HEADQUARTERS,
Atlanta, Ga., August 4, 1864.

To the MILITIA OF THE COUNTIES OF CAMPBELL, CARROLL, PAULDING, HARALSON, COBB, BARTOW, FLOYD, CHATTOOGA, WALKER, DADE, CATOOSA, WHITFIELD, MURRAY, GORDON, GILMER, PICKENS, CHEROKEE, MILTON, FORSYTH, AND DAWSON:

You who are between sixteen and fifty-five years of age are hereby ordered into the military service of the State of Georgia, and are directed to report to and obey till further orders from these headquarters such officers as General J. B. Hood, commanding the Army of Tennessee, now at Atlanta, may send into your respective counties to direct the service you are to render. You will not be kept constantly under arms, nor removed from the Cherokee country, but you will respond instantly to each call made by an officer sent by General Hood. It is very desirable that as large a number as possible from these and other counties in Northeastern Georgia mount themselves on horses and form into cavalry companies and uise shotguns, pictols, and such other weapons as they can command. All who cannot get horses, and who prefer it, can volunteer and from themselves into companies under officers of their own selection, and will report with their officers to the officer appointed by General Hood. All who refuse to join volunteer companies are required to report as militia under the laws of this State. The statute of the State declares that every man who refuses to respond to this or any other similar order shall be treated as a deserter. It will be but a short time till courts-martial can be ordered in the respective counties for the trial of all such. All are expected to use their own arms when they have them. Those without arms will be supplied when they are required to render service. When in service or on active duty, under an officer having a commission from this State, or having an order from General Hood to assume such command, they will be entitled to all protection of prisoners of war, in case of capture by the enemy. The Confederacy has enough of Federal prisoners to enable us by prompt retaliation, if necessary, to compel the Federal authorities to respect your rights a prisoners in case of capture. General Hood's army is now being rapidly re-enforced. The militia of the whole State not within the lines of the enemy are responding witha unaminity, promptnes, and cheerfulness seldom equaled in the history of the worlld. It is hoped that General G. W. Smith's command, composed of State militia, who have thus far done the service of volunteers in every fight and have never once flinched, will soon amount to about 30,000 effective men. Georgia is determined at all hazards and every sacrifice to drive the invaders from her sacred soil. In this important consummation you are expected at the proper moment to act a useful part in freeing your homes from the presence of the hated foe. It is expected that patriotism, a sense of duty, and the desire to drive the enemy from your homes, will be the only incentives necessary to induce proper action. Colonel Dobbs and Colonel Rogers, my aides-de-camp, are charged specially with the execution of these orders. They will communicate with and give orders to such officers as may remain in ir be sent to the counties. If you are determined to be freemed, act promptly and vigorously, as your brethen in other parts of the State are doing, and the day of deliverance is near at hand.

JOSEPH E. BROWN.

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