CIRCULAR.] HEADQUARTERS NINTH ARMY CORPS,

July 2, 1864-10.30 a.m.

The inclosed is forwarded for your information.* The general commanding directs that you furnish a report to these headquarters at or before 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. of each day concerning the matters therein mentioned, and that you previously send a staff a staff officer to brigade headquarters or such parts of the line as may be necessary to procure the latest information.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

J. L. VAN BUREN,

Major and Aide-de-Camp.

(To division commanders).

HEADQUARTERS SECOND DIVISION, NINTH ARMY CORPS,
Before Petersburg, Va., July 2, 1864.

Major General JOHN G. PARKE,

Chief of Staff, Ninth Army Corps:

GENERAL: Will you please direct that the order be made returning the three companies of the Fifty-first New York at corps headquarters to their regiment. Several days ago General Burnside stated that he would have it done, but it appears to have been neglected. I should also like to have this regiment ordered back to the First Brigade, and the Seventh Rhode Island Volunteers substituted in its place, which has 123 enlisted men for duty, whilst the Fifty-first has double that number and is altogether too large to be spared in the present reduced state of this division. The Seventh Rhode Island is as large, I believe larger, than the engineer regiment of either of the other divisions. Nothing new to report on my front. The miners struck some quicksand yesterday; all the props thereabouts sank through the bottom of the tunnel and a good deal of the top fell in. This will require a more complicated system of propping, but will be remedied to-day. We are in about 250 feet.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

ROBERT B. POTTER,

Brigadier-General.

HEADQUARTERS SECOND DIVISION, NINTH ARMY CORPS,
Near Petersburg, Va., July 2, 1864.

Major General JOHN G. PARKE,

Chief of Staff, Ninth Army Corps:

GENERAL: Can General Ferrero be directed to send me 1,000 feet of plank and 4,000 of boards? I understand that there is a saw-mill with a large amount of sawed lumber on the Norfolk road, half a mile beyond Prince George Court-House, on which General Ferrero has a guard. Lumber is essential to the further prosecution of our mine.

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

ROBERT B. POTTER,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.

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*See circular, 9 a.m., headquarters Army of the Potomac, p. 587.

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