and ambulances, a large number, are crowded with wounded. He will either remain where he is to protect them or take his main body to Fredericksburg, I think. It is great regret to me that I am forced to halt, because the men are out of rations. They have borne this cheerfully, in some instances for forty-eight hours, but I cannot follow up the pursuit of the enemy when it carries me from all supplies. If he had kept down the river I would have attacked him agin. He is reported to be in bad condition. I omitted in my list of wounded Colonel Aiken, Sixth South Carolina, who is painfully though not dangerously hurt. I hope to receive orders from you. A am borrowing some rations in the country, and if enough can be had for one day's supply I shall push on to-night in the hope of striking the enemy in flank. My men are jaded but in fine spirits. The new troops fought well. Butler's brigade held their ground against seven desperate charges under as heavy fire, artillery and musketry, as troops are often subjected to, without even giving back a foot. Their losses (I mean the new troops), both of prisoners and by casualtiies, came only from the want of experience on the field.

I am, very respectfully,

WADE HAMPTON,

Major-General.

[40.]

HEADQUARTERS,
near Meadow Station, June 14, 1864 - 3 p. m.

Colonel WALTER H. TAYLOR,

Assistant Adjutant-General, Army of Northern Virginia:

COLONEL: There are no pickets of the enemy in our front. Our infantry scouts have been over the Chickahominy all the morning and can discover none of the enemy except a few stragglers, which have been brought in, some of whom state that they were in route to the White House when they were taken. The others did not appear toknow where they were going, except to join their command, which they understood to be six or seven miles in front of them (their former rear). The people on the other siede of the Chickahominy say that the bulk of Grant's army has gone to the White House. I have heard nothing from Chambliss except that his picket-line extends from Grapevine Bridge to Old Church. Hearing some hour or so ago that there were some of the enemy's infantry three miles below Bottom's Bridge on the main road toward the White House, I sent all the mounted men I have vailable, about twenty in number, to try and find out something. Since then I have heard that the supposed enemy was our own infantry scouts. The railroad gun with the engine was sent to Richmond early this mornig.

Very respectfully,

G. W. C. LEE.

P. S.-I had ordered a picket to Fisher's Ford when I was informed that General Heth's regiment had returned. I can picket it if General Heth wishes the regiment.

G. W. C. L.

[40.]

HEADQUARTERS CAVALRY,
Poindexter's, June 14, [1864]-10.30 p. m.

[Major BRIEN:]

MAJOR: Scouts from Twenty-fourth Virginia Cavalry (Lieuttenant-Colonel Robins' regiment) report the enemy passing up James River