No guns or caissons should be taken with less than eight horses.
"Please inform me by telegraph, on receipt of this, what force you think you will be able to send under these directions.
"U.

S.GRANT, Lieutenant-General.
"MAJOR-GENERAL G.H.

THOMAS." On the 15th, he was directed to start the expedition as soon after the 20th as he could get it off.
I deemed it of the utmost importance, before a general movement of the armies operating against Richmond, that all communications with the city, north of James River, should be cut off.

The enemy having withdrawn the bulk of his force from the Shenandoah Valley and sent it south, or replaced troops sent from Richmond, and desiring to reinforce Sherman, if practicable, whose cavalry was greatly inferior in numbers to that of the enemy, I determined to make a move from the Shenandoah, which, if successful, would accomplish the first at least, and possibly the latter of the objects.

I therefore telegraphed General Sheridan as follows: "CITY POINT, VA., February 20, 1865--1 P.M.
"GENERAL:--As soon as it is possible to travel, I think you will have no difficulty about reaching Lynchburg with a cavalry force alone.