CITY POINT, VA., October 20, 1864.
Major-General BUTLER:
I am in receipt of a communication from General Lee, showing that prisoners of war set to work in the intrenchments have been withdrawn. I will send you the communication to-morrow. It becomes incumbent on us, of course, to withdraw the prisoners employed in Dutch Gap Canal. Please withdraw them and have them forwarded to join the prisoners of war North.
U. S. GRANT,
Lieutenant-General.
HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE JAMES,
October 20, 1864-9.50 p. m.
Lieutenant-General GRANT,
City Point:
Your telegram concerning the official dispatch of General Lee, regarding the prisoners at work in the rebel trenches, is received. Orders have been issued relieving to-night the prisoners at Dutch gap. A copy of the order will be sent you in the morning.
BENJ. F. BUTLER,
Major-General.
GENERAL ORDERS, HDQRS. DEPT. OF VA. AND N. C.,
Numbers 134.
ARMY OF THE JAMES,
In the Field, Va., October 20, 1864.
It having been officially certified by General Lee, commanding Confederate forces, that the prisoners of war of this army put to work in the trenches near Fort Gilmer have been withdraw, to be treated as prisoners of war, it is ordered that the prisoners of war of the Confederate forces put to work in the canal at Dutch Gap, in retaliation, shall be at once withdrawn and sent to Point Lookout, to be held and treated hereafter as prisoners of war.
Number of these prisoners having certified in writing to the commanding general their desire to take the oath of allegiance, because of the inhumanity of the Confederate authorities toward them, which application was declined lest it should be said that these prisoners took the oath of allegiance to the United States under duress, it is now ordered that so may of them as choose, after this order is read to the, be permitted to take the oath of allegiance, and be sent North, to be there found employment by the Government, as other prisoners of war have been who have returned to their loyalty to the United States.
By command of Major-General Butler:
ED. W. SMITH,
Assistant Adjutant-General
Hdqrs. Dept. of Virginia and North Carolina,
Chief Engineer's Office,
October 25, 1864
GENERAL: I have the honor to submit the following as my report of engineering operations in the Army of the James for the week ending October 15, 1864:
Lieut. W. R. King, chief engineer, Eighteenth Army Corps, reports as follows for the Eighteenth Army Corps' front:
A strong parapet with embrasures for field guns has been built across the gorge of Fort Harrison (now Burnham), and traverses have been thrown up to cover the interior of the same work. The right of the corps having been extended three-fourths of a mile, the parapet on this front has been strengthened. A large redan was built about 500 yards to the right of Fort Harrison, to sweep the space in front and to flank that portion of the line to the right. The left of the corps has been extended one mile, and now rests on the James River at Cox's Hill. The whole length of front now occupied by the Eighteenth Army Corps is nearly three miles and quarter. On the line running south from Fort Harrison, and at 800 yards apart, are three works now under construction, the first two being large redans for garrisons of from 200 to 250 men each, the third being a square redoubt connected by a strong breast-work with Fort Brady, on Cox's Hill. A square redoubt has been nearly completed where the line of intrenchments crosses the Kirkland [Kingsland] road. Abatis and entanglements of wire have been placed in front of nearly the whole line and works. Two batteries for siege guns (A and B) have been thrown up in front of the line commanding the river, and a third is nearly completed. Labor has been expended in repairing and strengthening the breast-works already built, in leveling portions of the deserted rebel lines, and in slashing timber in range of our works.
On the 11th I withdrew Capt. S.C. Eaton, First New York Volunteer Engineers, and his company from the line of works in front of Deep Bottom and placed him in charge of the new line of works on the Tenth Army Corps front, which I laid out on the day previous. Their plan is shown in the accompanying tracing. Work began on the 12th, at 7 a.m.--200 men were employed on the redoubt below Four-Mile Church Branch, on the right of the New Market road, and 1,200 men on the redoubts and intrenchments on the line.
