calling all absentees, deserters included, to return, promising good offices in their behalf." Your early attention is therefore invited to the subject.

Very respectfully, yours,

JAMES A. SEDDON,

Secretary of War.

SPECIAL ORDERS, ADJT. AND INSP. GENERAL'S OFFICE,

No. 179. Richmond, July 30, 1864.

* * * * *

II. The following-named officers are assigned to duty with the cavalry command of Major General W. T. Martin, Provisional Army, C. S., and will report accordingly: Majs. S. J. Shortt, R. W. Memminger, assistant adjutants-general.

* * * * *

XXII. Brigadier General F. T. Nicholls, Provisional Army, C. S., will proceed to the Trans-Mississippi Department and take charge of and organize the bureau of conscription for that department, of which he is hereby constituted the superintendent.

* * * * *

XXXII. Colonel P. Turney, of the Invalid Corps, is relieved from duty as commandant of the post at Charlotte, N. C., and will report to Major General Samuel Jones, commanding, &c., for assignment to duty in Florida.

XXXIII. Colonel William J. Hoke, of the Invalid Corps, is relieved from duty as commandant of the post at Charlotte, N. C., and will report to Major General Samuel Jones, commanding, &c., for assigned to duty as commandant of the post at Charlotte, N. C., in place of Colonel P. Turney, relieved at his own request.

* * * * *

By command of the Secretary of War:

SAML. W. MELTON,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

DUNN'S HILL, July 30, 1864-3.25 p.m.

Hon. JAMES A. SEDDON,

Secretary of War:

At 5 a.m. the enemy sprung a mine under one of the salients on General B. R. Johnson's front and opened his batteries upon our lines and the city of Petersburg. In the confusion caused by the explosion of the mine he got possession of the salient. We have retaken the salient and driven the enemy back to his lines with loss.

R. E. LEE.

HEADQUARTERS, Near Petersburg, July 30, 1864-6.30 p.m.

Hon. JAMES A. SEDDON,
Secretary of War:

General A. P. Hill reports that General Mahone in retaking the salient possessed by the enemy this morning recovered the four guns with which it was armed, captured 12 stand of colors, 74 officers, including Brigadier-General Bartlett and staff, and 855 enlisted men. Upward of 500 of the enemy's dead are lying unburied in the trenches. His loss slight.

R. E. LEE.