Today in History:

386 Series I Volume XL-III Serial 82 - Richmond, Petersburg Part III

Page 386 OPERATIONS IN SE. VA. AND N. C. Chapter LII.


HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC, OFFICE OF PROVOST-MARSHAL-GENERAL, July 22, 1864.

Major-General HUMPHREYS,
Chief of Staff:

GENERAL: John Williams, Company M, First New York Cavalry, who was captured at the Narrow Passage, in the Shenandoah Valley, was taken to Richmond and put into Libby Prison. For the purpose of making his escape he claimed that he was a citizen of Fairfax County, Va. He was thereupon conscripted and put in the Sixty-first Virginia Infantry, A. P. Hill's corps. This morning at 4 o'clock, being on picket, he made his escape. Not being familiar with the organization of the Southern army his information is of little importance. He merely knows that there have been no movements of importance within the last three or four days, and he states that A. P. Hill's corps is in the same position which it has occupied for the last week.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

JNumbers McENTEE,

Captain and Provost-Marshal.


HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC, OFFICE OF PROVOST-MARSHAL-GENERAL, July 22, 1864.

Major-General HUMPHREYS,
Chief of Staff:

GENERAL: Four deserters from the Forty-first Virginia Regiment, of Mahone's old brigade, Mahone's division, have just been forwarded from the headquarters of the Fifth Army Corps. A careful examination of them fails to elicit any information of the movement of Hill's corps or any part of Lee's army. They came into our lines at 7 p. m. yesterday. They know of no movements whatever having taken place in Lee's army of late, and their corps is lying in the trenches, Heth's division on the right and Anderson's old division on the left, as usual. Wilcox's division, they state, is on the north side of the Appomattox. In regard to the movement of Longstreet's corps, none of them are positive, but it is thought there has bee no change in his position. It was rumored that Early was going to re-enforce Johnston.

NOTE.-From the statements of these men, several of whom are intelligent and well informed, and disposed to communicate truthfully all they know, we are of the opinion that no change took place in Lee's army yesterday; most certainly no moving in Heth's and Anderson's divisions, of A. P. Hill's corps.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

JNumbers C. BABCOCK.


HEADQUARTERS FIFTH CORPS SIGNAL STATION, July 22, 1864-9 a. m.

Major-General WARREN:

No change observed. Small parties of enemy engaged at different points along the line strengthening works. Atmosphere very unfavorable for observations.

WARTS,
Lieutenant.

(Same to Captain Fisher.)


Page 386 OPERATIONS IN SE. VA. AND N. C. Chapter LII.