HDQRS. MILITARY DIVISION OF THE MISSISSIPPI, In the Field, Atlanta, Ga., October 3, 1864. (Received 10 a. m.) Maj. Gen. D. S. STANLEY, Commanding Fourth Army Corps: I have messages by signal from Kenesaw and Allatoona. All quiet. Davis is following you. If General Elliott can get to Powder Springs and Dallas I may not move any more troops, but I want you to make the road hence to Allatoona and Etowah bridge all secure. W. T. SHERMAN, Major-General, Commanding. HDQRS. MILITARY DIVISION OF THE MISSISSIPPI, In the Field, Atlanta, Ga., October 3, 1864. (Received 10.30 a. m.) General D. S. STANLEY: General Sherman has left it at the option of General Vandever to move to Kenesaw and near there. Marietta as a place is not essential. L. M. DAYTON, Aide-de-Camp. ATLANTA, October 3, 1864. Maj. Gen. D. S. STANLEY: own. Certainly, you should have a telegraph operator, if I have to send my One is already gone to you. Develop Hood's game. Keep infantry well in hand, and I will keep the Armies of the Ohio and Tennessee ready to start at an hour's notice. W. T. SHERMAN, Major-General. SMYRNA CAMP-GROUND, October 3, 1864-6.30 p. m. Major-General SHERMAN: GENERAL: We cannot get the telegraph to work, and I send this via the office at Chattahoochee bridge. I arrived here at 2.30 p. m. General Davis is at Chattahoochee bridge, one division on this side, the other not yet across. I have sent word for him to come up to this point in the morning. I have heard no firing nor have I heard anything from the cavalry. Have communicated with General Vandever at Marietta. He reports that he sent scouts out ten miles west of Marietta but they saw nothing, and he has been advised to remain at Marietta to-night. If Hood shows any disposition to turn east I will move to Lost Mountain in the morning. Any message for me will have to be sent by the bridge. D. S. STANLEY, HDQRS. MILITARY DIVISION OF THE MISSISSIPPI, Maj. Gen. JEFF. C. DAVIS, Commanding Fourteenth Army Corps: Move your two divisions by the nearest practicable route to the rail road bridge, cross above and move on the left of General Stanley about the old rebel line at Smyrna Camp or Ruff's Station, looking to the west. If the reconnaissance in progress to-day confirms present appearances we will have to strike the enemy over between that point and Dallas. Have your wagons to follow you only to the old rebel lines west of the bridge. Cross your men ahead of General Stanley's wagons, but his wagons will have precedence of yours. General Stanley passed here about 7 a. m. SPECIAL FIELD ORDERS, No. 7. } W. T. SHERMAN, Major-General, Commanding. HDQRS. 14TH ARMY CORPS, The troops of this corps will move to-day in the following order: General Carlin will move his division from his present camp by the most direct road intersecting the Turner's Ferry road near Myers' house, at which point further instructions will be given him. General Baird will follow General Carlin, moving upon the same road. The ammunition, ambulance, and headquarters trains will follow immediately in the rear of their respective divisions. All the trains will follow the column in the.order in which their respective divisions have moved. A field battery has been ordered to report to each division, and during the approaching active operations will be attached to their divisions. and subject to their commands. General Carlin, being in the advance, will see that the roads are in condition for the passage of the troops and trains. By order of Bvt. Maj. Gen. J. C. Davis: Capt. J. E. JACOBS, A. C. McCLURG, Assistant Adjutant-General and Chief of Staff. HEADQUARTERS FOURTH OHIO CAVALRY, A. A. G., Hdqrs. Chief of Cav., Dept. of the Cumberland: CAPTAIN: I have the honor to inform you that the Fourth Army Corps left here last night and the Twenty-third Army Corps is already on the move, and by to-morrow night my regiment will be here with no troops within three miles of it. I do not think it safe to remain here, but await your order. This communication is forwarded direct as I am not informed of the locality of either the brigade or division headquarters. I am, captain, very respectfully, your obedient servant, Lieutenant-Colonel, Comdg. Fourth Ohio Volunteer Cavalry. MARIETTA, October 3, 1864. Major JENNINGS, Commanding First Brigade, Second Division: MAJOR: The enemy drove my men from Big Shanty this evening. There is a force at Lost Mountain. General Sherman sends me the inclosed orders.* Under this order of General Sherman you will move your command this way at once. Communicate this to General Elliott and General Garrard. Major-General Stanley, with four divisions, is encamped five miles south of me to-night. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, WM. VANDEVER, Brigadier-General, Commanding. P. S.-There is considerable force of the enemy at Lost Mountain. NEAR SLY'S BRIDGE, October 3, 1864-6 p. m. [Capt. LEVI T. GRIFFIN:] CAPTAIN: I have just received an order from General Elliott to report with two regiments of this brigade to you, leaving one here. We have been upon the move all day, and have just partially gone into camp at this place. If possible I would like to remain here to-night, and will report to you at any hour of the morning you may wish. We have a picket at Muddy Creek of fifty men a mile in front of us. Lieutenant Roys, commanding the picket, reports a force of 400 rebel cavalry on the other side of Muddy Creek. We are well picketed here. Have just sent a party of twenty-five men to Marietta to communicate with the commanding officer there and tell him what we know. I send you two prisoners we have just taken, who report Hood's army four miles west of Lost Mountain at daylight