HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC,
September 24, 1864-12.40 p.m.

Major-General HANCOCK,

Commanding Second Corps:

You can withdraw your brigades of infantry and batteries of artillery on the Norfolk railroad and at Prince George Court-House.

A. A. HUMPHREYS,

Major-General and Chief of Staff.

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC,
September 24, 1864-1.05 p.m.

Major-General HANCOCK,

Commanding Second Corps:

The major-general commanding directs me to say that in relieving General Birney you must use the batteries of artillery you have in reserve. General Hunt has in reserve twelve field guns, which are also at your disposition. Four of these form a horse battery. Should it be necessary, General Hunt will be directed to put some more siege guns in the redoubts on the front now held by General Birney.

A. A. HUMPHREYS,

Major-General and Chief of Staff.

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC,
September 24, 1864-3 p.m.

Major-General HANCOCK,

Commanding Second Corps:

It is considered that the four guns in Battery Numbers 20 might be removed without materially weakening the line there, and they are therefore available for transfer to the line now held by Birney. The armament for Battery Numbers 6, near Fort McGilvery, is marked for two 30-pounder Parrotts, but the difficulty of supplying them with ammunition makes it desirable to substitute two field guns for the armament.

A. A. HUMPHREYS,

Major-General and Chief of Staff.

HEADQUARTERS SECOND ARMY CORPS,
September 24, 1864-9.20 p.m.

General HUMPHREYS,

Chief of Staff:

General Birney has fifty cavalrymen picketing to the river taken from his body guard, which must be stronger than mine to admit of such detail. I will replace them with infantry unless it is thought necessary to have cavalry there.

WINF'D S. HANCOCK,

Major-General.

[Indorsement.]

General MEADE:

Is there any special reason for cavalry pickets at the place indicated? I know of none.

A. A. HUMPHREYS,

Major-General and Chief of Staff.

Nor. I.

G. G. M[EADE].