On the 13th the works were nearly two-thirds completed and the rest of the work was performed by regiments completing that portion of the line on their front. Five hundred yards of abatis has been laid in front of the infantry parapet. The new line of works in charge of Capt. H. M. Dalrymple, First New York Volunteer Engineers, progressed rapidly during the week. The average detail has been 60 engineers and 600 infantry daily. The length of the line is over 3,540 yards and extends from Four-Mile Creek to Aiken's farm. The redoubt on Signal Hill has been under his charge also. (A tracing of the line is sent with this report.) Battery No. 1, on the right, a redoubt fifty yards to a side, has three faces completed and gorge commenced; embrasures are ready for eight guns. Battery No. 2, a lunette for four guns, is completed. Battery No. 3, an advanced work, commanding the low ground in front of Four-Mile Creek to the base of New Market Hills and the New Market road, is completed for six guns. Its gorge is open and commanded by Battery No. 4, a redan for five guns, also completed. Battery No. 5, a redan for three guns, is completed. Battery No. 6, a square redoubt (forty yards to a face), commanding Kings-land road before and after turning to the northward, is completed for eight guns. Battery No. 7, a redoubt with front of forty yards, was commenced on the 14th of October and will be finished in a few days. These works are all revetted with small pine timber, generally three inches in diameter, and the embrasures with hurdles. The infantry parapets connecting these works are as follows: Between Nos. 1 and 2 and Nos. 2 and 3 are completed. From No. 3 to the left of the line they are over two-thirds complete, needing only a little more labor to finish them. It was deemed best to have the batteries and redoubts finished first and the whole line in partial completion, so as to be ready for troops at any time. Abatis is being laid in front of the whole line as fast as it possibly can be done by a detail of sixty men. Woods to the right of Nos. 1, 2, and 3 have been slashed for a distance of 250 yards from them and will be continued to beyond the rifle-range. Sixty men is the daily detail for the slashing party. The redoubt on Signal Hill is completed. It has ten embrasures and a magazine eight by twelve by six feet, and the whole work is surrounded by heavy abatis. This work commands the hill completely and crosses its fire with the redoubt on the right of the Tenth Army Corps front, thus affording a safe protection to the right flank of this army.
Captain Suess, First New York Volunteer Engineers, has had charge of the details of work at Dutch Gap and Cox's Hill and reports as follows, viz:
Fort Brady.--The parapet revetting and banquette were finished and scarp of the ditch trimmed. The magazine was framed and put up. A platform for 100-pounder Parrott gun was laid and a hoop-iron gabion embrasure made. Platforms and bar-bettes for four siege guns constructed and gabion embrasures made for each of them. An emplacement for a siege gun was made in the ditch for the purpose for firing at the enemy's mortar batteries across the river opposite Dutch Gap. The gorge of the work was closed with stockade and timber prepared for a palisade gate for the gorge. Abatis was laid on all sides of the work. The rebel rifle-pits and old works were leveled and the ground cleared in the vicinity.
At Dutch Gap a bomb-proof for the steam pump was made and put up, covered with a layer of sand-bags and earth. A bomb-proof was made for the engine and boiler of the steam dredge and put up. Two hundred and fifty railroad ties were cut, prepared, and sent to the Gap. The details for all this work averaged 40 engineers and 250 infantry a day.
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
PETER S. MICHIE
First Lieutenant, U.S. Engineers,
Acting Chief Engineer, Dept. of Virginia and North Carolina.
Bvt. Maj. Gen. J.G. Barnard
Chief Engineer, Armies in the Field, City Point, Va.
Hdqrs. Dept. of Virginia and North Carolina,
Chief Engineer's Office,
October 30, 1864
GENERAL: I have the honor to transmit herewith my report of engineering operations in this department for the week ending October 15, 1864, with the following tracings, (+) to wit:
No. 1. Tracing of Union defensive line in front of Eighteenth Army Corps from Fort Brady to Fort Burnham (Battery Harrison).
