HEADQUARTERS FIRST DIVISION, TENTH ARMY CORPS, In the Field, near Curtis', Va., June 25, 1864.

Colonel J. R. HAWLEY,
Commanding Second Brigade:

COLONEL: The brigadier-general commanding directs that you occupy that portion of the line from the James River to the center of the swamp. That portion of the line in the swamp will be but thinly manned.

I am, colonel, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

A. TERRY,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

HEADQUARTERS EIGHTEENTH CORPS, June 25, 1864.

Lieutenant-General GRANT:

In giving General Turner notice that I should not make the attack until I had seen or heard from you he misunderstood me and suspended his preparations. When I arrived on the ground I found that it would be took dark for my artillery to be effective in clearing the rifle-pits, and in addition to that General Turner had but 2,800 in place [of] 3,500 men, as I supposed, and it took all my reserve to fill his front line after his assaulting column was out, and as that left me weak I determined, under all the circumstances, to postpone the affair rather than run risk of a failure when I think there is no necessity for one.

WM. F. SMITH,
Major-General, Commanding.

HEADQUARTERS, June 25, 1864-9.40.

Major-General SMITH:

Did you make the attack contemplated? What was the result? Please answer by telegraph.

BENJ. F. BUTLER,

Major-General, Commanding.

HEADQUARTERS EIGHTEENTH ARMY CORPS, June 25, 1864.

General BUTLER:

I thought it best to defer the attack indefinitely on a second reconnaissance of the enemy's position and in view of the small forces at General Turner's disposal last night, and reconnaissances to-day have developed the enemy's lines so strong that the loss of life would not be worth the hill.

WM. F. SMITH.

HEADQUARTERS EIGHTEENTH CORPS, June 25, 1864.

Colonel T. S. BOWERS,

Asst. Adjt. General, Armies of the United States, City Point:

It is highly important that I should have a commissary of musters before muster day. Many of my officers have not been mustered, owing