Today in History:

766 Series I Volume XLII-III Serial 89 - Richmond-Fort Fisher Part III

Page 766 OPERATIONS IN SE. VA. AND N. C. Chapter LIV.

Abstract from returns of the Department of Virginia and North Carolina, Major General Benjamin F. Butler, U. S. Army, commanding, for the month of November, 1864.

Present for duty

Command Officers Men Aggregate

present

General headquarters 23 ..... 23

Signal Corps (Norton) 21 123 144

Naval Brigade (Graham) 22 698 1.075

1st New York Engineers 8 199 507

(Serrell)

Tenth Army Corps (Terry) 497 14.479 16.900

Eighteenth Army Corps 420 13.304 16.132

(Weitzel)

Cavalry Division (Kautz) 94 2.716 3.349

District of Eastern 114 3.399 4.545

Virginia (Shepley)

District of North 242 6.205 8.891

Carolina (Palmer)

Separate Brigade* (Carr) 43 1.066 1.270

Defenses of Bermuda 169 5.011 6.399

Hundred (Graham)

Grand total 1.653 47.200 59.235

Grand total according to 1.640 46.912 58.160

department return

Pieces of artillery.

Command Aggregate Heavy Field

present

and absent

General headquarters 26 ..... .....

Signal Corps (Norton) 166 ..... .....

Naval Brigade (Graham) 1.272 ..... .....

1st New York Engineers 874 ..... .....

(Serrell)

Tenth Army Corps (Terry) 28.344 ..... 54

Eighteenth Army Corps 30.992 ..... 64

(Weitzel)

Cavalry Division (Kautz) 5.283 ..... 2

District of Eastern 10.787 124 12

Virginia (Shepley)

District of North 11.681 45 68

Carolina (Palmer)

Separate Brigade* (Carr) 1.751 ...... 6

Defenses of Bermuda 10.705 ..... .....

Hundred (Graham)

Grand total 101.881 169 206

Grand total according to 100.609 251 223

department return

WAR DEPARTMENT,

Washington, December 1, 1864 - 10.30 a. m.

Lieutenant-General GRANT,

City Point, Va.:

There are no Veteran Reserves available; on the contrary, the force is so reduced by expiration of enlistments that other troops are called for to guard prisoners of war and drafted men.

H. W. HALLECK,

Major-General and Chief of Staff.

CITY POINT, VA., December 1, 1864.

Major-General HALLECK,

Washington:

Gregg's cavalry was sent south this morning on a reconnaissance, more particularly to discover if the enemy were moving troops south. The following dispatch is just received in relation to it:


HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC,
December 1, 1864 - 8 p. m.

Lieutenant-General GRANT:

I have just heard from Gregg. His dispatch is dated 3.45 p. m. He reports having captured Stony Creek Station, which was defended by infantry and cavalry in works with artillery. He captured two pieces of artillery, but had no means of bringing them off, so spiked them and destroyed the carriages. He has 190 prisoners, eight wagons, and thirty mules. Burned the depot, with 3,000 sacks of corn, 500 bales of hay, a train of cars, large amount of bacon, clothing, ammunition, and other Government stores. Destroyed all the shops and public buildings. The Second Brigade, Colonel Gregg commanding, had the advance, and is reported as most gallantly carrying the enemy's position. General Gregg is now returning to camp. No information could be obtained of the passing of any force southward, either cavalry or infantry. The bed of the branch road from Stony Creek has been graded, but no rails laid. At Duval Station, south of Stony Creek, much property was destroyed, and a

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*Embraces troops at Harrison's Landing and Forts Pocahontas and Powhatan.

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Page 766 OPERATIONS IN SE. VA. AND N. C. Chapter LIV.