General Hancock will accordingly consider himself detailed for that duty, and will make the necessary arrangements, supplying himself with five days' rations at once. Major-General Ord will use every exertion to relieve General Hancock's corps at the earliest possible moment after dusk. Major-General Hancock, as soon as it is dark, will move that portion of his corps not in the trenches to the Williams house, on the Jerusalem plank road, to be followed by the rest of his corps as soon as relieved. Special instructions will be sent him during the evening.

GEO. G. MEADE,

Major-General.

(Same to General Ord.)

HEADQUARTERS EIGHTEENTH ARMY CORPS,
July 30, 1864. (Received 3.25 p. m.)

General MEADE:

One division of my corps is in the line. It took till midnight to put it in last night, and will probably take as long to relieve it. My troops are very tired, owing to the two long night marches and loss of sleep. These are the facts, and I leave it with you to decide the case.

WINF'D S. HANCOCK,

Major-General.

[Indorsement.]

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC,
July 30, 1864 - 3.30 p.m.

Lieutenant-General GRANT:

I forward this dispatch for your information. Taken in connection with Gregg's report of the condition of his cavalry, which I send,* I have but little hope of effecting anything in the way of a raid to-morrow. Besides, I must think the enemy's infantry will be back before night, if not already here. I have, however, given the necessary orders for the movement to-morrow.

GEO. G. MEADE,

Major-General.

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC, July 30, 1864 - 3.45 p. m.

Major-General HANCOCK:

I have sent your dispatch reporting the condition of your corps, also one from General Gregg, showing the cavalry are not in condition for immediate service, to Lieutenant-General Grant, who directed the expedition for to-morrow. Should he think fit to suspend it I will at once advise you. In the meantime you must do the best you can under my previous order. I think the time it required for Mott to relieve Ord's people last night was due to the lateness of his starting and his ignorance of the ground. Impress upon Ord, whose people are familiar with the ground, the importance of the relieving Mott as soon as possible.

GEO. G. MEADE,
Major-General, Commanding.

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* See Gregg to Humhpreys, 1.40 p. m., p.670.

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