He had turned east, to come to White House.

He could not go to Lynchburg as ordered, because the rains had been so very heavy and the streams were so very much swollen.

He had a pontoon train with him, but it would not reach half way across some of the streams, at their then stage of water, which he would have to get over in going south as first ordered.
I had supplies sent around to White House for him, and kept the depot there open until he arrived.

We had intended to abandon it because the James River had now become our base of supplies.
Sheridan had about ten thousand cavalry with him, divided into two divisions commanded respectively by Custer and Devin.

General Merritt was acting as chief of cavalry.