HEADQUARTERS,
City Point, July 5, 1864.

Brigadier General G. WEITZEL,

Chief Engineer, Dept of Virginia and North Carolina:

I wish to be distinctly understood as not assuming to give any orders whatever in the matter. General Smith has repeatedly asked me for Michie. It would have been better to have referred him at once to you, but I made myself the medium of making known his wants and wishes.

J. G. BARNARD,

Brevet Major-General, &c.

JULY 5, 1864.

General BARNARD:

City Point:

I understand perfectly. I was solicitous that you should not form a wrong opinion in the matter.

G. WEITZEL,

Brigadier-General,

JULY 5, 1864-9 a.m.

Admiral LEE:

(Through General Foster.)

The commanding general requests that you assist General Foster to destroy all forage and grain in the vicinity of your boats.

LUDLOW,

Major and Aide-de-Camp.

[JULY 5, 1864]

General BUTLER:

Two deserters from rebel ram Virginia were at the battery at Howlett's and report that guns are mounted, the caliber 7-inch and 10-inch smooth-bore, and one 200-pounder Parrott taken at Plymouth, and are working day and night to get them into position. They also report the rams as coming down to attack us as soon as the battery is ready, also the burning of the forage at Aiken's Landing and capture of one man, and will send a force to-night to capture the wagon trains. If your batteries on shore were ready they would assist us much.

MELANCTON SMITH,

Captain and Senior Naval Officer.

RIVER-BANK (SPRING HILL) SIGNAL STATION,

July 5, 1864-7.45 a.m

Captain NORTON:

A train of thirty cars, ten of them loaded with troops and three with forage, the Junction toward Petersburg.

SIMONS,

Lieutenant, Signal Officer.