HDQRS. CAVALRY COMMAND, MIL. DIV. OF THE MISS.,
In the Field, February 28, 1865-3 p.m.

[Major-General SHERMAN,

Commanding Military Division of the Mississippi:]

GENERAL: I have the honor to forward you General Hampton's reply to your communication of yesterday. * I still hold Lancaster, and send you map indicating the position of my brigades. Hampton's forces seem to be holding Cane Creek. I am pushing a reconnaissance to-day well up the Charlotte road, and in direction of Monroe. My people have been as far up as the cross-roads at Plyer's, Nelson's, and Metler's, marked by stars on the map, and driven in the enemy's pickets. They are still advancing, with orders to push up the country as far as possible. Up to last evening the enemy felt certain that we were moving toward Charlotte, and I think my demonstrations of to-day will keep him of that opinion. Davis' stragglers are now coming into my column. I therefore infer that he is past Pleasant Hill Post-Office by this; he certainly has had time. I have sent our scouting parties to find out what progress he has made. I have eaten out the country about Lancaster, and here it ismighty poor. It won's pay to halt long at one place. I hope that General Davis will be so far advanced as to allow me to cross Lynch's Creek to-morrow. Please indicate tome the road upon which General Davis will march after crossing Lynch's Creek. I received this morning twenty of my prisoners in exchange for an equal number sent General Wheeler yesterday; in all, he has taken from me but once officr and thirty men since entering upon the present campaign. I have, over and above that number, seenty of his men and four commissioned officers. As I feel confident that I can keep even with him or Hampton in prisoners, if you will give permission, and any of the corps commanders desire it, for infantry officers and soldiers now in Wheeler's hands I will exchange the prisoners I now have on hand. Three infantry soldiers belonging to the Twentieth Army Corps represented themselves as belonging to my cavalry, and were exchanged last evening. They will be sent to their corps as soon as possible.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

J. KILPATRICK,

Brevet Major-General.

HDQRS. MILITARY DIVISION OF THE MISSISSIPPI,
Savannah, Ga., February 28, 1865.

Major General Q. A. GILLMORE,

Commanding, &c., Hilton Head:

DEAR GENERAL: Your dispatch of yesterday is just received. General Beckwith thinsk we cannot depend on the navy of furnish us promptly with any information they may gather of General Sherman's movements, and that on this account it would be very well to keep a dispatch boat at Georgetown, with orders to report without delay. We do not think it very likley that General Sherman will communicate through Georgetown; but as he distinclty directed a lookout to be kept for him there we wish not to lose any of the chances. We hear nothing from the interior or from Hood's army. Please inform me at once of any news from Wilmington or other point on the coast north

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*See p. 596.

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