August 17, 1864.-This day passed without heavy fighting; Second and Tenth Corps on same ground as held by them yesterday at termination of operations. Miles' brigade and Fourth Brigade of same division (First Division) on Birney's right. Mott's Creek on left of "Potteries." This day General Mott succeeded in getting away and 8-inch howitzer which had been captured by the Tenth Corps on the 14th instant, but had not been taken off the field because it was still under enemy's fire. 12.30 p. m., General Hancock, at request of General Birney, commanding Tenth Corps, sent me out with a flag of truce to propose to the enemy a cessation of hostilities to enable us to get the dead and wounded of both sides from between the lines at Fussell's Mill, where the attack was made yesterday. I took an orderly to carry the fag and rode out in front of our line in a meadow where the lines were close together; the enemy's works, filled with their troops, ran around the crest of a hill which rose from the meadow. As soon as I got within musket-range some of these men fired at myself and the orderly, notwithstanding my flag was plainly visible. I rode on, however, toward them and then an officer jumped over the parapet and waved a newspaper as a recognition of my flag of truce and their men ceased firing on me. I was just going to order our pickets (whose line I had only passed and who were protected by little half-moons which they had thrown up) to commence firing when I saw the officer coming to meet me as the jumped over the parapet. When I met the officer I gave him my opinion in plain language of the conduct of his troops in firing upon me when I was the bearer of a flag of truce. He apologized for the brutality of the men and said they had fired without having been ordered to do so. I reported the circumstance of the flag having been fired upon to General Hancock when I returned. I informed the officer of the object of the truce, when he returned to his commanding officer, agreeing to let us know at 3 p. m. whether the proposition for a short truce will be acceded to on their part. I returned to our lines and the firing recommenced. At 3 p. m. I again stated that they agreed to a truce from 4 until 6 p. m. Turce commenced at 4 p. m. accordingly, when we met enemy's officers near Fussell's Mill; they delivered up our dead from their lines, while we did the same for them. There were no wounded living between the lines; all were dead. During this truce we delivered to the enemy the body of Brigadier-General Chamliss, of the rebel service, who, as before stated in these notes, was killed at Deep Creek, on Charles City road, on the 16th instant. His remains had been buried by our soldiers near the "Potteries" on the evening of the 16th and were taken out of the grave to-day to be given to his people. So that his family might know where he was buried hereafter, I had made the following notes as to his place of burial at the "Potteries:"

Brigadier General John R. Chambliss (rebel service) buried at "Potteries" where New Market road crosses Bailey's Creek. His gave is directly in front of the house (hotel) about thirty feet from the road; ten feet from the corner of the icehouse. He was killed on the 16th of August near Deep Creek on the Charles City road. Head-board at his grave marked as follows: Brigadier General John R. Chambliss, C. S. Army, killed in battle August 16, 1864, buried by Third Brigade, Third Division, Second Army Corps.

The truce expired at 6 p. m., as arranged, and the firing recommenced.

No change in position of troops.