HDQRS. MILITARY DIVISION OF WEST MISSISSIPPI,
New Orleans, La., March 4, 1865.

Major General S. A. HURLBUT,

Commanding Department of the Gulf, New Orleans, La.:

GENERAL: The major-general commanding directs that the Fourth Wisconsin and First Texas Regiments of Volunteer Cavalry be held in readiness for field service, subject to the special orders of Brevet Major-General Grierson, commanding the cavalry forces of this division. All officers and men of these regiments now on detached service should at once be relieved and ordered to join their commands, and every effective man should be fully equipped and mounted. The latter can be done by temporarily dismounting other cavalry and afterward replacing the horses so taken from the supplies now on their way from Saint Louis. I am instructed to request that the necessary orders may be given accordingly, with the least possible delay.

Very respectfully, sir, your obedient servant,

C. T. CHRISTENSEN,

Lieutenant-Colonel and Assistant Adjutant-General

P. S. - Order sent to Memphis of the 2nd instant for the return of the Eleventh New York and Twelfth Illinois Cavalry has been so far modified as to require them to report to Brevet Major-General Grierson, in this city, for service in the field instead of to headquarters Department of the Gulf.

C. T. C.

HDQRS. MILITARY DIVISION OF WEST MISSISSIPPI,
New Orleans, La., March 4, 1865.

Bvt. Major General B. H. GRIERSON.

Commanding Cavalry Forces, Mil. Div. of West Mississippi:

GENERAL: I am instructed by the major-general commanding to inform you that the following-named regiments have been ordered to be relieved from their present duties and directed to report to you, with a view of being equipped for service in the field: Third Michigan Cavalry, Tenth Illinois Cavalry, now in Department of Arkansas; Fourth Illinois Cavalry, Eleventh Illinois Cavalry, Twelfth Illinois Cavalry, First Iowa Cavalry, Second Wisconsin Cavalry, Eleventh New York Cavalry Second New Jersey Cavalry, now in Department of Mississippi; Fourth Wisconsin Cavalry and First Texas Cavalry, now in Department of the Gulf. These regiments number in all about 7,000 effective men. All officers and enlisted men on detached service have been ordered to join their respective commands, and their present department commanders have been ordered, so far as practicable to mount every effective man by drawing horses from the cavalry left behind and replacing the animals so taken from the supplies expected from Saint Louis. The commanding officers of these regiments will stop at Morganza on their way down the river and telegraph to you, care of these headquarters for instructions. The Fourth Wisconsin and First Texas Regiments will remain at Baton Rouge, subject to your orders, until a good camping-ground has been selected in the vicinity of this city. With these regiments, General Lucas' brigade, and the best portion of General Knipe's command, you will have fully 12,000 effective men for service in the field.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

C. T. CHRISTENSEN

Lieutenant-Colonel and Assistant Adjutant-General.