HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC, OFFICE OF THE CHIEF ENGINEER,
February 20, 1865.

SIR: I have the honor to submit the following report of the engineering operations in this army for the week ending February 18, 1865:

Bvt. Major F. Harwood was in command of the Engineer Battalion, and had charge of the construction of the line at Hatcher's Run, near crossing of Vaughan road. Brevet Captain Benyaurd inspected the line on Sixth Corps front with a view to making entanglements, and also inspected the line from Fort McGilvery to Fort Howard. Brevet Captain Howell had charge of the construction of the line from Fort Sampson to near Hatcher's Run. Lieutenant Heap had charge of the constructions of a battery at hatcher's Run near crossing of Vaughan road, and of a two-gun battery on Vaughan road near crossing of hatcher's Run. This officer also inspected the line on Second and Fifth Corps front with a view to verify the position of pickets. The following extracts are made from the report of Brevet Colonel Spaulding, commanding Fiftieth New York Volunteer Engineers:

The signal tower is so nearly completed that it will be probably finished to-morrow. In the next weekly report drawings of the tower will be furnished, with a detailed description of the work. The work upon Fort Fisher has progressed as rapidly as the state of the weather would permit. Brevet Captain Van Rensselaer reports three-fourths of the parapets completed, and the remainder one-half complete. Platforms are laid for three barbette and three embrasures guns, and two additional embrasure guns will be added to-morrow. This fort can be finished, except the inner works, in four or five days. No bomb-proofs, magazines, or traverses have yet been commenced in this fort. The battery on the left of Fort Fisher (also in charge of Brevet Captain Van Rensselaer) has had during the week seven platforms and two magazines added, the parapets and traverses finished, and the work is now complete, mounting eleven guns. Brevet Major Van Brocklin reports that on the 11th and 13th instant the work was continued on the corduroy road from Fort Siebert to Hatcher's Run, the details for the work consisting of five companies of this regiment and twenty-five teams from the Fifth Corps. The road was completed on the evening of the 13th instant. With very few intervals, there is now a continuous corduroy road from the first stream south of Fort Siebert to Hatcher's Run, and a double track over all the streams and low grounds. Captain Dexter has been engaged with his company in getting our platform timber. During the week he has hewn and delivered at Fort Fisher and the battery on its left 3,523 superficial feet of timber, equal to fourteen platforms.

During the week 204 fascines have been made and delivered at Fort Fisher and the eleven-gun battery; 639 gabions have also been made and brought into camp; of these, 417 have been issued for Fort Fisher and for repairing the works on the Ninth Corps front.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

J. C. DUANE,

Major of Engineers and Brevet Colonel, U. S. Army.

Major General J. G. BARNARD,

Chief Engineer, Armies in the Field.

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC, OFFICE OF THE CHIEF ENGINEER,
February 27, 1865.

SIR: I have the honor to submit the following report of the engineering operations in this army for the week ending February 25, 1865:

Brevet Major Harwood was in command of the Battalion of Engineers, and inspected the line from Hatcher's Run to Fort Fisher; also inspected rifle-pits on Hatcher's Run. Lieutenants Heap and Phillips

11 R R - VOL XLVI, PT I