attack from the east. It is rumored that General Wilson's column has already destroyed the railroad between Montgomery and Columbus and taken that place. Should you upon arrival at Union Springs have positive information of this, you will move north and west, scouring the country between the Tallapoosa and Chattahoochee Rivers, and reporting at Montgomery to General A. J. Smith or the commanding officer at that point, unless the condition of your horses should be sufficiently good to warrant you in following us. We will move east from this point to Eufaula, thence toward Macon, Ga. Should you conclude to follow us from Union Springs, you will send a detachment forward rapidly to communicate with us. You will instruct your command to make their rations last as long as possible (one day to do at least two), and supply the deficiency by foraging upon the country. In the execution of these instructions you will move as rapidly as the condition of your animals will permit.

By order of Bvt. Major General B. H. Grierson:

S. L. WOODWARD,

Major and Assistant Adjutant-General.

HEADQUARTERS THIRD CAVALRY BRIGADE,
Greenville, Ala., April 25, 1865-12 m.

Brevet Major-General GRIERSON,

Commanding Cavalry Forces, Military Division of West Mississippi:

Your dispatch dated yesterday was received by me at 9 p.m. of that date at Monterey. In compliance with your direction I moved forward with an escort to this place, expecting to meet with you here, but Lieutenant Mitchell, who was met by an officer of my staff a mile beyond the town, while this officer was on his way to communicate with you, informed me you had gone forward. I regret extremely that I have not been able to see you at this point. I was compelled to take the route by which I came to supply my command with horses and mules necessary to mount the men and pack-saddles, and to obtain a supply of forage. This latter I have found in sufficient quantities, but the condition of the roads was such as to render my progress slow and difficult, or I would have reaches this place before. I shall refit my command immediately, with the animals I have obtained, and send my wagons, unserviceable animals, &c., forward to Montgomery. I will be able to march in the direction of Union Springs on the morning of the 27th instant. From prisoners who were in the fight, and were captured by me while on their way home, I have information of the capture of Columbus, Ga., by General Wilson's forces. Should the condition of my horses admit I will follow you from Union Springs, in which case I will send advice of my movement to you. In my advance to this point I captured a number of couriers who were operating between Greenville and Demopolis, by the way of Elm Bluff, and destroyed their organization. I have information, which I regard reliable, that General Forrest is in command at Demopolis. He has the troops from Mobile and others he has succeeded in concentrating. The prisoners we captured, who were present when General Wilson took Columbus, inform me that General W. marched in the direction of Macon, Ga., from Columbus. This statement has been corroborated by a number I have questioned.

I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

T. J. LUCAS,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.