No. 2. Tracing of Union defensive line in front of Tenth Army Corps from Fort Burnham to right of New Market road.
No. 3. Tracing of new line of works at Deep Bottom.
No. 4. Tracing of square redoubt at Signal Hill.
No. 5. Photographic copy of 100-pounder battery in the defenses of Dutch Gap.
I have the honor to remain, general, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
PETER S. MICHIE
First Lieutenant, U.S. Engineers,
Acting Chief Engineer, Dept. of Virginia and North Carolina.
Bvt. Maj. Gen. J.G. Barnard
Chief Engineer, Armies in the Field, City Point, Va.
Hdqrs. Dept. of Virginia and North Carolina,
Chief Engineer's Office,
October 31, 1864
GENERAL: I have the honor to submit the following report of engineering operations in this department for the week ending October 22, 1864:
On the Eighteenth Army Corps front Lieutenant King, chief engineer, reports that the works having been put in good and defensible condition previous to October 15 but small fatigue parties have been engaged on them since. At Fort Burnham a magazine has been built; the traverses before referred to have been completed; sand-bag loop-holes for riflemen have been made along the whole parapet; abatis has been laid and strengthened, and the entrance to the fort has been lowered to afford a covered way for ammunition wagons to enter unexposed to the enemy's fire. At Battery No. 1, completing parapet of right face, revetting embrasures, and making platforms. At Battery No. 2, completing parapet, closing gorge, throwing up banquette and platforms, and cutting embrasures. At Battery No. 3, completing abatis; No. 4, finished; No. 5, reverting embrasure and completing banquette and platforms; No. 6, reverting embrasure, strengthening parapet, and completing magazine; No. 7, strengthening parapet. On the Tenth Army Corps front, Capt. S.C. Eaton, First New York Volunteer Engineers, in charge, reports the redoubt on the right of New Market road, near Four-Mile Church, as completed and surrounded with abatis, and that the slashing of wood in its front is being continued. The redoubt at the Clyne house, where the line makes almost a right; angle, and the one on the main line to the left of the New Market road, are connected with a strong infantry parapet and are complete. A retired battery for two guns covers the New Market road. There is a strong abatis in front of these works and the old line (rebel) formerly used is leveled. On the 20th a new redoubt on the left of the Tenth Army Corps front was commenced and about one-third of the work already finished.
Capt. H. M. Dalymple, First New York Volunteer Engineers, in charge of the works in front of Deep Bottom and the detached redoubts on Signal and Camp Holly Hills, reports the completion of this line except a few more days' work on infantry parapet, abatis, and slashing along Four-Mile Creek. The redoubt on Signal Hill is now complete. There are twelve embrasures and four guns (Napoleons) in the work. Two lines of heavy abatis encircle it. The ditch has been deepened to six feet. A slashing has been made through the woods to the right, due east and west, 4,000 feet long and 500 feet wide, to have signal communication with Camp Holly redoubt. This latter redoubt was laid out and commenced today (22d) with twelve engineers and three companies of infantry. Its interior area will be nearly 3,500 square yards. The details employed during the week average 55 engineers and 520 infantry.
Captain Suess, First New York Volunteer Engineers, in charge of engineering work at Cox's Hill, reports that during the week the platform and gabion embrasure for a second 100-pounder Parrott gun was completed. Barbettes for five field pieces were made on the rear faces. The magazine was completed and covered with fifteen feet of earth. The excavation for a large bomb-proof was made, being ninety feet long, twelve feet wide, and seven feet high, and the timbers prepared for it. Abatis is completed around the work. Slashing to a great extent within range of the guns has been carried on, drawing a little of the enemy's fire from the batteries at Bishop's, but doing no damage. On the night of the 21st I laid out two advanced batteries (C and D) near the Kirkland house, on a hill that commanded the river well, and from which could be seen the three rebel iron.clads and four wooden gun-boats. Battery C was for five guns and D for two, both being half-sunken batteries. On the night of the--three 30-pounders and four 20-pounders, Ashby's battery, all under command of Captain Pierce, First Connecticut Artillery, were placed in these batteries, with orders to concentrate all guns as soon as daylight would permit on the nearest wooden gun-boat and endeavor to disable her; then, when driven off, to concentrate on the nearest iron-clad. The orders were carried out to the letter and the firing proved excellent. From rebel papers we learn that one gun was disabled on the gun-boat Drewry, 2 men killed and 4 or 6 wounded, and the boat otherwise disabled. One of the iron-clads lost her smoke-stack, and another lost 6 men in killed and wounded by a shell exploding over the grating. All were very much demoralized and driven up the river, from which position they only venture down at night, returning at daylight.
