HQRS. DEPT. OF VIRGINIA AND NORTH CAROLINA, In the Field, June 18, 1864-10.10 a.m.

Rear-Admiral S. P. LEE:

We will not sink any more vessels unless you request it.

B. F. BUTLER,

Major-General, Commanding.

GENERAL BUTLER'S HEADQUARTERS, June 18, 1864.

Colonel ABBOT:

Can you tell me where your siege train is that you left at Washington? General Grant wants to know. Answer immediately.

J. W. SHAFFER,

Colonel and Chief of Staff.

LINES OF BERMUDA HUNDRED, VA., June 18, 1864.

Brigadier General H. J. HUNT,

Chief of Artillery, Army of the Potomac:

GENERAL: Your two letters of June 3 and 10 are received, the last to-day.* I much regret Colonel Kellogg's death, as he was an old friend of mine. I have seen Mackenzie, of my corps, who succeeds him and we are both very desirous that the two regiments should be brigaded for the siege train, as first proposed. We both count on your kind aid in the matter when the guns are ordered forward. I have now about 1,200 men and he 1,000 for duty. I now have here forty mantlets - seventeen rope; ten double, iron and wood, and thirteen single, iron and wood. I much prefer the rope. If the train is ordered forward it would be desirable to telegraph at once to General Delafield to supply a lot more rope mantlets as soon as possible. If you can do this it will save time. I have taken care to draw a large supply of 12-pounder canister-balls for the mortar shrapnel; I have great confidence in its utility. What are the probabilities of the train being soon required? I am now in command of the heavy artillery of these lines, and am also the chief engineer and chief of artillery for them, so I am too busy to venture to try to see you personally.

Yours, very truly,

HENRY L. ABBOT,

Colonel First Connecticut Artillery.

JUNE 18, 1864-1 a.m.

General BUTLER:

Your dispatch is received. The troops are now forming for an assault on the enemy.

A. H. TERRY,

Brigadier-General.

---------------

*See Vol. XXXVI, Part III, pp.567,741.

---------------