II. Captain Graef and Lieutenants Farrand, Talcott, and J. S. Baldwin, New York Volunteer Engineers; Captain Pratt, Fifty-fifth Massachusetts Volunteers, and Lieutenant Adams, Fourth New Hampshire Volunteers, will relieve each other on the work specified in Section V below, alternately at 8 a. m., 4 p. m., and 12 midnight each day, according to roster kept at this office.* These officers will receive notification of their turn from this office. All officers will also report here for instructions before going on duty with details, excepting the one going on at midnight. Each officer will confer with the one he relieves concerning the work, continuing what has been begun, and beginning such new work as may be necessary.

III. Fatigue details, consisting habitually of 19 engineers and 75 infantry, will relieve each other at 4 a. m., 12 m., and 8 p. m., reporting to the engineer officer in charge of the works at the engineer service depot, second parallel. The rendezvous of the fatigue details is on the beach opposite the lookout, where the engineers and infantry will meet at the hours herein specified, the senior non-commissioned officer of engineers conducting the united details to the trenches.

IV. The headquarters of engineers in the trenches is in the splinter-proof shelter to the rear of the general magazine, in the second parallel. Engineering tools, materials, service carts, &c., are in charge of Corporals [William L.] Crane and [David M.] Chandler, New York Volunteer Engineers, at engineer headquarters.

V. The duties to be performed by the group of officers designated in Section II are to keep in as perfect condition as possible all the various defenses and offensive works in front of the first parallel, excepting the advance of the sap, which is in charge of a special detail. (See Section I.)

The more important works to be looked after are the following:

1. One general and two service magazines. These must be kept constantly covered with 8 feet of earth on the shortest line from the surface to the sheeting. As the wind is continually removing this covering, it will be necessary to examine it with an iron sounding rod at 8 p. m. each day, and the earth increased during the night, if necessary. The interior of the magazine to be examined at the same time, in order to ascertain if the floor be damp, or timber work give evidence of failing. Entrances to magazines to be kept rivetted and in good condition for ingress and agress.

2. All the defensive and offensive batteries are to be examined twice in each tour of duty, and inquiries made of their commanders as to their condition. All injuries by the enemy's shot, wear and defects to platforms, embrasures, rivetting, parapets, and traverses, are to be thoroughly and promptly repaired.

3. The musketry parapet in the second and third parallels and approaches (where they are arranged for defense) must be kept in good defensive condition, i. e., trench free from obstructions, and 10 feet wide; banquette at least 2 feet wide and smooth, breast-height, rivetted 4 feet 6 inches high; superior slope smooth, and having a slope of one to ten outward.

4. A material obstacle, consisting of inclined palisading, abatis, wire entanglement, and floating booms, extends along the front of the second parallel, from low water on the right to the west side of the creek on the left. This must be so increased and kept in repair as to constantly present throughout its length a formidable obstacle to the advance of the enemy, so that it would be difficult to get through, even if there was no fire defending it.

5. Splinter-proof shelters, injured by the enemy's projectiles, must be repaired, and at least 2 feet of earth keep constantly on them.

6. The parapets of the approaches must be kept (when other work will permit) 6 1/2 feet high and 3 feet thick on top, the trench inside being 10 feet wide and free from obstructions.

7. Within three hours of the close of his tour of duty, each officer will send to this office a report, according to the inclosed form,+ showing number of men employed, work completed, work begun, material used, material required, name of officer who relieved him, &c., making such statements as regards the work as may prove useful or interesting.

Soon after, the following supplementary instructions were added to the above, in the form of a

CIRCULAR.

In order to facilitate the work of the sap, the officers in charge of that work will hereafter relieve each other at the same hours as the officers in charge of the other engineering work on the right, viz, at 12 o'clock midnight, at 8 a. m., and 4 p. m.

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*See Note 18, p. 326.

+Omitted.

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