HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE CUMBERLAND,
Nashville, March 8, 1865-5 p..

General WILSON,

Gravelly Springs:

I send you the following telegram, just received from General Canby, for your information.* It will not, therefore, be necessary for you to hurry to get off, but you can wait until the rise in the Tennessee subsides within its banks.

GEO. H. THOMAS,

Major-General, Commanding.

CAVALRY BUREAU, OFFICE OF SPECIAL INSPECTOR,

MILITARY DIVISION OF THE MISSISSIPPI,

Louisville, Ky., March 8, 1865.

Major General J. H. WILSON,

Commanding Cav. Corps, Mil. Div. of the Miss., Gravelly Springs, Ala.:

GENERAL: In reply to your communication received by the hands of Captain Wilson, and your dispatch received yesterday, I have the honor to state that I gave orders near two months ago to have the stabling capacity of the cavalry depot at this place increased so as to shelter from 7,000 to 8,000 animals, and directing that steps be taken to inspect all cavalry horses now in pasture, and to have transferred to the stables all that were capable of recuperation; the others to be sold. This I am still urging forward, and hope by the 1st of April to have this class of horses all under shelter, when everything will be done to have them recuperated as rapidly as possible. I have also requested of Major-General Thomas the publication of an order to have all of this class of stock to be found in the Department of the Cumberland sent to the cavalry depot at Nashville. I presume that in making the suggestion that horses be sent from this point to Nashville for reoccupation, you were under the impression that no facilities for this purpose existed at the depot at this place. I have to state that there are ample means here, and that I shall soon have the horses under shelter. I agree with you fully as to the wisdom of taking charge of this class of stock, and of devoting the means and energies of the two depots to its recuperation. I do not think it necessary or wise to send stock from Louisville to Nashville for this purpose, inasmuch, all other considerations being equal, as such a course would necessitate the shipping of forage from here to Nashville, when the stock can be as well recuperated here, thus saving time, labor, and the cost of transportating forage from Louisville to Nashville. You may rest assured that all will be done possible to push this matter forward. I hope in a very short time to be able to mount Hatch's division. But for the order to mount Gillem's command I could do so now-at least could commence the work. Major Price informs me that 1,000 Spencer carbines have been ordered here for Hatch. I hope others will follow soon, all of which will be sent to your command.

I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

W. P. CHAMBLISS,

Major and Special Insp. of Cavalry, Mil. Div. of the Mississippi.

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*See Canby to Thomas, March 1, p.812.

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