HEADQUARTERS FOURTH CAVALRY DIVISION,
Saunders' Ferry, March 26, 1865 - 7.30 p. m.

[Brevet Major-General WILSON:]

GENERAL: My entire command is here. There is an extremely dangerous ford over which it will be possible to pass the horses, but it will be impossible to pass wagons or battery without pontoons. There is no forage, and if the entire corps is to concentrate here, there will be great suffering even with no delay. If the pontoons are at Jasper, they should be sent on to-night, that the bridge may bee laid at light. The distance is 150 yards, perhaps less. There is utter destitution of forage and I shall have to commence crossing by ford at light, and shall move toward Elyton. Shall leave battery and wagons under guard of dismounted men, to cross on bridge when laid. Please send reply to reach me before light.

Respectfully,

E. UPTON,

Brevet Major-General, Commanding.

SPECIAL ORDERS, HDQRS. FOURTH DIV., CAV. CORPS,
MILITARY DIVISION OF THE MISSISSIPPI, Numbers 33. Saunders' Ferry, Ala., March 26, 1865.

I. The Second Brigade will be held in readiness to move across the ford at 6 a. m. to-morrow.

II. The commanding officer of the First Brigade will make the necessary details of working parties, properly officered, for the purpose of constructing a raft, the capacity of which will be three wagons, to cross the river at the ferry, the work to commence at early daylight. The pioneer corps will report to General Winslow at that hour to assist on the work.

III. The commanding officer of Battery I, Fourth Artillery, will commence at the same hour the construction of a raft for the same purpose of crossing his battery. If any old, uninhabited buildings in the neighborhood can be used to advantage they will be torn down and so disposed of.

By order of Brevet Major-General Upton:

JAMES W. LATTA,
Assistant Adjutant-General.

EASTPORT, [March] 26, 1865.

(Received 27th.)

Major-General THOMAS:

General Wilson sent to the rear forty prisoners who arrived to-day. On the 24th he was fifty miles south of this. My scout from Columbus reports, this evening, Forrest moved most of his men east to Tuscaloosa on the 18th to intercept General Wilson, leaving one brigade at Columbus, with its advance of two regiments at Baldwyn. This force attacked me here four days ago. As I had no mounted force they easily got away. We have a man who left Mobile on the 20th. No attack there up to that time. He says there are 9,000 troops at Mobile. The train running under a flag of truce has run corn to the neighborhood of Coringh; used by Confederate soldiers there.

Very truly, your obedient servant,

EDWARD HATCH,

Brigadier-General.