RICHMOND, June 9, 1864--5.25 p. m.

General R. E. LEE:

These telegrams sent to General Beauregard by the President at 4 and 5 p. m. to-day:

Your dispatch to General Bragg of 3 p. m. has been sent to me. You will realize the impossibility of giving aid in time to save city by ordering troops to you from [other] commands. even if they must be replaced, you should draw from Major-General Johnson the requisite assistance, concealing the movement so that their place may be supplied before their absence is discovered. I am not informed of the answer General Bragg may have given to your dispatch.

JEFFERSON DAVIS.

Colonel Smith has a large and fine battalion at Drewry's Bluff, and that post can be held in present condition of affairs by the marines there. I will ask General Bragg to send to the intrenchments at Howlet's some force from Chaffin's Bluff to aid those you may leave with General Johnson, to hold his position.

JEFFERSON DAVIS.

BRAXTON BRAGG,

General.

[36.]

RICHMOND, June 9, 1864--11.12 p. m.

General R. E. LEE:

Enemy repulsed at Petersburg and our works regained. A prisoner says the object was to tear up the track on railroad between Petersburg and Stony Creek. The order for General Gracie to go over has been revoked, but he to keep in readiness to move at moment's warning.

BRAXTON BRAGG,

General.

[36.]

JUNE 9, 1864--4.30 p. m.

General R. E. LEE:

GENERAL: Captain PAGE, whom I sent out this morning to ascertain something of the enemy, reports that he found a new line of breast-works thrown up 200 or 300 yards on this side of those from which I drove the enemy on the afternoon of the 7th, but that this line is occupied only by a heavy line of skirmishers. He further reports that the enemy has a line of vedettes running across from the (enemy's) right of his line of breast-works to the north side of the Matadequin and thence by Barker's to Gilman's Mill, and perhaps beyond. General Hampton stated the other day that his scouts had gone to Allen's Mill, but this I doubt, as I think he has mistaken Gilman's Mill for Allen's. Gillman's Mill is, I think, down on your map as Gibson's, about one mile east of Bethesda Church. I think it would be well if Hampton were required to break through the enemy's line of vedettes and go to Allen's Mill and to Old Church if he can. So far as I can ascertain, the reports of the enemy's force at or near Old Church come from citizens who generally know very little.

Respectfully,

J. A. EARLY,

Major-General.

[36.]

HEADQUARTERS W. H. F. LEE'S CAVALRY,
June 9, 1864.

Lieutenant Colonel W. H. TAYLOR,

Assistant Adjutant-General:

COLONEL: I am just about riding out on the picket-line. Everything quiet here this morning so far. Scouts are out north of the