Fourth. The 8-inch columbiad west of Norfolk railroad, after over four weeks' delay in putting it up, is now without a proper sight or hawser, which should be immediately supplied. This gun had orders, until about three days past, not to fire. About 300 shots were fired at it deliberately by the enemy on Thursday last, and then the captain in command was told that if fired on he might reply deliberately. During this concentrated fire no battery of ours replied. I would respectfully request that this gun be immediately supplied with all necessary appliances, and that the gun shall be fired when the enemy is not firing on it, so as to get the range of the gun and its bearings, especially in regard to enfilanding the enemy's works. For this purpose suitable officers should be posted on the right to watch the effect of its shots. This practice is the more necessary because it is manned by infantry that have never served such a piece of artillery. General Gracie reports that he can distinguish a work that the enemy are erecting on the hill in his front, supposed to be a battery.

Colonel Goode, commanding Wise's brigade, reports that four men of the Forty-sixth Virginia, Regiment, viz, Privates Lewis Wilson, Company A; Thomas W. Mattox, B. T. Keesee, John E. Hodgese, Company C, deserted to the enemy last night.

The following casualties are respectfully submitted: Ransom's brigade wounded, 1; Gracie's brigade, wounded, 1.

Very respectfully,

B. R. JOHNSON,

Major-General.

Colonel G. W. BRENT,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

HEADQUARTERS JOHNSON'S DIVISION,
Petersburg, Va., September 20, 1864.

COLONEL: The enemy's fire was quite weak yesterday until about dark, when quite a brisk mortar fire sprang up, resulting in no damage to us, however. Captain Hurt, commanding the columbiad battery, reports that he opened on the enemy's battery in orchard, with excellent. Out of five shots fired (all of which struck), two of them passed through an embrasure and exploded. I would respectfully request that our artillery, from Blount's battery to the White House battery, shall be ordered to fire from each in turn, in succession, one gun every five minutes, on the enemy's working parties in the woods running from the front of Gracie's salient to the right (that is, our right).

The following casualties are respectfully submitted: Gracie's brigade, killed, 1; wounded, 3. Ransom's brigade, wounded, 1.

Respectfully, your obedient servant,

B. R. JOHNSON,

Major-General.

Colonel G. W. BRENT,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

HEADQUARTERS JOHNSON'S DIVISION,

Petersburg, Va., September 21, 1864

COLONEL: The columbiad and mortars kept up and occasional fire yesterday; the musketry has been about as usual. This morning the enemy opened along my entire line with artillery. It is supposed that they feared an attack from us under cover of the dense fog. General