HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE JAMES,
September 30, 1864.

Major-General WEITZEL,

Commanding Eighteenth Army Corps:

Prisoners taken report that they have been quite heavily re-enforced, and that order have been given to take the forts in your front at all hazards before sundown to-morrow. We know of their being re-enforced by Hoke's division and three brigades of Field's division, about 3,500 men. Look out for to-morrow morning.

BENJ. F. BUTLER,

Major-General, Commanding.

HEADQUARTERS THIRD DIVISION, EIGHTEENTH CORPS,
Near Chaffin's Farm, September 30, 1864.

Captain GRAVES,

Assistant Adjutant-General, Tenth Corps:

I sent an hour since a staff officer to Deep Bottom for my own commissary stores. I have also to report that I have just been informed by Major-General Witzel, commanding Eighteenth Corps, that I was to be relieved in my present position by troops of Tenth Corps, and was then to report to him.

Respectfully,

C. J. PAINE,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.

ORDERS.] HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE JAMES,

In the Field, September 30, 1864.

Colonel Moore, commanding Two hundred and third Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers, Birney's Sharpshooters, is hereby detailed to take command of the post of Deep Bottom and on the other side of Four-Mile Creek. He will be responsible for picket, provost, and other duties, and will receive all recruits and report them to their proper commands and forward them, if ordered by their commanding officers. He will see that no enlisted man passes the pontoon bridge from the post without a proper order, or an orderly bering dispatches.

BENJ. F. BUTLER,

Major-General, Commanding.

DARBY ROAD, FIRST LINE REBEL WORKS,

September 30, 1864-7.30 a. m.

General BUTLER,

Commanding:

I felt the enemy's line all the way to the Chickahominy and found the roads, all of them commanded by heavy and light artillery. I found it a connected line throughout and the redoubts very numerous. I made an attempt at midnight to assault the works near the Chickahominy, but in the darkness the command became confused in the fallen timer, which was very extensive and difficult to get through, and I withdrew.