turn your position do not hesitate to take out nearly every man to meet such attack. The enemy, in such case, would be apt to leave nothing in his works but a weak line intended only to hold it, and ours could in turn be held by a skirmish line. With a reasonable amount of artillery and one infantryman to six feet I am confident either party could hold their lines against a direct attack of the other.

U. S. GRANT,

Lieutenant-General.

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC, July 30, 1864 - 4 p. m.

Lieutenant-General GRANT:

I send this dispatch that you may know the condition of Ord's corps. He seems to think only two divisions can be sent, and suggests the other two being retained to sustain Burnside. I had ordered Ord to relieve Hancock's people, and Hancock to go on the raid, but there seem to be difficulty and objections all around, with both infantry and cavalry.

GEO. G. MEADE,
Major-General.

[Inclosure.]

HEADQUARTERS EIGHTEENTH ARMY CORPS, July 30, 1864 - 3 p. m.

General MEADE:

I can manage to get Ames' division ready, also Turner's, by hard work, in time to start on raid; but Carr's, composed of the colored troops, and Stannard's cannot be taken from General Burnside's trenches till he is ready. I would suggest that before our force here is weakened General Burnside's casualties be known; I think his loss was very heavy. I cannot now ride from piles; will be better in a day or two.

ORD.

CITY POINT, VA., July 30, 1864.

Major-General MEADE,
Commanding, &c.:

It is almost certain that none of the enemy's force recrossed the James until since 2 p. m. to-day, and but two or three regiments then. It is nearly as much of an object to draw them back to this side as it is to cut the road, that I want the expedition to go out. I am very much afraid Lee will send an army corps to re-enforce Early, who, I understand from a dispatch of last night, had driven Averell out of Hagerstown toward Greencastle. Since writing the above I have information from signal station on the James that the enemy are now crossing in s continuous stream. You may, therefore, suspend the order for movement down the railroad. We may get an attack from the enemy to-morrow evening or next day morning, and want to be prepared for it.

U. S. GRANT,

Lieutenant-General.