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
PETER S. MICHIE
First Lieutenant, U.S. Engineers,
Acting Chief Engineer, Dept. of Virginia and North Carolina.
Bvt. Maj. Gen. J.G. Barnard
Chief Engineer, Armies in the Field, City Point, Va.
Hdqrs. Dept. of Virginia and North Carolina,
Chief Engineer's Office,
November 3, 1864
GENERAL: I have the honor to submit the following report of engineering operations in this department for the week ending October 29, 1864:
But little engineering work was done on the Eighteenth Army Corps front during this week, owing to its withdrawal from the lines on the evening of the 26th to make a demonstration on the Williamsburg road. Small garrisons were left in all the redoubts and batteries along the line. At Fort Burnham, abatis and magazine were completed, and all other batteries were entirely finished during the week, except some of the small details. The line on the Tenth Army Corps front is also completed, the redoubts, batteries, and parapets having been finished on the 28th. Embrasures have been put in on the rear faces of the redoubts to make them entirely self-defensible. Slashing has been continued on Four-Mile Church Branch and in the ravine in front of Signal Hill. A square redoubt of thirty yards front has been built to command the latter. It has two pieces of artillery and a garrison of 100 men. Slashing to a great extent to the left and right of the redoubt on Camp Holly has been carried on, so that the ground is perfectly impassable for troops of any kind between the works on Camp Holly and Signal Hill without passing under close range of one or other of the works. The redoubt on Camp Holly Hill has embrasures for twenty guns, and has for armament four 20-pounder Parrotts and two pieces of light battery. It has a magazine eight by twelve by six feet finished, and the work itself will be entirely completed in two days. At Fort Brady a large bomb-proof, with two splinter-proof entrances, was constructed and covered with six feet of earth. A strong palisade gate was framed and is nearly ready to be hung. The embrasures of the advanced batteries commanding the river were repaired and strongly revetted with gabions.
At Dutch Gap a new dipper-handle for the dredge was made and mounted, the old one having broken. The hoisting gear of the dredge was also repaired. The machine is a very poor one, its framework being so rotten as to be unreliable for two consecutive day's work.
The average number of men at work during the week at Fort Brady and repairs to Dutch Gap machinery was-thirty-six engineers and eighty infantry daily.
A tracing of country about Camp Holly and Signal Hill will be transmitted soon to accompany this report.
I have the honor to be, general, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
PETER S. MICHIE
First Lieutenant, U.S. Engineers,
and Brevet Major, U.S. Army,
Acting Chief Engineer, Dept. of Virginia and North Carolina.
Bvt. Maj. Gen. J.G. Barnard
Chief Engineer, Armies in the Field, City Point, Va.
HEADQUARTERS THIRD DIVISION, TENTH ARMY CORPS,
In the Field, Va., November 8, 1864.
Lieutenant WILLIAM P. SHREVE,
Acting Assistant Adjutant-General:
SIR: I respectfully ask that the detachment of the One hundred and sixteenth U. S. Colored Troops, now on duty at Deep Bottom, under command of Colonel Rand, shall be relieved and ordered to report to their regiment commander for duty. The reasons are:
First. They are illiterate freedmen from Kentucky and wholly unsuitable for provost guard.
Second. They are raw and undrilled, and need instruction as soldiers.
