Today in History:

629 Series I Volume XL-II Serial 81 - Richmond, Petersburg Part II

Page 629 Chapter LII. CORRESPONDENCE, ETC.-UNION.


HEADQUARTERS NINTH ARMY CORPS, July 4, 1864.

Major-General HUMPHREYS,
Chief of Staff:

I have nothing of importance to report from my line. Sharp skirmishing continued till daylight, probably brought on by the enemy's fear of a movement by us during the night and attack in the early morning. All is quiet now.

A. E. BURNSIDE,

Major-General.

BURNSIDE'S HEADQUARTERS, July 4, 1864.

Major-General HUMPHREYS,

Chief of Staff:

Will there be any salute of any kind fired to-day?

A. E. BURNSIDE,

Major-General.


HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC, July 4, 1864.

Major-General BURNSIDE,
Commanding Ninth Corps:

Your dispatch received. No salutes have been ordered or authorized in this army to-day.

A. A. HUMPHREYS,

Major-General and Chief of Staff.

CONFIDENTIAL.] HEADQUARTERS NINTH ARMY CORPS, July 4, 1864.

Major-General MEADE,

Commanding Army of the Potomac:

GENERAL: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of last evening. I am very sorry that I should have been so unfortunate in expressing myself in my letter. It was written in haste, just after receiving the necessary data upon which to strengthen an opinion already pretty well formed. I assure you in all candor that I never dreamed of implying any lack of confidence in you ability to do all that is necessary in any grand movement which may be undertaken by your army. Were you to personally direct an attack from my front I would feel the utmost confidence, and were I called upon to support an attack from the front of the Second or Sixth Corps, directed by your-self or by either of the commanders of those corps, I would do it with confidence and cheerfulness. It is hardly necessary for me to say that I have had the utmost faith in your ability to handle troops ever since my acquaintance with you in the Army of the Potomac, and certainly accord to you a much higher position in the art of was than I possess, and I at the same time entertain the greatest respect for the skill of the two gentleman commanding the Second and Sixth Corps; so that my duty to the country, to you, and do myself, forbids that I should for a moment assume to embarrass you of them by an assumption of posi-


Page 629 Chapter LII. CORRESPONDENCE, ETC.-UNION.