Today in History:

808 Series I Volume XLVI-II Serial 96 - Appomattox Campaign Part II

Page 808 N. AND SE.VA., W.VA.,MD., AND PA. Chapter LVIII.

dispatches being both received at the same time, without the hour being noted, I cannot understand which of them I am to be governed by. I would prefer you should furnish them if convenient.

U. S. GRANT,

Lieutenant-General.

JONES' LANDING, March 3, 1865. [Received 7.30 p.m.]

Lieutenant-General GRANT:

I have sent two gun-boats this afternoon as requested. The second telegram was to let you know where others were to be required if needed.

WM. RADFORD,

Commodore.


HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC, PROVOST-MARSHAL-GENERAL'S OFFICE,
March 3, 1865.

Colonel G. D. RUGGLES,

Assistant Adjutant-General:

COLONEL: I have the honor to state that seventy-two rebel deserters were forwarded to this office to-day, bringing in with them forty-seven muskets. The men were representatives of Finegan's, Weisiger's, Scales', MacRae's, Terry's, Lane's, Lewis', Ransom's, Wallace's, and Wise's brigades. An informant from Wise's brigade states that there are no reserves of infantry or artillery in rear of the above brigade, or in the neighborhood of Cemetery Hill, and that the depression is used for parking the ambulances of that brigade. Informants from Terry's brigade state that all the intrenching tools of the brigade, Gordon's corps, were sent to the division headquarters, Evans', on Monday or Tuesday of this week; that all the baggage of their brigade had been sent to the rear; and that they were engaged in building breast-works, with a deep ditch in front. These breast-works, commencing from the right of the fort situated to the west of the Boydton plank road, run in a northwesterly direction, and are finished to within two miles of the South Side Railroad. They are about five feet high inside, and the intention apparently is to lay a platform from which the men are to discharge their pieces and step off it when reloading. There are no embrasures for guns. In front of this line of breast-works there are four rows of abatis, and it is rumored that the chevaux-de-frise which have been recently brought to Petersburg are to be placed on this front also. Details have been made from this brigade to build a hospital for the division within a few rods of Sutherland's Station, and men returning from this work to camp have stated that Rodes' division was under marching orders, and was to go somewhere, taking the cars at Sutherland's Station. This is reported to have been the case on Tuesday, but they had not on that day left camp. Informants from the Twenty-first North Carolina, Lewis' brigade, state that on Wednesday Johnston's brigade, of the same division [Pegram's], moved down the Boydton plank road in marching order [the number of days' rations they had with them could not be ascertained], and proceeded, one said, down toward Dinwiddie Court-House. The others stated that it went down the military road on its way to Belfield.

PH. SCHUYLER,

Captain and Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.


Page 808 N. AND SE.VA., W.VA.,MD., AND PA. Chapter LVIII.