General Meade replied that he did not have the dispatch with him now, but would procure it for him. The order to General Wilson was written, he said, about the same time as the above dispatch to General Warren, about 6.30 a.m.

General Burnside wished to be informed whether or not the order to General Wilson was rescinded.

General Meade replied that the order to the cavalry was rescinded when the infantry was ordered to withdraw.

General Meade then resumed the reading of dispatches, presenting documents 31 and 32.

General BURNSIDE. I would like to know what that dispatch to the cavalry was and exactly what time it was rescinded.

General HANCOCK. If you will recollect the matter we will have it called for subsequently.

General MEADE. Just make a memorandum of it and I will have it sent. Indeed I am not positive, but I think my dispatches to General Sheridan of the cavalry are here. If they are they will be read. The next dispatch in order is the following, date 7.30 a.m., to General Warren (document 33).

General Ayres still remained on the right, and the orders still existed to do anything with him that could be done to advantage. At 7.50 a. m. we have the next dispatch from General Warren (document 34).

Nothing further was received while we awaited developments from General Crawford until 8 a.m., when the following dispatch was received from General Warren (document 35).

Notwithstanding it was considered that General Warren's original order authorized him to take the batteries if it could be done, inasmuch as he was directed to move and attack with General Crawford, and as it was suggested that General Ayres might be required it was thought proper to send him the following order at 8.45 a.m. (document 36).

At 9.15 a.m. the following dispatch was received from General Warren (document 37).

At this time the conclusion had been arrived at by the lieutenant-general commanding and myself that the affair was over, and that nothing more was to be done; and soon afterward orders similar to those which were sent to others were sent to General Warren, that he should not make any attempt to take the two-gun battery. The following dispatches were sent to General Warren (documents 38, 38 1/2, 39, and 40).

Those are all the orders and communication that passed between General Warren and myself. He was authorized to attack if he could see a good chance to attack. When he reported no chance to attack and was asked what force he had available, he reported that he had no force available except he moved Ayres. He was directed not to move Ayres until information was received from Crawford, only if he could attack the two-gun battery in his front he was ordered to attack it, and then the operations were subsequently suspended.

Now I have read you the communications that passed between myself and General Grant, myself and General Burnside, myself and General Ord, and myself and General Warren. It now remains for me to read the communications that passed between myself and General Hancock and myself and General Mott.

The first was a communication sent at 4.40 a.m. to General Mott (document 41).

At 4.50 a.m. the following dispatch was sent to the telegraph operator at the headquarters of the Eighteenth Corps (document 42).

The following dispatch, dated July 30, 6 a.m., was sent to General Hancock after the mine was occupied (document 43).

The following dispatches were sent and received (documents 44, 45, 45 1/2, 45 3/4, 46, 47, 48, 49 50, 51, and 52).

These include the dispatches sent to the cavalry. I would explain that the separate orders to General Wilson were issued because General Sheridan, commanding the Cavalry Corps, was across the James River at Deep Bottom, with two divisions, and I had to issued separate orders to General Wilson so that he might be ready for the movement next day.

Here are some dispatches which are of no particular consequence, but I will leave them here. They are dispatches from the signal officers indicating the movements of the enemy.