HEADQUARTERS CAVALRY DIVISION,
March 18, 1865-11.50 p. m.

Lieutenant Colonel THEODORE READ,

Assistant Adjutant-General:

I received orders directing Colonel West to withdraw his command. Have countermanded the order for the wagon. Couriers just left with orders for Colonel West.

H. C. WHIPPLE,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

YORKTOWN, March 18, 1865.

General RAWLINS,

Chief of Staff:

I left General Sheridan Colonel West to withdraw his command. Have countermanded the order for the wagon. Couriers just left with orders for Colonel West.

H. C. WHIPPLE,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

YORKTOWN, March 18, 1865.

General RAWLINS,

Chief of Staff:

I left General Sheridan at White House 12 m. His command is all there. I have telegraphed to Captain James for twenty-five portable forges and shoeing tools, &c. If Captain James cannot fill the order at once General Ingalls had better send them. General Forsyth is with me. We shall be at Fort Monroe by 8 p. m. and at City Point before morning.

O. E. BABCOCK,

Lieutenant-Colonel and Aide-de-Camp.

CITY POINT, VA., March 18, 1865.

Colonel O. E. BABCOCK,

Fort Monroe, Va.:

The articles you require will be sent from here. They will leave in an hour.

JNO. A. RAWLINS,

Brigadier-General and Chief of Staff.

FIELD ORDERS,
HEADQUARTERS CAVALRY, Numbers 15.
White House, Va., March 18, 1865.

I. Division commanders will at once have each regiment in their respective commands inspected, and turn out all the negroes who have joined the cavalry during the expedition. This inspection will be most rigid.

II. There are many negroes employed by both officers and men on the march who cannot be allowed to remain with the command.

III. All negroes who have joined the command during the expedition will be at once collected by the provost guards of the different commands and sent to the north end of the railway bridge, where they will be taken in charge by the provost-marshal of these headquarters.

By command of Brevet Major-General Merritt;

J. SPREADBURY,

Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.

FIELD ORDERS,
HEADQUARTERS CAVALRY, Numbers 16.
White House, Va., March 18, 1865.

I. A through inspection of their respective commands will immediately be ordered by division commanders, who will, without delay,