HEADQUARTERS FIFTH ARMY CORPS,
June 17, 1864-11 a.m.

General GRIFFIN:

Burnside and Hancock are attack pretty soon. I leave Cutler holding the left on Blackwater Creek, and Crawford and Ayres massed right in front of you. I shall want you ready to move soon, if called upon. Perhaps it would be well for you to give the necessary orders and come out where we are, so that you can have the gratification of seeing what is going on, and see better how to act.

Respectfully,

G. K. WARREN,

Major-General.

HEADQUARTERS FOURTH DIVISION, FIFTH ARMY CORPS,
June 17, 1864.

Major-General WARREN:

SIR: There is an interval of 200 yards between my left and the swamp now controlled by a battery. There are other intervals in my line. If you desire all the space between Burnside and the swamp filled it will require troops sufficient to cover a space of about 600 yards.

Very respectfully,

L. CUTLER,

Brigadier-General.

HEADQUARTERS SIXTH ARMY CORPS,
June 17, 1864-5.40 a.m.

Major-General BUTLER:

I turned out the few troops, perhaps 2,000 in all, I have up, thinking that the firing might be the prelude to an attack. So far it has been only a slight picket skirmish, and I have gone to General Terry's headquarters, where I will remain for a short sleep till the rest of my troops come up, and where any orders will reach me.

H. G. WRIGHT,

Major-General, Commanding.

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC,
June 17, 1864-9.30 a.m.

Major-General WRIGHT,

Commanding Sixth Corps:

referring to paragraph III, Special Orders, No. 35, headquarters Armies of the United States in the field,* I am directed by the commanding general to say that according to his understanding with Lieutenant-General Grant, it was the intention that two of your divisions should proceed by water to Point of Rocks and report to Major-General Butler, and that the remaining division, with your artillery and trains, should join this army. The commanding general therefore desires that you will order the commander of the division to come here to report for instructions to these headquarters, and that meanwhile, and to guard against all possible misapprehension upon the subject, you communi-

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*See p.88.

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9 R R-VOL XL, PT II