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[327]
Gen. Warren's position, arriving there about 3 o'clock in the afternoon.
About noon, Aug. 22d, the First Division, Gen. Miles commanding . . . . . was ordered to move on to the Weldon road to aid in covering the working party, and to assist in the destruction of the road. . . . . The work was prosecuted on the following day without material incident as far as Reams Station.’
The cavalry, however, had had some skirmishing toward Dinwiddie Court House.
Gen. Barlow, who had assumed command of his division during the day, occupied the intrenchments at Reams Station at night.
The Second Division, Maj. Gen. Gibbon commanding, moved from the vicinity of the “Aiken House” shortly before dark on the 23d, . . . arriving at the station at an early hour on the morning of the 24th, relieving the First Division from the intrenchments.
Gen. Barlow was again obliged to relinquish the command of his division to Gen. Miles, on account of sickness.
On being relieved from the intrenchments, the First Division proceeded with the work of destroying the railroad towards Rowanty Creek, my instructions being to destroy the road as far as that if practicable. . . . . . At dark the working party and the division were withdrawn to the intrenchments at Reams.
The next day the Second Division was to continue the work of destruction, but at 11 o'clock that night
Hancock was apprised by
Gen. Humphreys,
Gen. Meade's chief of staff, that large bodies of the enemy were passing south, and cautioned to be on the lookout, to which
Gen. Hancock at once replied in substance that it would not be advisable for him then, under the circumstances, to separate his forces.
By a further despatch he learned the force thus moving to be estimated at from eight to ten thousand men.
Warren, who was also informed of the movement, expressed the opinion that it must be against
Hancock.
The order for work on the railroad (the 25th) was postponed until the result of reconnoissances
Gregg had been ordered to make was known.
Hancock says:
