HATCHER'S, August 28, 1864 - 2.20 p. m.

Major General D. B. BIRNEY:

I have just learned that General Foster is still here, and he is ordered to move at once to join you. This is due to misunderstanding as to when he was relieved, General Carr not having reported him relieved to these headquarters or notifying him that he was relieved.

E. O. C. ORD,

Major-General.

HEADQUARTERS EIGHTEENTH ARMY CORPS,
August 28, 1864.

General BIRNEY:

GENERAL: I packed up and started for your headquarters this morning. General Ord detained me and says I must remain here to-day to instruct his battery officers the range to different points of the enemy's line. Captain James, Third Rhode Island Artillery, who reports with his battery to you this morning, took a memorandum of all the batteries on your line yesterday for me and is doubtless prepared to give you any information in regard to them that you may require. I have shown your last dispatch to General Ord. He says I must remain, nevertheless, and give the above-mentioned information. I shall come as soon as I can get away.

Respectfully,

F. MCGILVERY,

Colonel and Chief of Artillery.

SPECIAL ORDERS, HDQRS. FIRST DIV., TENTH ARMY CORPS,

No. 104.
Before Petersburg, Va., August 28, 1864

* * * * * * *

4. The position of the troops of this division in the trenches is reassigned as follows, viz:

First. The First Brigade, Colonel J. B. Howell, Eighty-fifth Pennsylvania Volunteers, commanding, will occupy their present front with two regiments in the trenches and two in reserve.

Second. The Second Brigade, Colonel J. R. Hawley, Seventh Connecticut Volunteers, commanding, will rest its left as now, connecting with the right of the First Brigade, extending on the right to a point about 520 yards to the left of the Hare house. Colonel Hawley will place one-half of his troops in the trenches and the other half in reserve, provided that one-half of his force will give not less than one man to every yard of the front assigned to him. Only one of the two regiments armed with Spencer rifles will be placed in the front line at once, and the men now on the line between the Hare house and the front, 520 yards to the left of it, will not be removed until relieved by the troops of Brigadier-General Birney's command.

Third. The Third Brigade, Colonel H. M. Plaisted, Eleventh Maine Volunteers, commanding, will occupy the ground between the left of the First Brigade and Mott's division, of the Second Corps. Colonel Plaisted will place one-half of his men on the front line and one-half in reserve, provided that one-half of his force will be sufficient to place not less than one man to the yard in the trenches.