HEADQUARTERS ENGINEER TROOPS, July [26], 1864.

Major General B. R. JOHNSON:

GENERAL: One hundred and sixty-one men from your command have reported to me for duty. These men are entirely without cooking utensils, and none are to be had from the quartermaster's department in Petersburg. I have but a limited supply for the use of my own company; as soon as they are done using them they are loaned to your men. This necessarily delays them, and the consequence is that the work in the mines is often delayed. I have written to your assistant adjutant-general on this subject, and now call your attention to it in the hope that you will have your men supplied as far as is in your power. I would also call your attention to the fact that there being an insufficiency of medicines in the hands of the attending surgeons a great many of the men are sent to the hospitals who otherwise would recover in camp.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
HUGH THOS. DOUGLAS,

Captain, Engineer Troops, in Charge Mining, &c.

HEADQUARTERS ENGINEER TROOPS, Blandford, July 26, 1864.

Colonel W. H. STEVENS,

Chief Engineer, Army of Northern Virginia:

COLONEL: At Pegram's salient, mine No. 1, the night detachment moved all the earth that had accumulated during the past twenty-four hours, trimmed up the work, and extended the gallery 1 foot. At mine No. 2 removed the mud, water, and earth that had accumulated in consequence of the rain preventing the men from working in the trenches, and trimmed up the gallery. The day detachments extended the gallery at mine No. 1 4 feet 6 inches, and a total length of gallery 16 feet 9 inches. At mine No. 2 extended gallery 3 feet 11 inches, a total length of 9 feet 8 inches. At Colquitt's salient the night detachment extended gallery No. 3 2 feet 8 inches, a total length of this gallery of 25 feet 2 inches. Stopped work on this gallery, as it is ready to charge. The day detachment recommenced work on the main gallery and extended it 7 feet, a total distance for the day's work at this mine of 9 feet 8 inches. At Gracie's mine the night detachment extended the main gallery 1 foot 8 inches and a total length of 25 feet. Commenced and extended the common gallery [2 feet 9 inches by 4 feet 6 inches] for the mine a distance of 1 foot. A detachment worked on the covered way between the advanced line and the main line, and cut it out to the parapet of the mine line. The mining detachment also removed the water, mud, &c., from the mine. The day detachment extended the gallery 6 feet, a distance for the day's work of 8 feet 8 inches, and a total distance of the galleries of 32 feet from the entrance, a distance for the day's work at all the mines of 27 feet 9 inches.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

HUGH THOS. DOUGLAS,

Captain, Engineer Troops, in Charge Mining, &c.