HDQRS. ARMY AND DIVISION OF WEST MISSISSIPPI,
Near Spanish Fort, April 3, 1865-3 a.m.

Major General F. STEELE,

Commanding, &c.:

SIR: Your letter requesting General Veatch to come to your support in case you should be attacked in the morning has been received and is approved of. The whole of General Veatch's command will be by this time at Origen Sibley's two miles in your rear; besides, General Garrard (at Origen Sibley's) has received orders to hold his command at your disposal in case of emergency. See inclosed copy of instructions to General Garrard.*

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

P. J. OSTERHAUS,

Major-General and Chief of Staff.

GENERAL ORDERS, HDQRS. 1ST DIV., U. S. COLORED TROOPS, No. 18.
Before Blakely, Ala., April 3, 1865.

The following changes will be made in the disposition of the troops of the division: Colonel Drew will withdrawn from the line his left regiment; Brigadier-General Pile will withdraw his right regiment; Colonel Scofield will fill the interval thus made with two regiments. Each brigade will have one regiment in reserve. Colonel Gilchrist is relieved from his present position, and will report to his brigade commander for assignment. The change of troops will be made so as to expose them as little as possible, and, if necessary, it may be delayed till night.

By order of Brigadier General J. P. Hawkins:

SAML. B. FERGUSON,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

HEADQUARTERS CAVALRY FORCES,
Camp near Blakely, Ala., April 3, 1865.

Captain S. L. WOODWARD,

Asst. Adjt. General, Cavalry Forces, Mil. Div. of West Mississippi:

CAPTAIN: I have the honor to inform the major-general commanding Cavalry Forces, Military Division of West Mississippi, of the arrival of my command at this point, and respectfully request that 150 pack-mules, with saddles and panniers, about which I addressed a letter to him from Barrancas, Fla., may be sent to the point on Mobile Bay at which supplies for the army are received; also a sufficient number for the Second Maine and First Florida Cavalry Regiments. Our horses have suffered very severely from overwork and a lack of forage, the country through which we have been operating having furnished an insufficient supply. I think about 300 horses will be required to fully supply the deficiency existing and remount my command. I will forward in a few days an exact report of the number of horses required.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

T. J. LUCAS,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.

---------------

* See Osterhaus to Garrard, 3 a.m., second, ante.

---------------