taken up by night-fall and all the army up by daylight to-morrow morning. I have reason to believe that 2,000 will cover our casualties up to this moment, including some 200 men captured from Barlow in one of his efforts to dislodge the enemy. The Ninth Corps deserve great credit for attack this morning, as they were marching all yesterday and the night before, and had no rest last night, being formed preparatory to attacking.

Respectfully,

GEO. G. MEADE,

Major-General, Commanding.

HEADQUARTERS ARMIES OF THE UNITED STATES,
June 17, 1864.

Major-General MEADE,

Commanding Army of the Potomac:

GENERAL: Relieve the Eighteenth Corps from the trenches as soon as possible, and direct it direct it when relieved to return to Bermuda Hundred. The two divisions of General Wright's corps now with General Butler will be directed to return to you as soon as relieved, unless the reports of General Weitzel and Colonel Babcock, now out on a reconnaissance on General Butler's front, should demonstrate the practicability of an advance there and the necessity of a greater force than would be left after Wright's withdrawal. It will be determined to-night, probably, whether it will be necessary to retain Wright or not, and orders given him directly from my headquarters, notifying you of what they may be. General Smith should be got back to Bermuda Hundred during the night.

Respectfully,

U. S. GRANT,

Lieutenant-General.

JUNE 17, 1864-9 p.m.

[General GRANT:]

General Burnside made, about 3 p.m., an attack with Wilcox's division, which succeeded in gaining a position in advance of the works taken this morning by Potter. This evening at 8 p.m. a third attack was made by Ledlie, of Burnside's corps, which resulted in carrying a line of intrenchments, which prisoners taken in it say is the enemy's main and last line at that place, and that there is nothing behind it to Petersburg. General Warren immediately sent in two divisions to support and hold Burnside's acquisition. I have sent orders to Burnside and Warren to continue operations if anything decisive is likely to result, if not, to hold on till daylight, when, if the theory that the enemy's main line has been penetrated is confirmed, I will assault vigorously with the Fifth, Ninth, and Second Corps. In view, of this contingency I shall only relieve Smith in part with one division of the Sixth Corps and defer relieving the balance of this force till the result of to-morrow's attack. I have received no detailed report from Burnside, and cannot, therefore, report casualties or prisoners.

Respectfully, yours,

GEO. G. MEADE,

Major-General.