The following casualties are respectfully submitted: Wise's brigade, wounded, 3; Gracie's brigade, killed, 1; total, 1 killed, 3 wounded.

Respectfully, your obedient servant,

B. R. JOHNSON,

Major-General.

Colonel G. W. BRENT,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

HEADQUARTERS JOHNSON'S DIVISION,
Petersburg, Va., September 18, 1864

COLONEL: I have nothing unusual to report this morning. The enemy were very quiet yesterday. General Gracie reports that two men, Privates A. J. Ross, Company G, and C. B. Jordan, Company B, both of the Forty-third Alabama Regiment, deserted from his picket-line last night.

The following casualties are respectfully submitted: Gracie's brigade, wounded, 3.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

B. R. JOHNSON,

Major-General.

Colonel G. W. BRENT,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

HEADQUARTERS JOHNSON'S DIVISION,
Petersburg, Va., September 19, 1864.

COLONEL; I desire to call [the] attention of the commanding general to the following facts:

First. The two-gun battery in rear of Gracie's salient, and west of railroad, has been so altered by the artillery officer in command that the original object of its construction is entirely abandoned. It was located to fire into Gracie's salient and to the left of it. It now fires into the ravine to the left of Gracie's salient and bears up toward Colquitt's salient, without bearing directly on it. I would recommend that the battery be made to conform to the original plan.

Second. I am satisfied that the frequent change of officers and men with our batteries on the lines has many disadvantages. Details which remain but a short time with a battery fail to learn all the bearings of their guns in reference to the enemy's works, the positions of which are perhaps often unknown to officers and men, and the details seem to be only interested in serving out their tour and returning to repose, or perhaps idle pleasures in rear. In some of the batteries I have failed to find sentinels duly posted and on the alert to observe the movements of the enemy in front, and brigade commanders have had to send to the batteries instructions to fire on objects plainly in view. Each battery should keep the strictest watch on all the grounds in view within enemy's lines. The artillery officers in command along my line rarely communicate with me or report their headquarters.

Third. Deserters report that about 1,000 of the enemy's troops are engaged in cutting down the woods in front of Gracie's salient to expose that salient to their batteries and lines on the hill beyond It is suggested that our artillery should be required to play upon that woods frequently, and at times perhaps with a concentrated fire. This seems to me an important matter.