.30 this afternoon and the head of Sheridan's column was to be there at 6. BENJ. F. BUTLER, Major-General, Commanding. General BUTLER: CITY POINT, July 26, 1864-7.15 p. m. My orders are that the cavalry shall not commence crossing until after dark, and the bridge was to be commenced as late as could be and accomplish its purpose. U. S. GRANT, Major-General BUTLER, Commanding, &c.: CITY POINT, VA., July 26, 1864. The enemy are again advancing down the Shenandoah Valley, and, it is said, with re-enforcements from Lee's army. Everybody is scared and wants re-enforcements. Send all of the Nineteenth Corps that can possibly be dispensed with at once. Commence embarking them tonight. Lieutenant-General GRANT: U. S. GRANT, JULY 26, 1864-7.30_p. m. Dispatch received. Will General Ingalls send me all the transportation he has to the landing, and I will have the troops on board? Will he notify me of the boats sent? My quartermaster will give me a list of those already at the landing. BENJ. F. BUTLER, General BUTLER: CITY POINT, July 26, 1864. (Received 8.20 p. m.) I will send over suitable vessels at once, and will soon inform you of their names and number of troops they will carry. RUFUS INGALLS, Brigadier-General and Chief Quartermaster. HEADQUARTERS EIGHTEENTH ARMY CORPS, Major-General BUTLER: General Hancock has gone to your headquarters, as was reported to me by one of his aides. I find that my column of infantry has already got in motion and has left camp, taking the road toward City Point. The artillery has not yet moved. What am I to do? LUDLOW. HDQRS. DEPT. OF VIRGINIA AND NORTH CAROLINA, Major LUDLOW, You report to the head of one column and Shaffer to the head of the other. BENJ. F. BUTLER, HEADQUARTERS EIGHTEENTH ARMY CORPS, General WEITZEL: July 26, 1864. (Received 9.20 p. m.) The infantry and artillery have all gone to Point of Rocks on City Point road. Captain Shaffer will meet the head of the column. I am going to your headquarters. LUDLOW, Major. Lieutenant-General GRANT: JULY 26, 1864-8.10 p. m. Head of Sheridan's column struck lower end of pontoon bridge at 7.58 p. m. General BUTLER: BENJ. F. BUTLER, Major-General. CITY POINT, July 26, 1864-8.55 p. m. Do you hear anything from Foster? There seems to be heavy fighting at Deep Bottom. Has Kautz commenced crossing? U. S. GRANT, HDQRS. DEPT. OF VIRGINIA AND NORTH CAROLINA, Lieutenant-General GRANT: In the Field, July 26, 1864–9.05 p. m. There is nothing new from Foster. Sheridan in person is in Kautz's camp at Gill's Landing. The head of Sheridan's column is just passing these headquarters. Kautz has not commenced crossing that we know of. His orders are to await the arrival of Sheridan's columu. Lieutenant-General GRANT: BENJ. F. BUTLER, Major-General, Commanding. BUTLER'S HEADQUARTERS, The following just received and forwarded for your information: DEEP BOTTOM, July 26, 1864–9.45 p. m. General WEITZEL, Acting Chief of Staff: All is quiet on my front now. My pickets hold the same position as when I last informed you. About dark two regiments advanced on the extreme right of the picket-line below the creek, but were opened on by the artillery and picket-line and retired in haste. The columns have not yet arrived. General Sheridan is at my headquarters. I will keep you promptly posted on all that transpires. Respectfully, R. S. FOSTER, BENJ. F. BUTLER, Major-General. HDQRS. DEPT. OF VIRGINIA AND NORTH CAROLINA, In the Field, July 26, 1864-12 m. Colonel FULLER, Bermuda Hundred: A new pontoon bridge is about to be laid over the Appomattox at Broadway. Arrange your transports at once, so as to interfere the least possible with this bridge, and if possible let it not be disturbed at all during the next thirty-six hours. G. WEITZEL, General PAINE, Bermuda Landing : CITY POINT, July 26, 1864. The steam-ship Cahawba, which now lies at Bermuda Hundred, is capable of carrying 1,200 men. General Ingalls will order over to that place at once the steamers Andrew Harder, Ellen S. Terry, S. Cloud, Diamond State, and other transports, capable of carrying 5,000 men, including the Cabawba. BENJ. F. BUTLER, Major-General. BERMUDA, July 26, 1864. General BUTLER: General I have received the dispatch that General Ingalls would send transportation here. The mail steamer John Brooks is here. McMillan's brigade has not yet arrived. General BUTLER: C. J. PAINE, BERMUDA, July 26, 1864. General McMillan's brigade has arrived. Cahawba is all right for 300 men; Idaho good for 400 and City of Hudson for 600 to 800 are here ready. Other troops, if here, could embark simultaneously with McMillan's brigade at other docks, without interference, on City of Hudson. They must take cooked rations. We have received the gun but can do nothing with it as you neglected to send key. Send immediately by orderly to Captain Watson. BENJ. F. BUTLER, Major-General. (Same to Captain How.) HDQRS. DEPT. OF VIRGINIA AND NORTH CAROLINA, Lieutenant BRUYN, Signal Officer: July 26, 1864. (Care of Captain Dana, headquarters Tenth Army Corps.) Watch carefully the river this afternoon and to-morrow and report everything you see. It is not unlikely that the enemy may attempt to cross. An officer must be on the station all the time during the day. Answer. IX. Maj. A. H. Stevens, with the battalion of the Fourth Massachusetts Cavalry, now on duty at headquarters Tenth Army Corps, are hereby relieved therefrom and will at once report to Lieut. Col. F. Washburn, at the headquarters of the regiment. XIV. The Thirty-eighth U. S. Colored Troops, Lieut. Col. D. E. Clapp commanding, will proceed at daylight to-morrow morning (27th instant) to Redoubt Converse, at Spring Hill, and re-enforce the present garrison in that work. The ranking officer will assume command. Lieutenant-Colonel Howard, inspector of artillery, will send a light battery to the same work at daylight to-morrow morning. These re-enforcements will remain until further orders. * XVI. The Second Brigade, First Division, Nineteenth Army Corps, under General McMillan, will proceed at once to Bermuda Hundred and embark on the steamer Cahawba. As soon as embarked the troops will proceed to Washington, D. C., and report to Brevet Major-General Emory, commanding Nineteenth Army Corps. In Charge of Siege Train, Broadway Landing, Va.: SIR: Your letter of the 22d instant has been received, and the parties from whom the stores requested by you were ordered have been |
