CITY POINT, AUGUST 25, 1864-6 P. M.

General MEADE:

I desire to hold the Weldon railroad as long as possible. Redoubts should be constructed on Warren's left, and the line generally strengthened that is necessary to hold the line.

U. S. GRANT,

Lieutenant-General.

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC,
August 25, 1864-7.15 p. m.

General GRANT:

Your dispatch of 6 p. m. just received on my return. Do you mean to hold to the Weldon railroad or to the Jerusalem plank road, or the line we now hold? I presume, as you mean the line now held by Warren, but to prevent misunderstanding ask for explicit instructions. When I left, Hancock had repulsed several attacks of the enemy; Willcox was moving up to this support. After leaving I heard rapid and continuous artillery firing, which is now going on. No report from Hancock. He was directed to withdraw after dark as he could not work any more on the railroad for the presence of the enemy.

GEO. G. MEADE,

Major-General.

CITY POINT, VA., August 25, 1864.

Major-General MEADE,

Commanding, &c.:

I meant by my dispatch that we would hold our present line to and west of the Weldon railroad.

U. S. GRANT,

Lieutenant-General.

CITY POINT, August 25, 1864-10 p. m.

Major-General MEADE:

Lieutenant-General Grant requests me to ask if anything has been heard from Hancock since your dispatch of 6[7.15?] p. m.,

C. B. COMSTOCK,

Lieutenant-Colonel and Aide-de-Camp.

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC,
August 25, 1864-10.30 p. m.

Lieutenant-General GRANT:

A staff officer has just arrived from Hancock, leaving him at 7 p. m. At that time the enemy, having massed, assaulted Hancock with great vehemence in front and on both flanks, carrying, I regret to say, his intrenched line on his right flank. At the time the staff officer left Hancock had rallied his men, reformed them, and was preparing to re-