of everything important that should occur in that action and connected therewith within the command of him, said General Burnside, and having been specifically ordered by his said commanding officer, by telegraph, at about forty minutes after 10 p.m. on the 30th of July, 1864, to report to him (said specific order being in form and manner following)-

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC.

July 30, 1864-10.35 p.m.

Major-General.

Commanding Ninth Corps:

The major-general commanding desires to know whether you have any wounded left on the field, and directs me to say that he is awaiting your reply to dispatch of 7.40 p.m.

A. A. HUMPHREYS,
Major-General and Chief of Staff.

-did fail to give the information required by said telegram, or to make any reply thereto. This before Petersburg, Va., on or about the 30th day of July, 1864.

Specification 5th. - In this: That Major General Ambrose E. Burnside, commanding Ninth Army Corps, having been ordered by Major-General Meade commanding the Army of the Potomac, to relieve at once the troops of the Eighteenth Corps in his (said General Burnside's) line, did fail to relieve said troops. This before Petersburg, Va., on or about the 31st day of July 1864.

CHARGE II. - Conduct prejudicial to good order and military discipline.

Specification.- In this: That Major General Ambrose E. Burnside, U. S. Volunteers, commanding Ninth Army Corps, having been ordered by Major-General Meade, commanding the Army of the Potomac, to assault the enemy's works before Petersburg, and to advance his troops to the crest in his front, and having received from Major-General Meade an official dispatch concluding as follows-

Do you mean to say your officers and men will not obey your orders to advance? If no, what is the obstacle? I wish to know the truth, and desire an immediate answer.

GEO. G. MEADE,

Major-General

-did address and send to Major-General Meade, his commanding officer, a dispatch in form and manner following, to wit:

HEADQUARTERS NINTH ARMY CORPS,
Battery Morton, July 30, 1864.

General MEADE:

Your dispatch by Captain Jay received. The main body of General Potter's division is beyond the crater. I do not mean to say that my officers and men will not obey my orders to advance. I mean to say that it is very hard to advance to the crest. I have never in any report said anything different from what I conceived to be the truth. Were it not insubordinate I would say that the latter remark of your note was unofficer-like and ungentlemanly.

Respectfully,yours.

A. E. BURNSIDE,

Major-General.

This in the action before Petersburg, Va., on the 30th day of July, 1864.

GEO. G. MEADE.

Major-General, Commanding Army of the Potomac.

Witnesses: Major General A. A. Humphreys; Major General E. O. C. Ord; Major General John Gibbon; Brigadier General Seth Williams; Captain William Jay, aide-de-camp; Messrs. Caldwell and Emerick, telegraph operators.