General Meade has also preferred charges against me upon which I desire to be tried.

As the court convenes on Monday, the 8th instant, I respectfully request an answer may be returned as soon as possible.

A. E. BURNSIDE,

Major-General.

WAR DEPARTMENT, Washington, August 8, 1864-11 a.m.

Major-General BURNSIDE:

Your telegram of the 6th has been laid before the President, who directs me to say that while he would like to conform to your wishes, the detail for the Court of Inquiry having already been ordered he does not see that any evil can result to you. The action of the Board of Inquiry will be merely to collect facts for his information. No charges or even imputations have reached him or the Department in respect to you.

It is not known here except by your telegram that General Meade has made against you any charges. He directs me further to assure you that you may feel entire confidence in his fairness and justice.

EDWIN M. STANTON,

Secretary of War.

No. 176. Reports of Brigadier General James H. Ledlie, U. S. Army, commanding First Division, of operations June 17 and July 30.

HEADQUARTERS FIRST DIVISION, NINTH ARMY CORPS, Near Petersburg, Va., July 1, 1864.

SIR: I have the honor, very respectfully, to transmit a report of the operations of the First Division of the Ninth Army Corps on the 17th of June, 1864:

About 5 p.m. on the 16th of June my division arrived, after a long and tedious march from the James River, and was placed in position at right angles to the Petersburg and Suffolk State road, covering a wood road running through a piece of timber in front of the main line of the enemy's works. During the night I constructed breast-works in front of my lines, and at daylight on the morning of the 17th I was ordered to move forward in support of General Potter, who was then advancing on the enemy's works, comprising Battery 14, with its connecting lines of defense. I immediately ordered forward my division, and occupied Battery 15 and Battery 16, with the earth-works connecting. With the exception of several slight changes, my division remained in the last named position until about 4 p.m., when I was ordered to support an attack to be made by the Third Division, under General Willcox, and accordingly moved my command to the ravine in front, and to the right of the Shands house. The Third Division not having succeeded in its attack, I was ordered about 5.30 p.m. to form my division for a charge upon the enemy's works, which were from 300 to 500 yards west of the ravine. I ordered the First Brigade, under Colonel J. P. Gould, and the Second Brigade, under Lieutenant Colonel Joseph H. Barnes, to form in line of battle below the crest of the hill west of the ravine, and placed the Twenty-first Massachusetts Volunteers on the right of the line, the left