| Headquarters Cavalry, &c. |
| Montevallo, Ala. |
| July 6, 1864
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| Lieut. Col. George Deas |
| Chief of Staff
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| Colonel,
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I am so short of transportation (having with
Armistead's brigade no supply train) that I am forced to the
necessity of sending all the camp equipage around by railroad and
using all my wagons to carry with me forage: &c.. the stock.
This is anticipating my orders by supposing I will be ordered from Tuscaloosa
across to railroad. Ordinarily I would not do this, but under
existing circumstances I have no choice. The country over which I
pass does not, as I am informed, afford either forage or
subsistence. My orders to provide forage on the road from Blue
Mountain to this place {Alabama &
Tennessee River RR} were not attended to by railroad agents, and
the consequence was that I made the march of about eighty miles upon
a very inadequate supply of forage, and the stock suffered very
much. To continue the march without an adequate supply will break
down the horses and mules so that they would be unfit for further
service. I hope, therefore, the lieutenant-general will approve my
action. I shall move in the morning with both brigades and pass on
as rapidly as my horses can make the trip.
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| Respectfully,
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| Gid. J. Pillow
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| Brigadier-General, C. S. Army
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