SPECIAL FIELD ORDERS,
HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT AND ARMY OF THE TENNESSEE, Numbers 50.
Tiller's Bridge, S. C., February 26, 1865.

I. The command will move to-morrow at 7 a.m. on Cheraw, concentrating at that point on the 1st of March. The Fifteenth Army Corps, Major General John A. Logan commanding, will move in two columns. The right column will cross Lynch's Creek at Kelly's Bridge and move by the way of New Market and Society Hill. A sufficient force of mounted men will accompany the right column to be able when the column has approached Society Hill to break the railroad below that point and cut off whatever trains may be above Black Creek. The left column will move by the direct route crossing Lynch's Creek at Tiller's Bridge. The Seventeenth Army Corps, Major General F. P. Blair commanding, will cross Lynch's Creek at Young's Bridge and move upon the direct route via McDonald's. Headquarters of the department will follow the leading division of the left column of the Fifteenth Army Corps.

By order of Major General O. O. Howard:

A.m. VAN DYKE,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

[Indorsement on General Logan's copy.]

HEADQUARTERS FIFTEENTH ARMY CORPS,
Tiller's Bridge, S. C., February 26, 1865.

Respectfully returned to Captain A.m. Van Dyke, assistant adjutant-general, Department and Army of the Tennessee.

It is impossible to comply with this order. Lynch's Creek is now, on account of the freshet, some three-quarters of a mile wide, and, for some distance in many places, swimming to a horse. I have neither pontoons nor any material to bridge the stream. The general commanding was over the stream with me to-day and certainly could see the impracticability of crossing without destroying all our subsistence and ammunition. If that desirable I can swim my men and animals and cross with a destruction of ammunition and supplies. It is an easy matter to put an order on paper that cannot be obeyed, and then place the responsibility on those who fail to comply. I only have to say that I cannot cross this stream with my command under all the circumstances until the water subsides, and hereby protest against the order as being impossible to be obeyed.

JOHN A. LOGAN,

Major-General.

HEADQUARTERS FIFTEENTH ARMY CORPS,
Tiller's Bridge, S. C., February 26, 1865.

Captain A.m. VAN DYKE,

Asst. Adjt. General, Department and Army of the Tennessee:

CAPTAIN: We have attempted to cross some regimental teams over Lynch's Creek, but the water is so high that I have ordered the trains to go into park on this side of the stream, as I believe it will be impossible to pass our trains over without damage to our ammunition and subsistence supplies until the water subsides.

I am, captain, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

JOHN A. LOGAN,

Major-General.