Today in History:

744 Series I Volume XLIX-I Serial 103 - Mobile Bay Campaign Part I

Page 744 KY., S. W. VA., TENN., N. & C. GA., MISS., ALA., & W. FLA.

twenty days after the publication of the order of the War Department sending horses to General Canby. I sent you be General Upon's quartermaster all the horses on hand at the time Colonel Winslow left here. It was my intention, aa I stated to you, to send by the officers who should come up which the broken-down stock all the horses on hand when that officer (which is Captain Babcock, Fifth Division) should reach here; but on the day after Colonel Winslow left a dispatch was received (a copy of which I sent you) from General Thomas directing 2,000 horses to be furnished General Stoneman, and that I would not send more horses to you until after General Stoneman was supplied. This put it out of my power to send by Captain Babcock a single horse. I have, however, given to Lieutenant Rendlebrock, Fourth U. S. Cavalry, horses for his regiment, and send by him twelve for your headquarters. When I can give you more is a matter of doubt. I will put you in possession of the facts. General Stoneman requires 2,000 horses. General Thomas directs that General Gillem shall be supplied next after General Stoneman. Gillem was here yesterday and wants 1,500 horses. Stoneman and Gilem, total required, 3,500. I am received horses from Cincinnati, Columbus, Indianapolis, and Louisville; average about 100 per day. Thirty-five, therefore are required to mount Stoneman and Gillem. After this, as your have seem from General Thomas' order to General Watkins, I am directed to alternate with the Fifth and Sixth Division in supplying the regiments; that is, mount one regiment for Johnston, and then one for Hatch, and so on. You can see from this when Hatch is likely to be mounted. General Hatch, just from Washington, tells me that the supply of Spencer carbines for the month of January failed entirely. I have received none since I last wrote you, and even if I had, the orders on the subject of horses from General Thomas are the same with regard to arms. Owing to these facts I have to forego the pleasure I had promised myself of a visit to your headquarters. General Thomas wishes me to remain here to hurry forward Stoneman's and Gillem's equipment. With regard to Captain Green going to join you, I had no power to order him to do so, and therefore made known your wishes to the Cavalry Bureau immediately. I shall continue to do all in my power to keep you supplied, but for the present can be nothing, and you will confess things do not look very promising. With you I agree that much more can be said and more satisfactorily in a private than in an official letter. Will write you again as soon as matters take a change.

I am, general, very truly, yours,

W. P. CHAMBLISS,

Major, &c.


HEADQUARTERS SECOND BRIGADE, SECOND DIVISION,
Gravelly Springs, Ala., February 19, 1865.

Captain SCOTT,

Acting Assistant Adjutant-General, Second Division Cavalry:

CAPTAIN: I sent one of my men dressed in butternut to find out the haunts of the guerrillas who have been capturing stragglers latter. He met twenty of them and learned that there are about seventy between here and Waynesborough. Their chief haunt is a cypress swamp about fourteen miles out. The twenty he met were chiefly armed with Spencer, only two having shotguns, and one a long rifle. If the general commanding has on objection I can pick out a dozen


Page 744 KY., S. W. VA., TENN., N. & C. GA., MISS., ALA., & W. FLA.