HEADQUARTERS TWENTIETH CORPS,
Kidd's Mill, Appomattox River, VA., May 7, 1865.

Major-General GEARY,

Commanding Second Division:

GENERAL: The major-general commanding directs me to say that if, upon arriving here, you find that your men are fatigued, you had better encamp here, crossing everything over the bridge. The Third and First Divisions will go on to a steram four miles ahead to encamp for Creek for the time that we remain near Richmond. That is twenty-one miles from here, and the general desires to make that to-morrow. The general says that if, after your arrival here, you find that you can facilitate the crossing of the trains by preparing the approaches to the infantry bridge so that wagons can cross, he wishes you to do so, as he is anxious that the trains should all cross to-night. The order of march to-morrow will probably be, First, Second, Third Divisions. Your encamping here will not change it.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

H. W. PERKINS,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

HEADQUARTERS TWENTIETH CORPS,
Clover Hill, Va., May 7, 1865.

Brevet Major-General GEARY,

Commanding Second Division:

GENERAL: I send herewith the order of march for to-morrow. * The scarcity of water has made it necessary for the general commanding to encamp the divisions so far apart to-night that he has deemed it impracticable to change the order of march for to-morrow; consequently the corps marches the same as yesterday. It was his intention to have alternated the divisions to-morrow, but he now deems it impracticable to do so. To-morrow's march will probably bring us as near Richmond as we shall go until we pass through it on our way to Washington or Alexandria.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

H. W. PERKINS,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

ORDERS.] HDQRS. THIRD DIVISION, TWENTIETH CORPS,

Clover Hill, Va., May 7, 1865.

This division will march at 4. 30 a. m. to-morrow toward Richmond, in the following order: Second Brigade, Third Brigade, First Brigade. The trains will march in the same order as to-day.

* * * *

By command of Bvt. Major General W. T. Ward:

ROBT. E. BEECHER,

Captain and Assistant Adjutant-General.

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*See Orders, p. 425.

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