this morning. They belong to Polk's old corps. You may get valuable information from them. By just such stragglers one of General Kilpatrick's staff officers was shot dead near here this p. m. Please request Doctor Wise, of General Kilpatrick's staff, to send an ambulance for his body. We have but one ambulance, and have here one wounded man shot to-day. The officer going to Marietta takes with him the news brought in by these prisoners. Please send orders by the bearer. Respectfully, W. H. JENNINGS, Major, Commanding. Near Noyes' Creek, October 3, 1864. HDQRS. CHIEF OF CAVALRY, DEPT. OF THE CUMBERLAND, Brig. Gen. J. KILPATRICK, Commanding Third Cavalry Division: The general commanding directs that to-morrow you destroy the bridge over Noyes' Creek, and follow in rear of Second Cavalry Division. The Second Division will march at 7 a. m. I am, general, very respectfully, your obedient servant, J. E. JACOBS, Captain and Assistant Adjutant-General. LOUISVILLE, KY., October 3, 1864. Major-General HALLECK, Chief of Staff: (Received 4 p. m.) General Gillem telegraphs that he attacked the enemy, under General Vaughn, at Carter's Station at 3 o'clock September 30. The engagement continued until noon the next day, when the enemy returned to ward Zollicoffer. I have not heard from General Burbridge. J. M. SCHOFIELD, Maj. Gen. W. T. SHERMAN, LOUISVILLE, KY., October 3, 1864. Commanding Military Division of the Mississippi: GENERAL: During my brief visit to Kentucky I have learned that affairs here are in some respects in a very bad condition. There seems to have been criminal looseness, and, in some instances, gross corruption in the administration of military justice. Public enemies of the worst character have received their liberty by payment of large fees to lawyers having personal influence with the commanding officers, while innocent persons have been kept in prison a long time without trial. The provost-marshal's department at Louisville and the military police of the District of Kentucky appear to have been mainly engaged in trading in negro substitutes and extorting fines for violation of petty regulations. The officers of police appear to have performed all the duties of public prosecutors, judge, and receiver of moneys. These seem to be notorious facts. An investigation into the transactions of the police. and provost-marshals is now progressing, and I have ordered the arrest of the parties so far implicated. The charges relative to corruption in the release of prisoners involve the official character of Brevet-MajorGeneral Burbridge, who is now absent and who was assigned to his present command by order of the President or Lieutenant-General Grant, and who has been acting in reference to the arrest and disposition of disloyal persons under direct orders from your headquarters. Because of these facts I have taken no steps to investigate the charges which may affect General Burbridge, and respectfully refer the matter to you for such action as you may deem proper. I am, general, very respectfully, your obedient servant, Major-General. DECATUR, GA., October 3, 1864-8 a. m. Capt. L. M. DAYTON, Aide-de-Camp, Atlanta: My last orders were to be in readiness for speedy movement. Shall I send my hospitals, &c., into Atlanta without further notice, or wait till we actually move? J. D. COX, Brigadier-General, Commanding. DECATUR, October 3, 1864. Major-General SHERMAN, Atlanta: The breaking of telegraph by the storm last night delayed your message till this hour (10 o'clock). I will put everything on the road for Atlanta which is going there, and march the troops in rear of our old lines. I think there is no doubt we shall reach the bridge to-night. J. D. COX, Brigadier-General. General Cox, Decatur, Ga.: ATLANTA, October 3, 1864. I have now telegraphic communication with Rome, Allatoona, and Marietta. All quiet. You need not move, but be all ready to start at a minute's notice. W. T. SHERMAN, Major-General SHERMAN, Atlanta: DECATUR, October 3, 1864. Your dispatch countermanding movement received. I am sending into Atlanta our incumbrances, &c., as we began doing this morning, and will keep ready for movement at shortest notice. Brigadier-General, Commanding Army of the Ohio. General Cox, Decatur, Ga.: ATLANTA, October 3, 1864. You will move your command for the bridge and Ruff's Station at daybreak to-morrow. Leave Colonel Garrard's cavalry to guard and picket the roads north and east of Atlanta, reporting to General Slocum. Please answer. SPECIAL FIELD ORDERS, No. 128. * W. T. SHERMAN, HDQRS. ARMY OF THE OHIO, * III. The Army of the Ohio will move at 1 p. m. this day for Chattahoochee bridge. The Third Division will be in advance. The baggage of each division will follow the division to which it belongs, a rear guard of one brigade of the Second Division bringing up the extreme rear. The cavalry will remain at Decatur until all the quartermaster's property, hospital, extra baggage, &c., is removed to Atlanta, and will picket all roads east and northeast of Atlanta until further orders. Lieutenant Brown, of my staff, left Bull's Gap early yesterday morning with dispatches for Generals Burbridge and Ammen. General Ammen is at or near Carter's Station; reports skirmishing and some cannonading near Rheatown. It is rumored Burbridge has taken salt works. Nothing definite. DAVIS TILLSON, CHARLESTON, TENN., October 3, 1864. Colonel BASCOM, Assistant Adjutant-General: Colonel Johnson sent a messenger to Cleveland this morning reporting that Wheeler was at Dalton and that he had demanded the surrender of the place. I return to Cleveland this afternoon. H. G. GIBSON, Colonel Second Ohio Heavy Artillery. |