as they will be occupied by the troops relieving you. Regimental commanders will be held personally responsible that this order is complied with.

By order of Brevet Major-General Ferrero:

GEO. A. HICKS,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

[DECEMBER 31, 1864.-For the "effective strength" of the U. S. forces operating against Richmond, see Part I, pp. 40, 41.]

Abstract from return of the Army of the Potomac, Major General George G. Meade,* U. S. Army, commanding, for the month of December, 1864.

Present for duty.

Command Officers Men Aggregate

present.

General 32 ............. 32

headquarters

Provost Guard 55 1,413 1,931

(Patrick)

Engineer 90 3,539 4,420

Brigade

(Benham)

Battalion U. 5 170 206

S. Engineers

(Howell)

Artillery 57 1,722 2,737

(Hunt)

Guards and 1 39 86

orderlies

(Batchelder)

Signal Corps 10 124 140

(Davis)

Second Army 960 18,963 25,060

Corps

(Humphreys)

Fifth Army 756 17,061 22,829

Corps (Warren)

Sixth Army 608 14,934 19,268

Corps (Wright)

Ninth Army 721 15,923 20,956

Corps

(Willcox)

Second Cavalry 255 6,538 8,441

Division

(Davies)

Total 3,550 80,276 105,091

Pieces of artillery

Command Aggregate Heavy Field

present and

absent

General 47 ............. .............

headquarters

Provost Guard 2,786 ............. .............

(Patrick)

Engineer 5,112 ............. .............

Brigade

(Benham)

Battalion U. 282 ............. .............

S. Engineers

(Howell)

Artillery 2,737 68 98

(Hunt)

Guards and 99 ............. .............

orderlies

(Batchelder)

Signal Corps 164 ............ .............

(Davis)

Second Army 47,213 ............. 70

Corps

(Humphreys)

Fifth Army 33,201 ............. 58

Corps (Warren)

Sixth Army 30,420 ............. 34

Corps (Wright)

Ninth Army 30,961 ............. 36

Corps

(Willcox)

Second Cavalry 14,440 ............. 8

Division

(Davies)

Total 167,462 68 304

Organization of the Army of the Potomac, commanded by Major General George G. Meade*, U. S. Army, December 31, 1864.

GENERAL HEADQUARTERS.

PROVOST GUARD.

Brigadier General MARSENA R. PATRICK.

8th Delaware (three companies), Captain Robert J. Holt.

1st Indiana Cavalry, Company K, Lieutenant William O. Hedrick.

1st Massachusetts Cavalry, Companies C and D, Captain Edward A. Flint.

80th New York (20th Militia), Lieutenant Colonel John McEntee.

3rd Pennsylvania Cavalry (eight companies), Lieutenant Colonel James W. Walsh.

68th Pennsylvania, Colonel Andrew H. Tippin.

114th Pennsylvania, Bvt. Brigadier General Charles H. T. Collis.

ENGINEER BRIGADE AND DEFENSES OF CITY POINT

Brigadier General HENRY W. BENHAM.

61st Massachusetts (six companies), Lieutenant Colonel Charles F. Walcott.

1st Maine Sharpshooters (two companies), Captain R. Abbott.

Hall's Independent Battalion (Michigan) Sharpshooters (two companies), Captain Nathaniel P. Watson.

18th New Hampshire (six companies), Lieutenant Colonel Joseph M. Clough.

15th New York Engineers, Colonel Wesley Brainerd.

50th New York Engineers, Colonel William H. Pettes.+

---------------

*Temporarily absent; Major General John G Parke in command.

---------------

+Commanding detachment at Washington, D. C., the remainder of regiment serving in the field under subordinate officers.