Geo. D. Ruggles to Abraham Lincoln, March 25, 1865

To the PRESIDENT: Your telegram and Parke’s report* of the “scrimmage” this morning are received. The rebel rooster looks a little the worse, as he could not hold the fence. We have nothing new here. Now you are away everything is quiet and the tormentors vanished. I hope you will remember General Harrison’s advice to his men at Tippecanoe, that they “can see as well a little farther off.” EDWIN M. STANTON, Secretary of War. Ciry Point, V. A., March 25, 1865—1.30 p.m. Hon. K. E. M. STANTON, Secretary of War: The following dispatch of General Parke is received from General Meade: The enemy attacked my front this morning at about 4.30 with three divisions, under command of General Gordon. By a sudden rush they seized the line held by * See next, post. . 110 N. AND S. E. V. A., W. V. A., M. D., AND P. A. (Cuap, LVIIL. the Third Brigade, First Division, at the foot of the hill, to the right of Fort Stedman, wheeled, and, overpowering the garrison, took possession of the fort. They established themselves on the hill, turning our guns upon us. Our troops on either flank stood firm. Soon after a determined attack was made on Fort Haskell, held by part of McLaughlen’s brigade, Willcox’s division, and was repulsed with great loss to the enemy. The First Brigade of Hartranft’s division, held in reserve, was brought up, and a check given to any further advance. One or two attempts to retake the hill were made, and were only temporarily successful, until the arrivalof the Second Brigade, when a charge was made by that brigade, aided by the troops of the First Division, on either flank, and the enemy were driven out of the fort, with the loss of a number of prisoners, estimated at about 1,600. Two battle-flags have also been brought in. The enemy also lost heavily in killed outside of our lines. The whole line was immediately reoccupied, and the gunsretaken uninjured. I regret to add that General McLaughlen was captured in Fort Stedman; our loss was otherwise not heavy. Great praise is due to General Hartranft for the skill and gailantry displayed in handling his division, which behaved with great spirit in this its first engagement. JNO. G. PARKE, Major-General, Commandirg. U. 8S. GRANT, Tieutenant-General. City Point, V. A., March 25, 1865—7.30 p.m. Hon. E. M. STANTON, Secretary of War: I am not yet able to give the results of the day accurately, but the number of prisoners captured proves larger than at first reported. The slaughter of the enemy at the point where they entered our lines and in front of it was probably not less than 3,000. Our loss is estimated at 800, but may prove less. General Humphreys attacked on the left with great promptitude, capturing near 100 men, and causing the enemy to return troops to that part of his line rapidly. U. S. GRANT, . Tneutenant-General. City Point, V. A., March 25, 1865—S8 p.m. Hon. E. M. STANTON, Secretary of War: The number of prisoners received by the provost-marshal is 2,200 taken by the Ninth Corps and 500 by the Second Corps. There may be still some more to be brought in. U. 8S. GRANT, Lieutenant-General. ‘ City Point, V. A., March 25, 1865. Hon. E. M. STANTON, Secretary of War: The following dispatch just received from General Meade will show the result of operations of to-day in full, except the casualties in the Second and Fifth Corps, which I think will prove numerically small.* U. 8. GRANT, Tneutenant-General. * See Meade to Grant, 8.30 p. m., p. 112. Washington, D. C., March 25, 1865—10 a.m. Lieutenant-General GRANT, City Point, Va.: The troops for Sherman’s army passed Cincinnati on the 20th for Washington. Have been delayed by loss of railroad bridges. Vessels are here ready on their arrival to take them to Beaufort, N. C. The Nineteenth Corps has been discontinued. As soon as it is determined what troops are to remain in West Virginia I think they should be consolidated as the Eighth Corps. H. W. HALLECK, Chief of Staff. City Point, V. A., March 25, 1865—12.30 p.m. Major-General HALLECK, Washington : I think all the troops in West Virginia should constitute the Eighth Corps, and General Hancock should be instructed to organize all not necessary