supply him to-night. Crawford moved up the run after driving in their skirmishers and confronted the enemy on its bank, but owing to the very dense thicket through which he had to move and the slashed timber in the run, did not succeed in finding a practicable place to attack. He connected, however, with Griffin on this bank. Griffin, after minutely examining the enemy's position on this side, found him so strongly intrenched he deemed it useless to attempt to carry any part of the line. So soon as I hear from General Hancock I will advise you of what it is proposed to do to-morrow. I have no return of casualties, but have reason to believe Hancock's losses have been severe. On this side the medical director estimates the wounded of the Fifth and Ninth Corps at about 200.

GEO. G. MEADE,

Major-General.

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC,
October 27, 1864-9 p.m. (Sent 11.15 p.m.)

Lieutenant General U. S. GRANT:

I forward a dispatch,* just received from Major-General Hancock, by which you will see he has concluded to withdraw, in which opinion I fully concur, as I doubt the practicability of supplying him with ammunition and re-enforcing him in time to-morrow. Besides, were this practicable, it would be a simple matter for the enemy to move a part of their force over Hatcher's Run and attack my weakened right wing, my wings being separated by more than six miles, whereas they have less than two to move from one point to the other. After Hancock has recovered I will to-morrow leisurely withdraw to our intrenchments, and if the enemy is disposed to come out of his lines and attack on this side I will give him battle.

GEO. G. MEADE,

Major-General.

General Hancock claims a decided success, having repulsed all the enemy's attacks and made many prisoners. He regrets the necessity of withdrawing, but places it on the difficulty of being in time re-enforced and supplied with ammunition.

CITY POINT, VA., October 27, 1864-12 p.m.

Major-General MEADE:

Your dispatch, with that from Hancock, just received. Now that the enemy have taken to attacking, I regret the necessity of withdrawing, but see the cogency of your reasoning. If ammunition could have been taken up on pack animals it might have enabled us after all to have gained the en we started out for. The enemy attacking rather indicates that he has been touched on a weak point. Do not change, however, the directions you have given.

U. S. GRANT,

Lieutenant-General.

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*See Hancock to Humphreys, 9 p.m., p. 382.

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