Lee, this road--the new portion--was dismantled and the material placed in depot to be disposed of in proper time. The great field hospital at City Point has been described in other reports. It was a very perfect one for the purpose. The medical officers in charge exercised great taste and judgment in its management. There was a somewhat similar field hospital for the Army of the James at Point of Rocks, on the Appomattox. The medical department of each army had its own wharves, store-houses, transports, and hospitals, under the control of its medical officers. The ordnance and subsistence departments had special wharves and store-houses, so also had General Abbot, who had charge of siege guns and material for the entire line, all constructed by the quartermaster's department.*

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On the 1st of July, 1864, there were on hand in the armies operating against Richmond means of land transportation as follows: 41,329 horses, 23,961 mules, 4,440 army wagons, 57 two-horse light wagons, and 915 ambulances.

At the beginning of the last campaign my returns show on hand as follows: 24,192 horses, 23,356 mules, 4,071 army wagons, 144 two-horse light wagons, and 907 ambulances.

After the close of the final campaign, say on May 1, 1865, the means of transportation were as follows: 33,948 horses, 25,093 mules, 4,207 army wagons, 140 two-horse light wagons, and 820 ambulances.

This property was used as prescribed in the orders of the lieutenant-general, a copy of which accompanied my last report, and most of it came to Washington with the last May and June, and was turned into the depot, as the troops were discharged, for final disposition under your orders. This transportation was in most excellent condition and rendered services of vital importance on the last grand campaign from Petersburg and Richmond to Appomattox Court-House. There were many partial movements of the armies from July 1, 1864, to the opening of the last campaign, but they did not render many new dispositions necessary in our department as to the transportation.

On the 30th of July the battle of the Mine was fought.

On the 9th of August near noon there occurred a fearful explosion in the midst of the City Point depot, killing and wounding some 250 employes and soldiers, throwing down over 600 feet in length of ware-houses, and tearing up some 180 linear feet of the wharf. It was found that a barge laden with ordnance stores had been blown up. Immense quantities of shot and shell were thrown into the air and much of it fell in the encampment of the lieutenant-general, wounding, however, only one, Colonel Babcock, of his staff. The lieutenant-general himself seems proof against the accidents of flood and field. It was assumed at the time that the explosion was the result of carelessness on the part of some one in or near the barge, but the developments made in the trial of the assassins of the late President would show that it was the dastardly work of that infernal rebel torpedo bureau in Richmond. The damages of the depot were soon repaired.

August 18 to 20, the Weldon road was seized and thereafter held. An attempt was also made on our right at Deep Bottom.

September 30, the Fifth and Ninth Corps of the Army of the Potomac were engaged at Poplar Grove Church, and the Army of the James captured Fort Harrison and one line of works.

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*Some matter of detail here omitted.

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