Today in History:

509 Series I Volume XLII-II Serial 88 - Richmond-Fort Fisher Part II

Page 509 Chapter LIV. CORRESPONDENCE, ETC.-UNION.

Terry, near headquarters Eighteenth Corps. General Ames will relive your pickets, which follow you. A staff officer will show you the route. Every precaution will be used against straggling.

By order of Major-General Birney:

ED. W. SMITH,

Assistant Adjutant-General.


HEADQUARTERS EIGHTEENTH ARMY CORPS,
August 25, 1864-7 a. m.

General HUMPHREYS,

Chief of Staff:

The following telegram just received from General Butler:

Mahone's division has re-enforced Pickett, and the enemy are making attack at Ware Bottom Church. Is Ames on his march?

I answered that-

Only 700 of the 1,800 which started to relive General Ames' division were reported at 1 a. m. to-day as having arrived, and General Ames' men are not relieved. I shall form those which are not in the trenches, and, if you direct, start them.

Will General Meade give General Butler information as to Pickett's having relived Mahone in my front?

E. O. C. ORD,

Major-General.


HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC,
August 25, 1864-7.25 a. m.

Major-General ORD,

Commanding Eighteenth Corps:

Your dispatch just received. We have no deserters or others that give us information of Pickett having relieved Mahone. Probably those were Pickett's troops seen yesterday afternoon moving out of Petersburg toward the intrenchments south of the lead-works.

A. A. HUMPHREYS,

Major-General and Chief of Staff.


HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC,
August 25, 1864-8 a. m.

Major-General ORD,

Commanding Eighteenth Corps:

The last information we have of Mahone is from deserters from his division on the night of the 23rd. He had then returned to his former position in the trenches.

A. A. HUMPHREYS,

Major-General and Chief of Staff.


HDQRS. DEPT. OF VIRGINIA AND NORTH CAROLINA,
August 25, 1864.

Major-General ORD:

You may send over here as much of Ames' division as you can. Caution him to march so as to prevent straggling. If you can relive his troops without loss they may as well be relieved. Take measures to pick up the stragglers of Terry's division.

BENJ. F. BUTLER,

Major-General, Commanding.


Page 509 Chapter LIV. CORRESPONDENCE, ETC.-UNION.