HEADQUARTERS SECOND ARMY CORPS,
September 24, 1864-9.30 p.m.

General HUMPHREYS:

In the confidential circular with regard to the armament of forts, &c., one paragraph directs that the armament be at once placed in the forts the succeeding paragraph directs the batteries to be occupied as at present. In order to carry out the first paragraph I must take some artillery from the batteries, and so disregard in a measure the second paragraph. I ask your instructions in the matter before proceeding to place the required armament in the forts, as I had intended doing, at the expense of the batteries.

WINF'D S. HANCOCK,

Major-General.

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC,
September 24, 1864-1005 p.m.

Major-General HANCOCK,

Commanding Second Corps:

Yes. The armaments of the redoubts is to be first completed; next that of the batteries with the armaments marked with an asterisk (or star), and last the batteries where it is merely stated pierced for so many guns. Probably you will not be able to arm any of the last named. No particular reason is known here for having cavalry pickets at the place you mention.

A. A. HUMPHREYS,

Major-General and Chief of Staff.

HEADQUARTERS SECOND ARMY CORPS,
September 24,, 1864.

General WILLIAMS:

In order to be nearer the center of my line I propose moving my headquarters to the Deserted House to-morrow morning.

WINF'D S. HANCOCK,

Major-General.

HEADQUARTERS SECOND ARMY CORPS,
September 24, 1864.

Brigadier General S. WILLIAMS,

Assistant Adjutant-General, Army of the Potomac:

GENERAL: I have the honor to invite the attention of the major-general commanding to the large number of men detailed from this crops for fatigue for some time past, and to ask if some measures cannot be adopted to lessen the amount of duty of this nature exacted of my command. The average daily detail from the command during the past week has been 2,700 men, the number, including picket details, being on some occasions as high as 3,100 men. These details are made necessarily from the First and Second Divisions, the Third Division holding the line from Fort Alexander Hays to Fort Meikel, and furnishing a daily picket of about 500 men in front of this line; it also furnishes working parties to a considerable extent where the work required

63 R R-VOL XLII, PT II