Third. They have not received the treatment promised all soldiers by the Government, although nominally several months soldiers They have been kept on fatigue or detached service or unarmed, or so separated into squads as not to received instruction as soldiers. Up to the 1st instant the regiment was scattered, a part being in Kentucky, a part in this camp, a part at Dutch Gap, and a part at Deep Bottom, and a large portion of them employed in constant manual labor and fatigue duty, contrary the express orders of the War Department.
Fourth. My division consisting of two brigades only, and being called upon to garrison four redoubts with infantry and furnish a large force of laborers at Dutch Gap, I submit to my superior officers that I should not be called upon to supply a provost-guard for Deep Bottom, where there is a large force of other troops, or a garrison for Fort Brady which is more properly the duty of the Eighteenth Corps.
Eighth. It is necessary to ascertain what has become of sixteen men not report by Colonel Road. In a communication he reports 206 men in the detachment at Deep Bottom, while the regimental records show 222. Unless this discrepancy is promptly looked into the resultant will be confusion in the returns.
Your obedient servant,
WM. BIRNEY,
Brigadier-General, Commanding.
Hdqrs. Dept. of Virginia and North Carolina,
Chief Engineer's Office,
November 11, 1864
GENERAL: I have the honor to submit herewith the following report of engineering operations in this department for the week ending November 5, 1864:
The engineering work on the whole line occupied by the Tenth and Eighteenth Army Corps has been completed and but very little labor has been expended on small details, such as stockading, clearing ground in front, slashing, and abatis.
Redoubts on right flank.--Camp Holly redoubt is now complete, armed and garrisoned. A redoubt was commenced on the 1st of October on south side of New Market road and east of the Kingsland road, and between the forks of the Four-Mile Creek. Two hundred and seventy-five men have been employed in slashing in the vicinity of the redoubts during the week. A corduroy road was also commenced on the 1st October from Aiken's Bridge to Varina road. The labor on Fort Brady was also completed this week, and several small matters attended to as soon as needed at Dutch Gap. A detail from my pontoon company was engaged building an ordnance wharf on James River below Aiken's Bridge. The rest were on duty at pontoon bridges on James and Appomattox Rivers and at the saw-mills. The amount of lumber sawed during the week is 9,865 feet, principally for hospital buildings and platforms for guns.
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
PETER S. MICHIE
First Lieutenant, U.S. Engineers,
and Brevet Major, U.S. Army,
Acting Chief Engineer, Dept. of Virginia and North Carolina.
Bvt. Maj. Gen. J.G. Barnard
Chief Engineer, Armies in the Field, City Point, Va.
HEADQUARTERS JOHNSON'S DIVISION,
November 11, 1864.
LIEUTENANT: I have nothing unusual to report this morning. Quite a brisk picket-fire sprang up last night about 8 o'clock, but was to the right of this division. Three deserters from the Seventh New Jersey Regiment, Third Brigade, Third Division, Second Corps, came in this morning. They report that the enemy considers the campaign over. They do not expect any more fighting this winter. They also state that Butler's canal at Dutch Gap was regarded as a failure. They explain the recent heavy picket-firing at night to be due to the fact that new and nervous men are placed on duty.
The following casualties are respectfully submitted: Gracie's brigade, killed, 1; wounded, 1. Wise's brigade, killed, 1; wounded, 2.
Respectfully, your obedient servant,
B. R. JOHNSON,
Major-General.
Lieutenant MCWILLIE, Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.
