SPECIAL ORDERS,
HDQRS. SEVENTEENTH ARMY CORPS, Numbers 246. Near Atlanta, Ga., October 3, 1864.

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VII. This command will move to-morrow morning as follows, viz: First, the THIRD DIVISION, Brigadier General M. D. Leggett, will take the advance, moving promptly at 5 o'clock, on a road to be indicated by a staff officer from these headquarters; second, the Fourth DIVISION, Brigadier-General Belknap, will follow the THIRD DIVISION, keeping well closed on its rear; THIRD, the supply train of the corps, under charge of Lieutenant Colonel E. M. Joel, chief quartermaster, will follow the Fourth DIVISION; fourth, the First DIVISION, Brigadier-General Fuller, will move at 9 o'clock on the road toward Atlanta, and will fall into the column in rear of the wagon train.

2. The men will be supplied with three days' rations in haversacks, from to-morrow morning.

3. Upon receipt of this order each DIVISION commander will send a staff officer to these headquarters for additional instructions.

By command of Brigadier General T. E. G. Ransom:

[ROWLAND COX,]

Assistant Adjutant-General.

HDQRS. MILITARY DIVISION OF THE MISSISSIPPI,
In the Field, Atlanta, Ga., October 3, 1864.

Major-General THOMAS,

Headquarters:

I have ordered Generals Stanley and Davis to march their commands to the old rebel lines at Smyrna Camp, this side of Marietta, to counteract a similar move by our antagonist. I will leave General Slocum in command here with his corps and the small headquarters guard, and with the rest of the army will strike at the enemy if he attempts to make a lodgment of the road this side of Kingston. I give you the notice that you may understand the movement of troops. Your headquarters for the present had better remain as now.

Yours, truly,

W. T. SHERMAN,

Major-General, Commanding.

NASHVILLE, October 3, 1864-10 p. m.

Major-General SHERMAN:

I reached this place at 2 p. m. to-day, and found that Rousseau had organized and dispatched his troops down the Alabama road as far as Franklin, and will continue after Forrest until he overtakes him, if Forrest does not get cross the river before he reaches him. Major-General Washburn is coming up the Tennessee River with 3,000 cavalry and 1,500 infantry. He was directed by Webster before my arrival to land his infantry at Johnsville to aid in the protection of the depot there, and to proceed up the river to Clifton with his cavalry, and to move toward Athens for the purpose of striking Forrest's flank or cutting off his communication with Bainbridge. General Morgan, as I dispatched you last night, is moving from Athens upon Bainbridge, so it appears to me there is a fair chance of hemming Forrest in and destroying his