Edwin M. Stanton, June 24, 1864

June 24, 1864—2.30 p.m. I find the affair of the 22d was much worse than I had heretofore learned. Our losses (nearly all captures) were not far from 2,000, and ment) is now on the Weldon road destroying it. Wilson, with 7,000 cavalry, started the night of the 22d. Richmond paper announces that he struck the South Side road in Dinwiddie. This morning, about 7 o’clock, the enemy attempted an assault on General W. F. Smith’s front, prisoners say in three lines. None but the skirmish line reached our advance and most of them were captured. U. 8. GRANT, LTieutenant-General Chief of Staff. City PoINT, V. A., June 25, 1864—11.30 a.m. Richmond papers of yesterday state that Hunter at last accounts was at Fincastle. He will probably go to Beverly. There will be no use in Stahel attempting to reach him. All quiet here. Sheridan is now crossing the river where the army crossed. Yesterday evening Gregg’s division had a very severe fight with the enemy between Charles City Court-House and Long Bridge. Ido not know the result, but understand unofficially that we saved all the wagon train, which seemed to be the object of the attack. The loss was said to be heavy on both sides, the enemy coming in close canister range. The same Richmond paper announces that Wilson reached Burkeville. I shall try i give the army a few days’ rest, which they now stand much in need of. U. S. GRANT, Tneutenant-General. Major-General HALLECK, Washington, D. C. City Pornt, V. A., June 26, 1864—4 p.m. All is quiet and our men resting. Sheridan is crossing the river near Fort Powhatan unmolested by the enemy. Gregg’s loss was much less than I was led to suppose by the verbal report first received. General Sheridan says he thinks 225 killed, wounded, and missing will cover it, while he thinks the enemy’s killed and wounded is much greater. This is Gregg’s loss between the Chickahominy and James Rivers, not counting losses in previous engagements. Nothing heard from Wilson since he left Burkeville. If it is possible I wish paymasters could be sent here to pay the troops. The officers particularly are suffering. U. S. GRANT, Ineutenant-General. Maj. Gen. H. W. HALLECK, Chief of Staff. City POINT, V. A., June 27, 1864—3 p.m. Allis quiet here now except from our own guns, which fire into the bridge at Petersburg from a distance of about 2,000 yards. Petersburg papers of the 25th state that Hunter is striking for Jackson River depot, about forty miles north of Salem, and say that if he reaches Covington, which they suppose he will do with most of his forces, but with loss of material, he will be safe. The same paper accuses Hunter of destroying a great amount of private property and stealing a large number of wagons, horses, and cattle. The same paper also states that Wilson destroyed a train of cars loaded with cotton and furniture, burned the depot buildings, &c., at Burkeville, and destroyed some of the track and was still pushing south. All the railroads leading into Richmond are now destroyed and some of them badly. U. S. GRANT, Ineutenant-General. Major-General HALLECK, Washington, D. C. City POINT, V. A., July 1, 1864. The enemy’s cavalry, finding that Sheridan was secure where he was crossing James River, left him and interposed themselves on the Weldon railroad between Wilson and return. Kautz, with his cavalry and a portion of Wilson’s, succeeded in passing the enemy and getting in, but with the loss of his artillery and wagons. Wilson, with most of his command, was cut off, and is supposed to have gone back south. Immediately on receipt of news that Wilson was returning, General Meade sent Wright’s corps to Reams’ Station to aid him. Sheridan was also ordered to join him. Wright and Sheridan are both now out, and the latter with orders to push on until he learns reliably from Wil: son. Our artillery is now so located that it plays easily on the bridges in Petersburg. They were hit a number of times yesterday by Smith’s guns. A small steamer lying at the Petersburg wharf was also hit and burned. U. S. GRANT, Tieutenant-General, Major-General HALLECK, Washington, D. C. Ciry PoInt, V. A., July 27, 1864—9 p.m. The movement this morning to the north bank of James River resulted in the repulse of three brigades of the enemy from an intrenched position, and the capture of four 20-pounder Parrott guns. The loss was very slight and capture of prisoners small. The troops having marched all night were fatigued, and did not follow up their success as they otherwise would. Generals Sheridan and Kautz are now with Hancock, and the two together ee a the ee to sh the enemy back into Richmond or south of the James River. si ‘ U. S. GRANT, LTieutenant-General. Maj. Gen. H. W. HALLECK, Chief of Staff. City PoIntT, V. A., July 28, 1864—3.30 p.m. The enemy have attempted to drive our cavalry from the vicinity of Charles City road near New Market. Casualties are not reported, but I suppose have been small. Torbert’s division repulsed the enemy in his front, capturing 150 of their number. At last report the enemy in front of Gregg’s division were still standing. I am just starting for the scene of action. U. S. GRANT, Thieutenant-General. Major-General HALLECK Chief of Staff. City Point, V. A., July 28, 1864—9 p. m. [have just returned from Deep Bottom. The enemy evidently became very restive over our move to the north bank of the river, and have been moving to meet it ever since they discovered it. The position of our troops to-day was—the left of the Second Corps resting at Deep Bottom, and extending along Bailey’s Creek; Gregg’s and Torbert’s cavalry divisions were down to the right of the Second Corps, and extend to the New Market road, with one brigade at Malvern Hill. In getting their position they were attacked by the enemy in heavy force. The fighting lasted several hours, resulting in a loss which Sheridan thinks will not exceed 200 on our side, the greater part of whom are but slightly wounded, and some are prisonersin the hands of the enemy. We have taken 200 prisoners, besides wounded, many of whom were left in our possession. The number could not be estimated because ambulances were still engaged bringing them in when I left the ground. In front of Torbert’s division 158 of the enemy’s dead have been counted. There was equally as much, if not more, fighting in