ATHENS, ALA., May 18, 1864.

Lieutenant Colonel R. M. SAWYER,

Assistant Adjutant-General, Nashville:

For a month past Roddey has been in front of and in the neighborhood of Decatur with two small brigades, commanded by Colonels Johnson and Patterson, and amounting in all to 2,000 or 2,500 men. It was part of Johnson's command that crossed the Tennessee and drove Colonel Rowett away from Florence. Have just examined a doze or more prisoners captured by Rowett at Florence Sunday last, and they all tell the same tale, which confirms the information I got from other sources. Roddey's is the only force near Decatur. This information is reliable. Forrest was at Tupelo last week.

W. Q. GRESHAM,

Brigadier-General.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE CUMBERLAND,
Near Adairsville, May 18, 1864

General STEEDMAN,

Commanding at Chattanooga:

Take care that men forwarded to their regiments, are not detained at Chattanooga. They must be forwarded at once. Send every man fit for duty to his regiment without delay.

By command of General Thomas:

HENRY STONE,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

CIRCULAR.] HEADQUARTERS TWENTIETH CORPS,

McDowell's House, May 18, 1864.

Division commanders will have issued to their men to-night sixty rounds of ammunition. All the trains will be parked in the vicinity of their camps. The troops will be in readiness to move at daylight to-morrow morning; no wagons will accompany them. The ordnance train will be so parked that if ammunition should be required it can readily be got at. The commander of the Third Division will feel the enemy's lines from time to time during the night, and if it should be ascertained that they have left their position the fact will be at once reported.

By command of Major-General Hooker:

H. W. PERKINS,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

SPECIAL FIELD ORDERS,
HDQRS. ARMY OF THE OHIO, Numbers 6.
Marsteller's Mill, Ga., May 18, 1864.

I. On account of physical disability leave of absence for thirty days is hereby granted Brigadier General H. M. Judah, U. S. Volunteers.

II. Brigadier General M. S. Hascall will relieve Brigadier General H. M. Judah, in command of the Second Division, Twenty-third Army Corps.

* * * * *

IV. The corps will march to-morrow morning on the Kingston road in the following order; The Third Division at 4 o'clock; the First Division at 4.30 o'clock the Second Division at 5 o'clock. The artillery