banquette and the revetment commenced. Redoubt Numbers 2 same as Numbers 1; very little work was done last night; it was impossible to get the working parties to do anything; it was very dark and rainy. The parallel from Battery Numbers 5 to York road has been carried to the depth of 4 feet and to a width of 6 feet, affording a good cover through from York road to Battery Numbers 2. The trench has been carried to the depth of 4 feet, and is from 10 to 12 feet wide. Lieutenant McAlester reported yesterday that he would be ready to commence mortar batteries at 10 a.m. to-day with 200 men. He had located 10-inch siege mortar batteries for fifteen guns. He has asked for 400 men on branch roads to-day. One hundred and seven men of General Woodbury's command were making gabions and 594 on bridges and dock for Mortar Battery Numbers 4; 78 gabions and 7 fascines were made yesterday, and 860 of the former and 180 of the latter remain on hand. The connection between the upper crib bridge and the upper pontoon bridge (west branch of Wormley's Creek) is not complete. The lower crib bridge on west branch of Wormley's Creek will probably be finished to-day. General Woodbury states that he had supposed that the platform timbers of the 13-inch mortars would come with the mortars; if not, he will begin immediately to hew timber for that object. I understand that platforms have come with the mortars, but that they are entirely too light for use alone, and may require a grillage or strong frame-work of some kind to support them. The trestle bridge on the south branch of Wormley's is progressing slowly in consequence of the absence of 300 men of the Fifteenth Regiment with Colonel Murphy. This detachment includes many carpenters. Two regiments have been detailed for instruction in making gabions, &c., to report to General Woodbury at the meeting-house near here. One has reported this morning. Captain Stewart reports 200 men thickening the parapet and revetting Numbers 8 with gabions; a party of 100 men making corduroy road to Battery Numbers 7 from Yorktown and Warwick roads, under direction of Lieutenant Farquhar, Engineers. Captain Stewart visited Batteries Nos. 7 and 8, and examined the rifle pits and batteries at Garrow's Chimneys and the line of General Smith between the Lee's Mill roads. He consulted with General Smith respecting the defense of his line.

Sunday, April 27.-Eight hundred and sixty men of the Engineer Brigade have been employed on bridges, Battery Numbers 4, and unloading shells, and instructing troops in making gabions and fascines. One company and 300 men on detached service at Cheeseman's Landing. Number of gabions on hand 860, of fascines 180. One barge with mortars has been brought within 15 feet of the wharf of Battery Numbers 4; several cribs of crib bridge have given way; tools for nearly 10,000 men are reported in the engineer depots, mostly at depot in camp of Engineer Brigade. A great deal of difficulty and delay is still experienced in regulating the working parties. Details, after waiting at the place they have been directed to go, return to camp and report no engineer officer to be found, while the engineer officer reports waiting several hours for a detail without seeing them. All this I think could be remedied by conforming to the requirements of Order, Numbers 119, headquarters Army of the Potomac. The order requires that the division officer of details shall consult the engineer or artillery officer in construction daily, and shall also be responsible for tools, &c., and that the party is provided with them in proportion as desired by the constructing officer. This, too, would prevent all such occurrences as has happened this morning, viz: A detachment reporting without tools of any kind, because the officer in charge of detail had none. The same order