compensation as would, within the limits of our schedule rates, appear just and proper. But if, after this revaluation and settlement, any person should not be satisfied, the party could then appeal to our board and have the case reconsidered.

All appeals and communications for the board of commissioners should be addressed to D. Saunders Chilton, secretary of the board, Richmond, Va.

E. W. HUBARD,

ROBT. GIBBONEY,

WM. B. HARRISON,

Commissioners of Appraisement for the State of Virginia.

By order:

S. COOPER,

Adjutant and Inspector General.

By command of the Secretary of War:

SAML. W. MELTON,

Assistant adjutant-General.

HEADQUARTERS ENGINEER TROOPS,
Blandford, August 1, 1864.

Colonel W. H. STEVENS,

Chief engineer, Army of Northern Virginia:

COLONEL: On the night of the 30th a detachment of men under Lieutenant Wise commenced work at the crater at Pegram's salient, sinking shafts for the purpose of discovering the enemy's mine. Lieutenant Wise's report,*accompanying this, will give you the result of his examinations to this date. The detachment at Colquitt's salint continued the excavation of the gallery. No indications of the presence of the enemy mining has yet been discovered. During July 31 the indications of the enemy mining had to our men, at Grecie's, become so strong that you issued orders that the mines at this salient should be charged. The ammunition arrived late Sunday afternoon; no lanyards accompanied the articles forwarded by the Ordnance Department, and we were forced to fire our mines by the use of the safety fuse. I formed a detachment of men and in person proceeded to Gracie's mine. By the time we conveyed the powder and other materials to the mine the early part of the night had been consumed. It was 11 p.m. before we commenced work in placing the barrels of powder in the mines to be charged. I aided in person in forming the magazine, attaching the safety fuse to the powder and tamping the mine very efficiently aided by Mr. Blunt and Mr. Black, miners. By 9.15 a.m. August 1 we had the two mines charged, the safety fuse(one piece to each garrel), in all four pieces, extended to the mouth of the shaft and prepared to fire at the signal. A flag of truce giving been arrauged we waited until hostilities were resumed, when, the arrangements being completed, the signal to fire was given by General Gracie. Mr. Black promptly applied the fire to the fuse, and after waiting three-quarters of an hour, and no explosion ganivg taken place, went into the mine and found that three pieces of the safety fuse had gone out and the fourth burning slowly. a short distance from the shaft he cut off the burning fuse, which, on examination, proved to be very defective and perfectly valueless. To this the failure to fire the mines can be charged.

Very respectfully, &c.,

H. T. DOUGLAS,

Captain, &c.

---------------

*See p.1160.

---------------