January 24, 1864 (Friday): Supplying the Cavalry

General Fitzhugh Lee

HEADQUARTERS ARMY FO NORTHERN VIRGINIA, January 24, 1864.
Major General J. E. B. STUART,
Commanding Cavalry, Army of Northern Virginia:
    GENERAL: In connection with the disposition of the two brigades of Fitz. Lee's division now near Charlottesville, as proposed by Major-General Lee and indorsed by you, I am directed by the general commanding to say that he desires that the transportation of this command be kept together and well cared for. Perhaps a portion of it can be judiciously employed by Major-General Hampton in foraging and supplying the brigades of Young, and Gordon, as General Hampton has expressed a desire for additional wagons for this purpose. Such as is not turned over to him for temporary service must be placed together under the proper officer of the quartermaster's department, who shall see that the animals are properly foraged and protected and the wagons placed in the best possible condition. If the transportation cannot be properly attended to in this way, it must be turned over to Major Harman, the acting chief quartermaster of the army, until required by the troops.
    General Lee directs me to add that Major-General Early reports that Major-General Lee carried off with him some fifteen or sixteen of the captured wagons and most of the captured mules. Every one of them must be turned in to the chief quartermaster of the army and a report of the number of wagons and mules promptly made to these headquarters.
     The general commanding wishes the headquarters of Lee's cavalry division, after the contemplated disposition shall have been effected, established at some point nearer the troops of the division now in front, say west of Orange Court-House, and somewhere between Lomax's brigade and the camps in rear.
     I am, most respectfully, your obedient servant,


     W. H. TAYLOR,
     Assistant Adjutant-General.

Official Records, Series I., Vol. 33, Part 1, Page 1119.

We think of generals in grand terms moving large portions of their armies across large expanses of campaign territory.  But this memo shows that generals also had to concern themselves with many smaller details, such as the placement of Fitz Lee's division and provision for it's wagons.