will require from six eight weeks to place this division in anything like condition for successful service, but I will spare no pains to lessen that time.

In regard to driving horses from Kentucky to Knoxville, at this season, for the purpose of remounting cavalry, I consider it in every possible view of the subject altogether impracticable. The roads are in most terrific condition, and will become, if possible, worse as spring advances. A pack-mule cannot, ant the outside calculation, carry over 240 pounds, and it will require all of twenty days to make the round trip. Now, a mule will require 12 pounds per day for his own consumption, so that he will require the whole 240 pounds for his own subsistence. But he cannot pack 240 pounds on these roads, and if you had corn in Tennessee to send him back, so that the 120 pounds intended for bringing him back might be devoted to the horsed, still I consider that the magnitude of the undertaking, under those circumstances, would render it impracticable and the horses would arrive in Tennessee already broken down, and the resources of Tennessee are not sufficient to bring them up again. Indeed, I would respectfully submit that I cannot see how it will be possible to use cavalry in East Tennessee at all this coming summer. So far as I can se, they will have to operate from some other base than Knoxville, as no large amount of it can subsist there now, and it will be growing worse every day until the fall corps is ready, and I doubt if there will be much of a crop, for in many parts of the country, in this respect, to save the people, and to provide for ourselves for the future, that influenced me to urge upon General Foster the present arrangement, and that contemplated the ultimate withdrawal also of the remaining division.

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

S. D. STURGIS,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.

HDQRS. DISTRICT OF SOUTHERN CENTRAL KENTUCKY,
Cave City, Ky., March 6, 1864.

Colonel J. W. WEATHERFORD,

Commanding Thirteenth Kentucky Cavalry:

From information received from Major Martin, I learn that "Richardson's men" have been mistreating and in some instances killing Union men and Federal soldiers. You will send a force to Celina or vicinity, clearing that country, complying with former orders.

By command of Brigadier-General Hobson:

J. S. BUTLER,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

GENERAL ORDERS,
HDQRS. DIST. SOUTHERN CENTRAL, KY.,

No. 3. Cave City, March 6, 1864.

I. Complains having been filed at these headquarters against certain officers commanding mounted parties for trespassing on citizens, it is ordered that commanding officers, when sending out of accompanying scouts or expeditions of any kind, shall personally attend to having their men supplied with rations for the probable time of absence.