I have the honor to state that the position which I occupied was on the right (northward and westward) of the work, and was not such as enabled me to make a very close examination of it; that I did however, make such an examination as I was able, and ceratin things become evident, viz, that the work was high, and difficult of approach, on account of the nature of the ground obstructions, and the steepness of the ascent; and that it was strongly manned. While i supposed at the time that an assault was to be attempted, my opinion was that it must be done at great hazard and sacrifice, and probably with disastrous results. This opinion was formed without any further information in regard to the strength of the work, its armament, and the force within it, that was apparent to any one from the point which I occupied, but I have received no information which has led me to charge that opinion.

I am, colonel, very respectfully,

JOSEPH C. ABBOTT,

Colonel Seventh New Hampshire Volunteers.

Numbers 12. Report of Brigadier General Edward W. Hinks, U. S. Army, commanding Third Division, Eighteenth Army Corps.

HEADQUARTERS HINKS' DIVISION,
City Point, Va., June 10, 1864.

MAJOR; I have the honor to submit the following report of operations under the order of Major-General Butler, dated June 8, 1864, 3 p. m. (Copy appended, marked A):*

Immediately after dark I moved two regiment-1,300 men of my command-to the vicinity of Brodway, and repaired to the pontoon bridge at about 9 o'clock, where I received the dispatch from major-General Butler, dated June 8, 1864, 11 p. m. (Copy appended, marked B.) + At about 2.45 a. m. of June 9 General Gillmore arrived at the pontoon bridge, and at 3.30 a. m., his troops having all crossed, I returned to Copsa's, where one of my regiments was bivouacked, and awaited the arrival of the rest of the column. At about 5 o'clock I marched from Copsa's closely following the advance of General Kautz, and on arriving at Bailey's received an ordered from general Gillmore, dated June 9,5 a. m. (Copy appended, marched C.) ++ I asked General Gillmore if it 5 was the intention to hold on to the enemy's works as long as possible at amy rate, and he answered me, "No; unless we take them within an hour it will be useless to attempt, and you must use your discretion in the attack." I immediately moved forward, understanding that General Gillmore was to move to the right of Bailey's, toward the Appomattox, and then we were to make co-operative attack. A staff officer of General Gillmore accompanies me to seed my forces in position, and then report to the general. At about 7 a. m. the 9th instant I closed Bailey's creek, on the Jordan's Point road, and drove the enemy's pickets into his works in Jordan's and Friend's fields, deploying my forces at Ruffian's house and advancing to the creak of the hewing, when finding that my line was advance of the enemy's works upon the right, some 600 yards distant, and would be exposed to a flank fire, I attempted to get a battery into position to engage the work either

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* See Part III, p. 707.

+ Not found as an inclosure.

++ See Gillmore's report, p. 208.

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