[Second indorsement.]

APRIL 21, 1864.

ADJUTANT-GENERAL:

Mosby's and McNeill's commands I prefer to have retained as partisan rangers. In respect to the others Major Melton's suggestions are approved.

J. A. S.

Secretary.

[Third indorsement.]

APRIL 26, 1864.

Colonel WITHERS:

Order Gilmor's battalion to be mustered into the cavalry service, and to repair to Camp Maryland, Staunton. Citizens of Virginia who are enlisted men of any company of this battalion may, if they desire it, be transferred to Virginia companies.*

MELTON.

HEADQUARTERS FIRST BRIGADE, April 1, 1864.

Major General J. C. BRECKINRIDGE,
Commanding, &c.:

GENERAL: I have to-day received your letter of 28th instant, as I did some days ago yours of 24th instant. I have up to this time forwarded to you all the information which I have been able to obtain from the front, which you have no doubt received. I will endeavor in every way in my power to carry out your views and wishes, fully and cordially concurring in their propriety and importance. Immediately upon the receipt of your letter to-day I sent a dispatch, to Colonel Jackson by special courier, informing him of your wishes in regard to taking up his horses. A few days after the publication of the order in regard to assembling the three cavalry regiments in Monroe, Brigadier-General Jenkins sent to Colonel Cochran, of the Fourteenth Regiment, an order to have his horses brought up, but authorizing him to suspend his action thereon for a few days if he thought proper. I have not therefore of course felt myself authorized to give any direction or order in the matter since. Although I think it now of the greatest importance to us that the men should be mounted as soon as possible, and the cavalry put on the most efficient footing possible, I have given some days ago orders to the four companies in my front in Greenbriar to have their horses brought together, most of them having been turned out for the last two months on account of the scarcity of forage. Very many of these men are, however, still without arms, which, however, I hope to remedy in three or four days, as I have a train on the road to the Narrows for arms, having sent it as soon as I possibly could.

I have for the last day or two been thinking a great deal as to what the movements of the enemy from the Kanawha Valley might probably be, and you must excuse me for indicating a plan which I would take. I take it that they now have near 4,000 mounted men in the valley and as many infantry. They might send a part of their infantry toward Princeton and a part of it here for the purpose of keeping McCausland and myself occupied, or they might send the whole of their infantry to Princeton, and send down a force from Beverly through Pocahontas and Greenbriar

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*So ordered May 5, 1864.

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