for holding the line of the Baltimore and Ohio road into brigades and divisions and get them into condition to be used wherever required. U. 8S. GRANT, LTieutenant-General. City Point, V. A., March 25, 1865. Admiral D. D. PoRTER, Jones’ Landing : The enemy have attacked and broken through the right of our line at Petersburg. If they are permitted to get through they may march toward City Point. I would suggest putting one or two gun-boats on the Appomattox up as high as the pontoon bridge. U. 8. GRANT, Ineutenant-General. JONES’ LANDING, March 25, 1865. (Received 10 a. m.) The gun-boats will go up the Appomattox at once. , D. D. PORTER, Rear-Admirat. JONES’ LANDING, March 25, 1865. (Received 10.20 a. m.) Lieutenant-General GRANT: I sent one or two gun-boats down the river to City Point yesterday; others are on their way now. Will you please direct any commander of gun-boat there to proceed to any point you wish to protect. I am ready to send light-draft gun-boats up the Chickahominy. Do you wish them sent? DAVID D. PORTER, Rear-Admiral, 112 “N. AND S. E. V. A., W. V. A., M. D., AND P. A. (Cuar. LVI. City Point, V. A., March 25, 1865. Admiral D. D. PORTER, Jones’ Landing: I have just returned from the Army of the Potomac front and find your dispatch of this morning. Quiet is entirely restored and there is now no necessity of sending boats up the Appomattox. Sheridan will leave the Chickahominy to-morrow morning, so that if boats have not gone up it will be too late. Everything weut off well. We captured about 2,000 prisoners and killed’and wounded a large number of the enemy. U. 8. GRANT, Tieutenant-General. HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE Potomac, March 25, 1865—[12 m}. Lieutenant-General GRANT: The enemy at daylight this morning attacked the right of my line, held by the Ninth Army Corps, succeeding in surprising and temporarily occupying a small portion of it till Hartranft’s division, in reserve, was brought up, when the enemy was handsomely driven out and the line reoceupied. I forward Major-General Parke’s detailed dispatch.* Immediately on learning of the attack, Wheaton’s division, Sixth Corps, the small brigade at these headquarters, and a brigade of cavalry were ordered up to Parke’s support, but the affair was decided before any reached the scene of action. Two divisions of the Fifth Corps were also immediately put in motion, but were halted at these headquarters on learning repulse of the enemy. Instructions were also sent to Major-Generals Wright and Humphreys to push forward their skirmishers and feel the enemy’s strength, and, in case he was found weakened, to attack. Griffin’s division, Fifth Corps, was ordered to support Humphreys. The last dispatch from General Humphreys reported he had anticipated his orders, had driven in the enemy’s skirmishers, and would attack so soon as he could ascertain how strongly the lines in his front were manned. GEO. G. MEADE, Major-General. HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE Potomac, ; March 25, 1865—8.30 p. m. Lieutenant-General GRANT: Since my report of 12 m. no further operations have taken place on the Ninth Corps front. Major-General Parke reports his casualties as 64 killed, 323 wounded, and 481 missing. His captures amount to 8 battle-flags and 1,800 prisoners. The enemy were perinitted, under a flag of truce, to carry away from our lines 120 dead and 15 very severely wounded. Under the orders sent Major-General Wright to feel the enemy the skirmishers of the Sixth Corps were advanced, but found. the enemy’s picket strongly intrenched. Major-General Wright supported his skirmishers by his Second Division, one brigade of the Third Division, and two brigades of the First Division, and after a spirited contest, under a sharp fire of artillery and musketry, the enemy’s intrenched picket-line was carried, capturing 416 prisoners. This line *Embodied in Grant to Stanton, 1.30 p.m., p. 109. is now held. Major-General Humphreys, commanding Second Corps, likewise advanced his skirmishers, well supported by his First and Third Divisions, and carried the enemy’s intrevched skirmish-line, taking over 200 prisoners. Subsequently the enemy was re enforced