Andrew A. Humphreys to Ulysses S. Grant, July 30, 1864

July 30, 1864—9.35 a.m. Lieutenant-General GRANT : I cannot see that we have advanced beyond the enemy’s line in the vicinity of the mine. From here it looks as if the enemy were holding a line between that point and the crest. C. B. COMSTOCK, Ineutenant-Colonel and Aide-de-Camp. 15. HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE Potomac, July 30, 1864—9.45 a. m. Major-General BURNSIDE, Commanding Ninth Corps : The major-general [commanding] directs that you withdraw to your own intrenchments. A. A. HUMPHREYS, Major-General and Chief of Staff. 16. HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE Potomac, July 30, 1864—10 a. m. Major-Generals BURNSIDE and ORD : You can exercise your discretion in withdrawing your troops now or at a later period, say to night. It is not intended to hold the enemy’s line which you now occupy any longer than is required to withdraw safely your men. GEO. G. MEADE, Major-General, 17. HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE Potomac, July 30, 1864—7.40 p.m. Major-General BURNSIDE, Commanding Ninth Corps: The major-general commanding desires to know whether you still hold the crater, and, if so, whether you will be able to withdraw your troops from it safely to-night, and also to bring off the wounded. The commanding general wishes to know how many wounded are probably lying there. It will be recollected that on a former occasion General Beauregard declined to enter into any arrangements for the succor of the wounded and the burial of the dead lying under both fires, hence the necessity of immediate and active efforts for their removal in the present case. A. A. HUMPHREYS, Major-General and Chief of Staff. 18. HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE Potomac, July 30, 1864—10.35 p.m. Major-General BURNSIDE, Commanding Ninth Corps : The major-general commanding desires to know whether you have any wounded left on the field, and directs me to say that he is awaiting your reply to the dispatch of 7.40 p. m. A. A. HUMPHREYS, Major-General and Chief of Staff. 184, HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE Potomac, July 31, 1864—8.40 a.m. Major-General BURNSIDE, Commanding Ninth Corps: The major-general commanding directs me to call your attention to the fact that you have made no report to him upon the condition of affairs in your front since he left your headquarters yesterday, and that you have made no reply to the two special communications upon the subject sent you last night at 7.40 and at 10.40. I am also directed to inquire as to the cause of these omissions. A. A. HUMPHREYS, Major-General and Chief of Staff. 184. NINTH CORPS, July 31, 1864—9 a.m. Major-General HUMPHREYS. Your dispatch was received just as I was making out a report of our casualties. I have used every means to get something like accurate reports, but it has been difficult. The rumors are very numerous and 10 R R—VOL XL, PTI exaggerated. I will send report by messenger. The order to retreat caused great confusion, and we have lost largely in prisoners. General Ord’s men on our line were not relieved. A. E. BURNSIDE, Major-General. 183. NINTH CORPS, July 31, 1864—6.40 p.m. Major-General HUMPHREYS: The loss in this corps, in the engagement of yesterday, amounts to about 4,500, the great proportion of which was made after the brigade commanders in the crater were made aware of the order to withdraw. A. E. BURNSIDE, Major-General. 19. HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE Potomac, July 31, 1864—7.20 p. m. Major-General BURNSIDE, Commanding Ninth Corps: Your dispatch relative to the loss in your corps yesterday is received. The commanding general requests that you will explain the meaning of the latter part of the dispatch, and again reminds you that he has received no report whatever from you of what occurred after 11 a. m. yesterday. A. A. HUMPHREYS, Major-General and Chief of Staff. 194. NINTH CORPS, July 31, 1864. (Received 9.10 p. m.) Major-General HUMPHREYS, Chief of Staff: Your dispatch of 7.20 p. m. received. Just before the order for withdrawal was sent in to the brigade commanders in the crater the enemy made an attack upon our forces there and were repulsed with very severe loss to the assaulting column. The order for withdrawal, leaving the time and manner of the execution thereof to the brigade commanders on the spot, was then sent in, and while they were making arrangements to carry out the order the enemy advanced another column of attack. The officers knowing they were not to be supported by other troops, and that a withdrawal was determined, ordered the men to retire at once to our old line. It was in this withdrawal and consequent upon it that our chief loss was made. In view of the want of confidence in their situation, and the certainty of no support consequent upon the receipt of such an order, of whose moral effects the general commanding cannot be ignorant, I am at a loss to know why the latter part of my dispatch requires explanation. A. E. BURNSIDE, Major-General, 20. HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE Potomac, July 31, 1864—9.30 p. m. Major-General BURNSIDE, Commanding Ninth Oorps: Your dispatch explanatory of that in relation to the loss in your corps yesterday is received. The major-general commanding directs me to say that the order for withdrawal did not authorize or justify its being done in the manner in which, judging from your brief report, it appears to have been executed, and that the matter should be inquired into by a court. The major-general commanding notices that the time and manner of withdrawal were left to the brigade commanders on the spot. He desires to know why there was not a division commander present where several brigades were engaged, and by whom the withdrawal could have been conducted. A. A. HUMPHREYS, Major-General and Chief of Staff. 21. HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE Potomac, July 29, 1864—9.45 p. m. Major-General ORD, Commanding Eighteenth Corps : Your dispatch of 9.25 p.m. is received. The commanding general does not consider it necessary for General Burnside to wait for your troops to relieve his in the trenches. General Burnside can form his troops for the assault without reference to yours, and your troops can file into the trenches at any time after they are vacated. General Burnside is telegraphed to that effect. A. A. HUMPHREYS, Major-General and Chief of Staff. 22. HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE Potomac, July 30, 1864—4.50 a. m. Major-General ORD, Commanding Eighteenth Corps: General Burnside is ordered if his mine has failed to open all his batteries and assault at once. You will consider the orders the same as if the mine had exploded, and the assault made in consequence. A. A. HUMPHREYS, Major-General and Chief of Staff. Just before this was finished the mine exploded and the batteries opened. It was not sent. ila 23. HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE Potomac, July 30, 1864—6 a. m. Major-General ORD, Commanding Eighteenth Corps: The major-general commanding directs that you at once move forward your corps rapidly to the crest of the hill independently of General Burnside’s troops and make a lodgment there, reporting the result s attained.

aes A. A. HUMPHREYS,