HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC, October 12, 1864-11 p.m.

Lieutenant General U. S. GRANT:

I have received no information of the enemy's having certainly undermined Fort Sedgwick. The only information in reference to the enemy's mining operations was contained in a telegram from Major-General Hancock, the substance of which was transmitted in my report this a.m., to the effect that a deserter said the enemy had completed a mine on his front. General Hancock said the deserter had been detained that he might identify the spot. An engineer officer was sent to take the necessary steps to meet the contingency. Since then I have heard nothing from General Hancock. Some time ago it was reported the enemy was mining under Fort Sedgewick. At that time a line was made in the rear and every preparation made to let the enemy blow it up. These still exist. At the time it was considered not likely, from the conformation of the ground, that a mine could be placed there, owing to the distance to be galleried. Since then our pickets have been considerably advanced, and we command all the ground in front for 200 yards, and I should think could readily detect the existence of a mine in that locality. I will, however, refer your dispatch to Major-General Hancock, with directions to make the preparations indicated.

GEO. G. MEADE,
Major-General.

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC,

OFFICE OF THE PROVOST-MARSHAL-GENERAL, October 12, 1864.

Major General A. A. HUMPHREYS,

Chief of Staff:

GENERAL: Two deserters from the Twenty-sixth Mississippi and Fifty-fifth North Carolina, of Davis' brigade, Heth's division, came into the Ninth Corps lines last evening. They are conscripts and can give no information. Two prisoners of war were taken on the Ninth Corps front last evening from the Forty-sixth North Carolina, Cooke's brigade, Heth's division. They state that their brigade is on the extreme right of their infantry line, but cannot locate it nearer than one mile and a half this side of the Boydton plank road and six miles from Petersburg.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

JNumbers C. BABCOCK.

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC,
OFFICE OF THE PROVOST-MARSHAL-GENERAL, October 12, 1864.

Major-General HUMPHREYS,

Chief of Staff:

GENERAL: Fourteen prisoners of war, including one commissioned officer, first lieutenant, have been forwarded from the Second Cavalry Division. Four of them are regularly detailed scouts belonging to General Butler's division of cavalry. They were taken near Proctor's Cross-Roads. Eight of them are drivers and guard of a wagon train (belonging to Chambliss' cavalry brigade) that was going down in

12 R R-VOL XLII, PT III