HDQRS. DEPARTMENT AND ARMY OF THE TENNESSEE,
Acworth, June 7, 1864.

Major General F. P. BLAIR,

Commanding Seventeenth Army Corps, in the Field:

GENERAL: Inclosed please find copy of Special Field Orders, Numbers 20, from headquarters of the Military Division of the Mississippi, which will give you a general idea of the movements contemplated.* You will on your arrival at Allatoona detail one brigade and one battery of your command to guard the pass at Allatoona and the railroad bridge across the Etowah River, the brigade to number at least 1,500 fighting men; one regiment will be stationed at the railroad bridge with a section of artillery, the balance of the brigade and battery will come forward to Allatoona and hold that place, which commands the south entrance to the pass. Two or more good, strong, earth redoubts, with connecting lines of rifle-pits, will be thrown up by the troops as soon as practicable; the works to be laid out by Captain O. M. Poe, chief engineer of the military division, and Captain C. B. Reese, chief engineer of the department. The headquarters of the brigade will be at Allatoona until further orders, and the commanding officer is directed to arrest all stragglers and men improperly absent from their commands, and set them to work on the fortifications, reporting their names and the regiments to which they belong daily. The balance of your command will come forward to this place, where a staff officer will meet you to indicate the camping-ground.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

JAS. B. McPHERSON,

Major-General.

HEADQUARTERS U. S. FORCES,
Pulaski, Tenn., June 7, 1864.

Major POLK,

Assistant Adjutant-General:

My scouts have been out on Courtland road from Decatur. Roddey and his command have gone to Moulton. Patrols from Lamb's Ferry and Centre Star report no force this side of the river nor near the other side. Report confirmed that Roddey has gone to Moulton. Forrest is not there.

JOHN C. STARKWEATHER,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.

HDQRS. MILITARY DIVISION OF THE MISSISSIPPI,
Acworth, June 7, 1864.

General VANDEVER,

Rome, Ga.:

You may send the guns found at Rome to Chattanooga, and General McPherson will, if necessary, send you a battery. Three regiments are enough at Rome. It is not expected you should carry on offensive measures, but simply hold Rome as a place of security for future use. The enemy cannot spare infantry, and I doubt even if Johnston can spare cavalry to attack Rome, which he gave up for that reason. The

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*See p. 427.

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