treads for infantry made on the slopes of the captured batteries. The major-general commanding thinks that work has not been sufficiently attended to on your front, neither foes he think your pickets are as far forward in some places at they ought to be.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

F. A. WALKER,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

HEADQUARTERS THIRD DIVISION, SECOND CORPS, June 30, 1864.*

Lieutenant Colonel FRANCIS A. WALKER,
Assistant Adjutant-General, Second Army Corps:

COLONEL: In obedience to orders+ from the major-general commanding the corps, I report as follows tending the orders received by me on the 15th and 16th instant in regard to the issue of rations and movements toward Petersburg. My division was in position covering the landing of troops at Wind-Mill Point with three brigades deployed reaching from Petersburg road to the river. Soon after daylight the corps commissary called at my tent, and, informing me that rations would soon arrive at the wharf, asked for details of men to unload rations, &c., and also to carry them to the regiments. At eight minutes after 9 a. m. I telegraphed to you that rations had not yet arrived. At ten minutes before 10 o'clock I telegraphed asking which road to take, whether by Graysville [Garysville], or the Prince George. To this I received the answer that Lieutenant-Colonel Morgan, chief of staff, would be sent to indicate the road. At 10.45 a. m. the head of my column reached the Petersburg road and moved rapidly toward Petersburg. Under orders marked No. 5++ I halted my division at 1.30 p. m. and rested an hour. Lieutenant-Colonel Morgan, with others of the staff - the corps - remaining at the head of my column to indicate the road. At about 4 p. m. we turned to the right to take a road toward the Old Court-House. As the artillery firing toward Petersburg was very rapid and apparently increasing, I suggested to Lieutenant-Colonel Morgan that I should march directly on the road to Petersburg, but he stated that the corps had been ordered to take a special position, and I followed the road indicated by him. Later I was shown a dispatch from Lieutenant-General Grant to Major-General Gibbon, or commanding officer of leading division, ordering him to assist Major-General Smith and report to him my approach and ask for instructions. The corps staff that had preceded my column, under the order that Colonel Morgan would indicate the road to me, also left me to find General Smith and report the approach of the division.

At 6.25 I reached General Hinks, to whom I had been referred by General Smith for my position, and offered my division. At that time the firing was almost entirely artillery. General Hinks replied that he had seen an order from Lieutenant-General Grant direct-

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* Received in the War Records Office too late for insertion in its chronological order.

+ See p. 436.

++ Not found as an inclosure.

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