to save them. Our line now extends from near the Chickahominy to Totopotomoy Creek, but Burnside is ordered to withdraw from the right to the center as rapidly as possible.

C. A. DANA.

Honorable E. M. STANTON,

Secretary of War.

COLD HARBOR, VA., June 2, 1864-4 p.m. (Received 9 a.m., 4th.)

There has been no battle to-day. Hancock's men were so tired with their night's march of nearly 12 miles from their previous position on our extreme right, and the heat and dust so oppressive, that at 2 p.m. to-day General Grant ordered the attack to be postponed till 4.30 a.m. to-morrow. The weather is now changed, and we are having a violent rain-storm. Our entire losses yesterday were, in round numbers, 2,500 killed and wounded. The Eighteenth Corps lost 650 wounded. One of Devens' brigades came out of the fight with but 3 field officers left. My report this morning that this corps had been compelled to withdraw from part of the rebel works it had carried was a mistake. On visiting the lines to-day I found that it held them all. In capturing these lines Smith took many prisoners, and rendered easier the subsequent capture of another part of the same works by General Ricketts. The whole number of prisoners taken yesterday was about 700. The enemy's losses otherwise were very heavy. The right of our lines is now at Bethesda Church, and on the left the cavalry hold down to the Chickahominy. The right wing of the rebels is commanded by Beauregard. The two bridges over the South Anna destroyed by General Wilson were between 200 and 300 feet long. Wilson fought his way out without great loss, but was obliged to leave his dead on the field. There joined this army yesterday ten old and new regiments, making an additional force of 3,727 men. The largest of these regiments were the Twenty-first Pennsylvania [Cavalry] (dismounted), 950 men, Fourth Delaware, 503 men, and the Fourth New Hampshire, 500 men.

C. A. DANA.

Honorable EDWIN M. STANTON,

Secretary of War.

P. S.-I omitted to state in cipher that Sheridan had a smart fight this morning near Gaines' Mill was unable to force the line of the enemy, owing to the commanding position of their batteries.

C. A. D.

COLD HARBOR, VA., June 3, 1864. (Received 8.50 a.m., 4th.)

Our forces attacked the enemy along the whole line this morning, opening at 4.30 o'clock. Hancock had the left, with Barlow's and Gibbon's divisions in front and Birney in reserve. Next him was Wright, with his corps drawn up in three lines; next Smith, with the Eighteenth Corps in two lines; next Warren, who had his whole command in a single line, the distance he covered being nearly 4 miles. With this thin order of battle he was necessarily unable to