front of Gregg’s division, and probably as many of the enemy’s dead were left there. We have failed in what I had hoped to accomplish—that is, to surprise the enemy, and get on to their roads with the cavalry near to Richmond and destroy them out to South Anna. I am yet in hopes of turning this diversion to account, so as to yield greater results than if the first object had been accomplished. U. S. GRANT, Ineutenant-General, Maj. Gen. H. W. HALLECK, Chief of Staff. City Pornt, V. A., July 30, 1864—10 a. m. Finding that my effort to surprise the enemy by sending an army corps and three divisions of cavalry to the north bank of the James River, under cover of night, for the purpose of getting on to the railroads north of Richmond, drew all of his forces from Petersburg except three divisions, I determined to attack and try tocarry the latter place. The enemy’s earth-works are as strong as they can be made, and the ground is very broken and favorable for defense. Having a mine prepared running for a distance of eighty feet along the enemy’s parapet, and about twenty-two feet below the surface of the ground, ready loaded, and covered ways made near to his line, I was strongly in hopes, by this means of opening the way, the assault would prove successful. The mine was sprung afew minutes before 5 o’clock this morning, throwing up four guns of the enemy and burying most of a South Carolina regiment. Our men immediately took possession of the crater made by the explosion, and a considerable distance of the parapet to the right of it, as well as a short work in front, and still hold them. The effort to carry the ridge beyond, and which would give us Petersburg and the south bank of the Appomattox, failed. As the line held by the enemy would be a very bad one for us, being on a side hill, the crest on the side of the enemy, and not being willing to take the chances of a slaughter sure to occur if another assault was made, I have directed the withdrawal of our troops to their old lines. Although just from the front, I have Jittle idea of the casualties. I think, however, our loss will be but a few hundred, unless it occurs in withdrawing, which it may not be practicable to do before night. I saw about 200 prisoners taken from the enemy. Hancock and Sheridan returned from the north side of the river during the night, and are now here. U. S. GRANT, Lieutenant-General. Maj. Gen. H. W. HALLECK, Chief of Staff. Ciry Point, V. A., August 1, 1864. The loss in the disaster of Saturday last foots up about 3,500, of whom 450 men were killed and 2,000 wounded. It was the saddest affair I have witnessed in the war. Such opportunity for carrying fortifications I have never seen and do not expect again to have. The enemy with a line of works five miles long had been reduced by our previous movements to the north side of James River to a force of only three divisions. This line was undermined and blown up, carrying a battery and most of a regiment with it. The enemy were taken completely by surprise and did not recover from it for more than an hour. The crater and several hundred yards of the enemy’s line to the right and left of it and a short detached line in front of the crater were occupied by our troops without opposition. Immediately in front of this and not 150 yards off, with clear ground intervening, was the crest of the ridge leading into town, and which, if carried, the enemy would have made no resistance, but would have continued a flight already commenced. It was three hours from the time our troops first occupied their works before the enemy took possession of this crest. I am constrained to believe that had instructions been promptly obeyed that Petersburg would have been carried with all the artillery and a large 2 B R—VOL XL, PT I number of prisoners without a loss of 300 men. It was in getting back to our lines that the loss was sustained. The enemy attempted to charge and retake the line captured from them and were repulsed with heavy loss by our artillery; their loss in killed must be greater than ours, whilst our loss in wounded and captured is four times that of the enemy. U. 8. GRANT, Lieutenant-General. Major-General HALLECK, Washington, D. C. City PoInT, August 2, 1864—9.30 p.m. Major-General HALLECK, Chief of Staff: I have the honor to request that the President may direct a court of inquiry, to assemble without delay at such place as the presiding officer may appoint, to examine into and report upon the facts and circumstances attending the unsuccessful assault on the enemy’s position in front of Petersburg on the morning of July 30, 1864, and also to report whether, in their judgment, any officer or officers are censurable* for the failure of the troops to carry into successful execution the orders issued for the occasion, and I would suggest the following detail : Maj. Gen. W.S. Hancock, Brig. Gen. R. B. Ayres, Brig. Gen. N. A. Miles, Volunteer service; Col. E. Schriver, inspector-general and recorder. U. S. GRANT, LTieutenant-General. No. 2. Dispatches of Charles A. Dana, Assistant Secretary of War. Moopy’s, V. A., June 13, 1864—6 a.m. (Received 7 p. m.) Wilson’s cavalry crossed without opposition at Long Bridge about 8.30 p.m. yesterday. A pontoon bridge was laid at once, and Warren’s corps got across and advanced upon and held the road leading toward Richmond. Smith, Wright, and Hancock withdrew from the lines before Cold Harbor without difficulty. Everything is going prosperously forward. Secretary of War. Lone BRIDGE, V. A., June 13, 1864—8 a. m. (Received 9.15 p. m.) Everything quiet. Hancock’s corps is all close up here ready to cross. Wright and Burnside are moving to Jones’ Bridge. No enemy in the way on either road. General Warren reports that there is no obstacle between here and James River. Wilson, who is feeling out with his cavalry toward White Oak Swamp bridge and toward Bottom’s * As received by Halleck this word is answerable. Bridge also, finds no force of any moment betore him. We have reports from deserters that Beauregard isintrenched at Malvern Hill. Hancock and Warren are to move direct to Wilcox’s; Wright and Burnside to Charles City. Hancock will reach his destination before dark. The army will cross the James at Fort Powhatan. There are strong indications that Lee is moving troops to Petersburg.

Hon. EDWIN M. STANTON,