and made several vigorous and determined attacks, all of which were repulsed, Humphreys capturing in these last affairs 2 battle-flags and over 400 prisoners. The fighting on this part of the line continued till near 8 o’clock. Numerous deserters have been reported since dark. Total captures reported to-day, 10 battle-flags and 2,800 prisoners. Griffin’s division, Fifth Corps, was sent to support Humphreys, and was engaged with the Second Corps. Crawford’s and Ayres’ divisions, of the Fifth Corps, and the cavalry division were held in reserve, and promptly moved to different parts of the line. GEO. G. MEADE, Major-General, Commanding. i City Pont, V. A., March 25, 1865—10.15 p.m. Major-General MEADE: Your last dispatch* was forwarded as received. It reflects great credit on the army for the promptness with which it became the attacking force after repelling an unexpected attack from the enemy. Do we now hold the intrenched picket-line captured from the enemy? I would like to know, as soon as you ascertain, the losses outside of the Ninth Corps. U. S. GRANT, Ineutenant-General. HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE Potomac, March 25, 1865. (Received 12.50 a. m. 26th.) Lieutenant-General GRANT: Wright holds his captured line. Humphreys had all of his at 8p. m., but I authorized his retaining only such positions as in his judgment it would be advantageous to hold. Parke sends in the return of casualties in his Artillery Brigade, to be added to his previous return, 4 killed, 14 wounded, and 25 missing; total, 43. Humphreys estimates his killed and wounded at about 450; very few missing. Thinks enemy’s losses in killed and wounded more than double his. Wright reported his loss small. GEO. G. MEADE, Major-General. [MarcH 25, 1865]—5.50 a. m. Major-General MEADE, City Point: Enewy are reported as having broken through our lines near Fort Stedman, and also that he is making a heavy attack on Willcox’s right. I have notified corps commanders and am sending down Wainwright’s artillery. The troops around us are getting under arms. HENRY J. HUNT, Brevet Major-General. *See Meade to Grant, next, ante, 8 R R—VOL XLVI, PT Ill 114 N. AND S. E. V. A., W. V. A., M. D., AND P. A. (Cuar. LVI. Ciry Point, V. A., March 25, 1865. Major-General Hunt, Headquarters Army of the Potomac: Have you sent troops to repel the enemy in front of Ninth Corps? Assistance should be sent them without delay. U. 8S. GRANT, Lieutenant-General. MARCH 25, 1865 —7.55 a. m. Lieutenant-General GRANT: I sent down at once to Jones’ house the Provisional Brigade and Fifth Corps artillery, near here, and requested General Wright to send a division. The division is passing these headquarters now. Crawford’s division is also moving, closely followed by Ayres’; Griffin’s follows as far as the Wyatt house, where he will await further orders. General Parke notified. Ciry Port, V. A., March 25, 1865—7.30 a.m. Col. G. D. RUGGLES, You will send the inclosed dispatch* to General Warren and direct him to move up with his whole force at once. GEO. G. MEADE, Major-General, Commanding. Marow 25, 1865—7.55 a. m. Major-General MEADE, City Point, Va.: General Warren’s corps is already on the march under an order from General Parke. The dispatch inclosedt+ was sent him from here this morning. General Wheaton’s division has passed here on its way to GEO. D. RUGGLES, Assistant Adjutant-General. Marcon 25, 1865—8 a. m. Major-General MEADE, : City Point: _In addition to the troops reported by me the Fifth Corps artillery, sixteen guns, has been sent to General Parke. GEO. D. RUGGLES, Assistant Adjutant-General. *Not found as an inclosure. t Probably Ruggles to Warren, 6.20 a, m., p. 129. MARCH 25, 1865—8.45 a, m. Major-General MEADE, City Point: General Parke announces the reoccupation of the whole line, capture of many prisoners, and that all is quiet. In obedience to his orders I have notified corps commanders and sent staft officers to halt Fifth tlhe Wyatt house. Wheaton’s division probably reached Jones’ house by the time General Parke sent his dispatch. The troops halted are awaiting further orders. I have asked General Parke if he desires Provisional Brigade any longer.

GEO. D. RUGGLES,