Being in frequent communication with the major-general commanding the army during the evening, I, at 9 p.m., received orders to move up and join General Humphreys at the Vaughan road crossing of Hatcher's Run, to be prepared for any concentration of the enemy in the morning. This gave me specific instructions about the posting of my divisions and of General Gregg's cavalry, which was ordered up to join me for that purpose. I, as soon as practicable, ordered General Griffin's division in motion, but the relieving of pickets, &c., made it nearly midnight before he was fairly on the road. My train all followed him, then General Ayres' division and the artillery, and then General Crawford's division.

General Gregg reached me on the Vaughan road at 4 a.m. on the 6th instant, and his troops filling up the road which my instructions required his forage train to return by, I directed it to follow General Crawford. The cavalry then brought up the rear, skirmishing with the enemy and punishing him severely when he came close enough. The night was very cold and the roads were frozen hard before morning. The night was very cold and the roads were frozen hard before morning. The troops had little rest and no sleep. The enemy's cavalry followed General Gregg up the Vaughan road, but were easily repulsed in their attempt to crowd us, and did not show themselves to the infantry in the position I placed them, according to previous instructions. At 8 a.m. I received notification to feel the enemy along my front, and fight him if outside his lines. This I took to refer to the enemy in front of General Humphreys' troops, where the fighting had been the evening previous, and at which point the enemy were expected to attack, that being a part of my front, in the event of my being the ranking officer present, which I thought might be meant, as the concentration of our troops had been made under the supposition that General Humphreys outranked me, and then he was to command the whole, which my rank, when known, would put upon me. This left me in some doubt, and before I could make any definite arrangements I received notice from General Humphreys that he was about to attack the enemy if outside his works; and then I thought it best to await the result of his operations and hold all the Fifth Corps and cavalry in hand to co-operate with him if needed. I sent General Winthrop's brigade, of General Ayres' division, to hold the Vaughan road and relieve the cavalry. At 11 a.m. General Humphreys informed me that the enemy on his front had retired to his entrenched lines, and I then waited further instructions from the general commanding after his receiving this information. At 12.15 I received orders to make a reconnaissance south and west of Hatcher's Run, to ascertain the whereabouts of the enemy's lines in that direction; I also had a personal interview with the general commanding at my headquarters; consequently, at 1.15 p.m., I issued instructions to General Crawford to move out on the Vaughan road to where it turns off to Dabney's Mill, and then follow up that road toward the mill, drive back the enemy, and ascertain the position of his entrenched lines said to be there; also, to General Ayres to follow General Crawford with his division, taking with him General Winthrop's brigade, then with the cavalry down the Vaughan road. General Gregg was directed to send a force of cavalry and drive the enemy down the Vaughan road across Gravelly Run, and also to watch the left flank of the infantry column (composed of General Crawford and General Ayres) as it advanced.

This I thought the cavalry could easily do, as no considerable force of the enemy had been reported to me to be in that direction. General