About 2.30 a.m. June 2, the following order was received:

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC.

June 2, 1864-[12.30] a.m.

Major-General SMITH.

Commanding Eighteenth Corps:

The major-general commanding directs that the attacks ordered for this morning shall take place at 5 o'clock this afternoon. Such examinations and arrangements as are necessary will be made immediately.

A. A. HUMPHREYS.

Major-General and Chief of Staff.

About 7 a.m. I received from General Wright a supply of ammunition sufficient to fill up my boxes. I then ha at that time one thin line of battle and my boxes filled with ammunition. During the morning, by order of Major-General Meade, General Devens' division

was relieved by the Second Division, Sixth Corps, and Major-General Birney's division was posted on my right flank and remained there through the day. The day was spent in readjusting my liens and strengthening my position. During the afternoon the following circular order was received:

CIRCULAR.] HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC.

June 2, 1864-2.30 p.m.

The attack ordered for 5 p.m. this day is postponed to 4.30 a.m. to-morrow. Corps commanders will employ the interim in making examinations of the ground in their fronts, an perfecting their arrangements for the assault.

GEO. G. MEADE.

Major-General, Commanding.

Anxious to have as far as possible a co-operating attack, I sent to Major-General Wright to ask his plan of attack and signifying my willingness to make mine subordinate to it. His reply was that he was going to assault in his front. I was, therefore, forced to make mine independently, yet keeping up the communication with the Sixth Corps. In front of my right was an open plain, swept by the fire of the enemy, both direct and from our right; on my left the open space was narrower, but equally covered by the artillery of the enemy. Near the center was a ravine, in which the troops would be sheltered from the cross-fire, and through this ravine I determined that the main assault should be made. General Devens' division had been placed on the right to protect our flank and hold as much as possible of the lines vacated by the troops moving forward. General Martindale with his division was ordered to move down the ravine, while General Brooks with his division was to advance on the left, taking care to keep up the connection between Martindale and the Sixth Corps, and if, in the advance, those two commanders should join, he (General Brooks) was ordered to throw his command behind General Martindale, ready to operate on the right flank, if necessary. The troops moved promptly at the time ordered, and driving in the skirmishers of the enemy carried his first line of works or rifle-pits. Here the command was halted under a severe fire to readjust the lines. After a personal inspection of General Martindale's front, I found that I had to form a line of battle faced to the right to protect the right flank of the moving column and also that no farther advance could be made until the Sixth Corps advanced to cover my left from a cross-fire. General Martindale was ordered to keep his column covered as much as possible and to move only when General Brooks moved. I then went to the front of General Brooks' line to