HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE CUMBERLAND, Browns' Mill Creek, Ga., June 3, 1864.

Major General W. T. SHERMAN,
Commanding Military Division of the Mississippi:

GENERAL: General Baird succeeded in advancing his lines within a short distance of the house he was firing at this morning, and has his skirmishers beyond. General Palmer's chief engineer went into Acworth to-day about 11 a.m.,capturing 1 or 2 of the enemy's vedettes, whom they found there. He went by the Dallas and Allatoona road and the fork which passes the ford you directed me to have guarded to-day. He reports the road a pretty good one. He says the citizens told him that Hardee's and Hood's corps were withdrawing by the road to Big Shanty, which I believe is on the railroad a few miles north of Marietta. In compliance with your orders,a brigade from Butterfield's division now guards the upper bridge and ford on Allatoona Creek, on the road to Acworth. Lieutenant Kelly reports his couriers attacked and driven in twice to-day - one, point on the old Burnt Hickory road between there and Pumpkin Vine Creek. He also reports that the rear guard of a train going to Burnt Hickory from some of the old camps was attacked. I have therefore ordered General Garrard to send two regiments of cavalry thoroughly to scout the country on our right and rear as far as the crossings of the Etowah River toward Kingston.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

GEO. H. THOMAS,

Major-General, Commanding.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE CUMBERLAND, Near Brown's Mill, Ga., June 3, 1864.

Major General O. O. HOWARD,
Commanding Fourth Army Corps:

GENERAL: The major-general commanding directs that you withdraw either General Stanley's or General Newton's division from its present position, leaving the other to cover the entire line of both as now posted, and relieve General Davis' division, of the Fourteenth Corps. It is understood that the division of your corps remaining in its present position will be supported by the command of General McPherson.

Yours, very respectfully,

WM. D. WHIPPLE,

Brigadier-General and Chief of Staff.

HEADQUARTERS FOURTH ARMY CORPS, In the Field, near Brown's Mill Creek, Ga., June 3, 1864-9 p.m.

(Received 10 p.m.)

General JOHN NEWTON,
Second Division, Fourth Army Corps:

GENERAL: You will relieve the remainder of Major-General Stanley's command down to the creek at sunrise to-morrow morning, June 4, thinning out your before to one line in that part of your position which you may deem the strongest. General McPherson has been instructed to re-enforce you in case you are attacked.

By order of Major-General Howard:

J. S. FULLERTON,

Assistant Adjutant-General.