fire on the spot. Unfortunately, we have no fire balls to illuminate the ground. Perhaps the enemy may have feared our mining and exploded this mine to blow in our supposed galleries. I understand from Ord his casualties from the artillery firing was slight. There was some artillery firing on Burnside's front, adjacent to Ord, at the same time. I presumed Ord would or had reported this to you, or I should have earlier advised you of the facts.

GEO. G. MEADE,

Major-General.

CITY POINT, VA., August 5, 1864-11 a. m.

(Received 7 p. m.)

QUARTERMASTER-GENERAL U. S. ARMY:

The last of Torbert's division of cavalry left here at 9 this morning; it numbered about 5,000. I am now shipping the ammunition and will be loading and sending wagons constantly. Shall begin to embark Wilson's division at 12 m. to-day. We can embark them as rapidly as the returning transports will permit.

R. INGALLS,

Chief Quartermaster.

CITY POINT, VA., August 5, 1864-2 p. m.

(Received 8.15 p. m.)

General M. C. MEIGS,

Quartermaster-General U. S. Army:

Will it be necessary to send the ambulances of the Sixth Corps and Cavalry Corps to Washington? Can you supply what may be wanted and shall those now here be retained? If those commands are to rejoin this army shortly, the fewest number of wagons and ambulances consistent with actual wants should be sent from here, as the transportation of them by water is a precarious matter. Please ascertain and instruct me. Wilson's division has begun to embark and will be sent off as fast as vessels arrive. Our facilities for embarking are excellent. We only require transports, and I presume they return as fast as possible.

RUFUS INGALLS,

Brigadier-General and Chief Quartermaster.

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC,
PROVOST-MARSHAL-GENERAL'S DEPARTMENT,

August 5, 1864.

Major-General HUMPHREYS,

Chief of Staff:

GENERAL: We have received two deserters from the Eleventh Florida, Finegan's brigade, who left their skirmish line last night about 9 o'clock. They are not intelligent, but seem to be truthful. They say that they do not know much about the location of any troops excepting their own division, but they seem to have heard of Heth's and Wilcox's as being there quite lately. They say that men from their brigade pass backward and forward to the railroad and to Petersburg daily, seeking opportunities to buy vegetables, and think that if any troops