CITY POINT, August 5, 1864.

Lieutenant-General GRANT,

Washington, D. C.:

Rebels exploded a small mine this evening about forty yards in front of Ord's left. No damage done to our works. No assault. Loss reported trifling. Colonel Stedman dangerously wounded. Our lines intact.

E. S. PARKER,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

CITY POINT, VA., August 5, 1864.

Brigadier General S. WILLIAMS,

Assistant Adjutant-General:

If not improper to communicate, I would like to know the cause of the heavy firing this evening, so that it may be communicate to General Grant.

E. S. PARKER,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC,
August 5, 1864-8.20 p. m.

Captain E. S. PARKER,

Asst. Adjt. General, Hdqrs. Lieutenant-General Grant, City Point:

The following dispatch from General Ord explains the firing you heard this evening.* All is quiet now.

S. WILLIAMS,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

BUTLER'S HEADQUARTERS,

August 5, 1864. (Received 11.45 p. m.)

Major-General MEADE:

Please send word what has been done at your front.

BENJ. F. BUTLER,

Major-General.

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC,
August 5, 1864-11.30 p. m.

Major General B. F. BUTLER:

There has not been anything done in my front to-day. At 6.30 p. m. there was heavy artillery firing on the right, which Major-General Ord, on my inquiring the cause, reported the enemy exploding a small mine about forty yards in front of his left. So soon as I received this information I put Hancock in motion to sustain Ord in case of an assault, but the enemy did not make any and Hancock has returned. Believing the enemy could not have made so great a mistake in distance as forty yards, I advised Ord that perhaps his object was to effect a lodgment under cover of the crater at night, and suggested his keeping a warm

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*See Ord to Humphreys, received 8.10 p. m. August 5, p. 64.

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