wounded, and missing during the three days' operations around Cold Harbor will not exceed 7,500. This morning the enemy's left wing, in front of Burnside, is found to have been drawn in during the night. Colonel Cesnola, in command of some 5,000 men, of new and old troops, stragglers, &c., arrived here yesterday. He marched from Port Royal about a week ago.

C. A. DANA.

Honorable E. M. STANTON,

Secretary of War.

HEADQUARTERS ARMIES OF THE UNITED STATES,
Cold Harbor, Va., June 4, 1864-7 p.m. (Received 6 p.m., 5th.)

No fighting of any account to-day. Our troops have been busy on advanced positions of Hancock, Wright, and Smith, making regular siege approaches to rebel works. These labors will be continued to-night. In General Grant's plan of campaign the effective destruction of the Virginia Central Railroad is an indispensable element. Before moving from Culpeper he expected that before reaching the Chickahominy he would have a chance to crush Lee's army by fair fighting. This would have allowed him undisturbed to destroy that road, as well as the Fredericksburg road, from the Chickahominy to the North Anna. This expectation has been foiled by Lee's success in avoiding battle upon any equal terms, but before moving further in accomplishing the great object of the campaign these roads must be so destroyed that while Richmond is cut off from other lines of communication with the south, the attempt to repair and use the line through Gordonsville and Lynchburg will be hopeless. This necessity will probably detain us here some days. The work will first be attempted by Sheridan with cavalry. He moves to do it to-morrow morning. If he is not able the whole army will be swung around for the purpose, even should it be necessary to abandon temporarily our communications with White House.

C. A. DANA.

Honorable EDWIN M. STANTON,

Secretary of War.

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC,

Cold Harbor, June 5, 1864-10 a.m. (Received 5.30 p.m.)

Enemy last night made an attack upon Hancock, Wright, and Smith, but were everywhere repulsed. The working parties of each of those three corps carried forward their approaches. Hancock's lines are thus brought within some 40 yards of the rebel works. Rebels were yesterday very busy constructing entrenchments on west side of the Chickahominy, at Bottom's Bridge, and toward evening threw a party across to east side. General Gregg thinks this party were infantry. He could not attack them last night, owing to the darkness, but would attack this morning. Torbert's division of