Hdqrs. Dept. of Virginia and North Carolina,
Chief Engineer's Office,
November 16, 1864
GENERAL: I have the honor to submit the following as my report of engineering operations in this department for the week ending November 12, 1864:
On the 9th commenced corduroying supply roads leading to the Tenth Army Corps front with daily details of 300 men. A line of breast-works was thrown up on the night of the 9th along the high road bordering the Four-Mile Creek between the Kingsland and New Market roads, fronting eastward and terminating at the redoubt at the base of Signal Hill; 2.000 men were employed. This line will be the line of defense of the Eighteenth Corps reserves in case the enemy pass the redoubts on Camp Holly and to the right of the New Market road approaching down that road. A well has been made in the redoubt of Camp Holly, water being obtained at thirty-five feet depth. One has been commenced in the redoubt on Signal Hill and is now twenty-six feet deep. The redoubt in the forks of the Four-Mile Creek is well advanced, embrasures being ready for eleven guns; abatis surround it; an infantry parapet runs from its flank across the New Market road and up the New Market Hill, defended by an abatis in front. This prevents a cavalry dash down the road and past our redoubts. Considerable labor has been expended on a battery south of Four-Mile Creek to command the New Market road, in rear of Signal and Camp Holly Hills, and in slashing timber in Four-Mile Creek and ravines near it. The corduroy road across the ravine between Aiken's Bridge and the high ground is progressing slowly. Teams are scarce and the timber has to be brought from a distance. At Dutch Gap a gallery has been run into the embankment at the west end a distance of forty feet; it is four by five feet high. It starts in at the left side twenty-five feet from the face of the embankment, and runs in twenty-five feet on a slope of 1 on 4 and then turns to the right five feet. A shaft three feet in diameter is sunk here eleven feet, and from the bottom a gallery is run in eighteen feet parallel to the gallery above. At ten feet from the end a gallery is made to the left to the distance of ten feet, as shown in the accompanying plan and section. From rough computation there remains but 4,500 cubic yards to remove now, which is being taken out at the rate of 400 cubic yards per day. A railroad and some dump cars have been put in operation to aid in removing the dirt; one of the dumping boats, which was sunk, has been raised, repaired, and is again in use. On the Eighteenth Corps front wells have been sunk near the ditch of Fort Burnham to prevent mining by the enemy. The rear of other batteries have been stockaded; abatis has been strengthened along the lines. The saw-mills have been at work steadily all the week. The bridge at Aiken's needs resheathing and will be attended to during the coming week.
I have the honor to be, general, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
PETER S. MICHIE
First Lieutenant, U.S. Engineers,
and Brevet Major, U.S. Army,
Acting Chief Engineer, Dept. of Virginia and North Carolina.
Bvt. Maj. Gen. J.G. Barnard
Chief Engineer, Armies in the Field, City Point, Va.
Hdqrs. Dept. of Virginia and North Carolina,
Chief Engineer's Office,
November 20, 1864
GENERAL: I have the honor to submit the following report of engineering operations Army of the James for the week ending November 19:
A detail of 300 men has been employed daily until Saturday constructing corduroy road from Tenth Army Corps front along New Market road toward Deep Bottom. Plank platforms have been made in the redoubts on the right flank. The redoubt near Four. Mile Creek is now completed, having embrasures for thirteen guns. It is revetted and constructed like those on Camp Holly and Signal Hills, and surrounded with abatis. The infantry parapet connecting this work with the crest of New Market Hill is nearly completed. The work on the new line in advance of the lunette (No. 2) is almost finished and will have sixteen embrasures. Slashings in front and flank of Camp Holly redoubt is being continued daily with a detail of seventy-five men. The corduroy road (twenty-eight feet wide) crossing the ravine beyond Aiken's Landing is finished. All engineering work has been delayed by unfavorable weather. The excavation at Dutch Gap Canal has been prosecuted with but small details. Blasting has been tried with favorable results in the stiff blue clay, which forms the bed of the canal. The mine for the charge to blow out the main embankment has been sheathed with stout gallery frames. But little water has been met with until lately, when a small stream has been opened; it can be kept out, however, by buckets.
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
PETER S. MICHIE
First Lieutenant, U.S. Engineers,
and Brevet Major, U.S. Army,
Acting Chief Engineer, Dept. of Virginia and North Carolina.
Bvt. Maj. Gen. J.G. Barnard
Chief Engineer, Armies in the Field, City Point, Va