HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC, December 9, 1864-1.30 p. m.

Major-General HUMPHREYS:

I think Miles had better confine his operations with the infantry to holding his position at Hatcher;s Run, and letting the cavalry, with possible a small infantry support, push out to ascertain what they can. Unless Miles is re-enforced I do not think it prudent for him to advance beyond the run, as he should look to his right flank and line of retreat in case of being pressed before supports can reach him. Perhaps it would be no more than prudential to send another force of your reserves to the vicinity of Thompson's of Tucker's to co-operate with Miles and keep open the road to him. I feel anxious lest his position should become critical before we are made aware of it. The enemy may look four us on the South Side road and remain on the defensive, but he may push down to see what we are abut.

GEO. G. MEADE,
Major-General.

GEO. G. MEADE,

Major-General.

CITY POINT, VA., December 9, 1864-2.15 p. m. (Received 2.25 p.m.)

Major-General MEADE:

Your instructions to General Humphreys are satisfactory. If the enemy move against Miles he can be supported. In any event, he can save himself by moving eastward and then all back. With the re-enforcements the enemy is now receiving from the Valley he may be strong enough to detach heavily by to-morrow. The remaining division of the Sixth Corps starts to-morrow to join your command.

U. S. GRANT,

Lieutenant-General.

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC,
December 9, 1864-6 p. m.

Lieutenant-General GRANT:

I send you the latest dispatches received.* I will have the mail-carrier carefully examined when he comes in. A contraband, living at Armstrong's, who was on the Boydton plank road yesterday south of Hatcher's Run, says Heth and Wilcox and two of Hill's divisions passed there yesterday and the day before. This would confirm the mail-carrier's report that Hill had gone to Dinwidie.

GEO. G. MEADE,

Major-General.

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC,
December 9, 1864-8.45 p. m. (Received 9.30 p. m.)

I expect we have all the information we will get from our reconnaissance, which is that Hill's corps, probably all of it, went yesterday to Dinwiddie Court-House, undoubtedly to meet Warren's movements, which Lee may have thought were for the South Side Railroad. When the cavalry report Warren on the Weldon road, Hill will follow after and try to drive off. Giving him 15,000 infantry and 8,000 cavalry, he is not Warren's superior, and without fortifications, if Warren's men will fight and we have any luck, Warren ought to repulse him. If, however, the fortune of war is against him he can always retire to the eastward and

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

*See Humphreys to Meade, 5.20 p. m., p. 905, and Fisher to Meade,

p.895.

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