the tithes of the State. He tells me that sixty men are at Warrenton, with their horses, claiming to belong to Brigadier-General Williams' staff. These recruiting camps are real nuisances. I saw one where they had been two months, and there had been no improvement among their horses. I never saw such a set of scare-crows. Citizens told me the men straggled over the country and for days the horses were neither fed nor watered. What we need is efficient cavalry, not immense bands of plunderers scattered over the country. Nine-tenths of the so-called cavalry never see and cannot be induced to see an armed Yankee. They are hundreds of miles off plundering and professing to organize. If we are ever starved into submission it will [be] through these fellows. What I wish to propose is the getting together of this organized or semi-organized mob and putting them into infantry service. Major Macon tells me that he is getting nothing from Central Georgia, as there is a large command under a man named Glenn at or near Athens consuming the tithe. I don't know who Glenn is, his rank, antecedents, or nature of his command. Ought not the attention of the Secretary of War be called to this great evil, and to the necessity of disbanding or changing into infantry this omniverous mob before they bring a famine upon the fighting men of the army?

Respectfully and truly,

D. H. HILL,

Major-General.

CHARLESTON, January 26, 1865.

Major-General McLAWS:

Order Colcock's regiment to this side of the Combahee. Inform General Wheeler.

T. B. ROY,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

HEADQUARTERS THIRD SOUTH CAROLINA CAVALRY,
January 26, 1865.

Colonel HARRISON,

Commanding Cavalry Brigade:

COLONEL: I received an order last night from General Humes to co-operate with you in blocking the roads, and retire back when that was done. Yesterday when your adjutant came down below to commence bolocking I asked him to suspend operations, as I had received no orders to fall back. Now, however, I am prepared to co-operate with you and will thank you to send a squad, with as many axes as you can collect. We will begin operations at Ferguson's Branch. When will you be prapared to fall back; how far, and by what road will you retire? Forage is so scarce that it would be best for us to take different roads, if possible. *

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

C. J. COLCOCK,

Colonel, Commanding.

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* This communication was captured by the command of Brigadier General M. F. Force commmading Third Division, Seventeenth Army Corps, and by that general forwarded to his corps commander (General Blair).

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