HOWARD'S HEADQUARTERS,

August 17, 1864.

General SHERMAN:

I have just returned from reconnoitering with General Logan on extreme right. Shall I countermand orders preparatory to a movement, or merely postpone?

O. O. HOWARD,

Major-General.

HDQRS. MILITARY DIVISION OF THE MISSISSIPPI,
In the Field, near Atlanta, August 17, 1864.

General HOWARD:

Make preparations, but merely postpone. If the cavalry can do what we want, there is no need of moving the whole army.

W. T. SHERMAN,

Major-General, Commanding.

HDQRS. MILITARY DIVISION OF THE MISSISSIPPI,
In the Field, near Atlanta, Ga., August 17, 1864.

General HOWARD:

I now have positive intelligence that Wheeler is gone into East Tennessee with a large force of cavalry, and now is the time to strike the Macon road with cavalry. I will concentrate five brigades at Sandtown to-night under General Kilpatrick. To-morrow night he will move out to Fairburn, and then to Jonesborough, smashing the road badly. Therefore to-morrow keep up a steady pressure, and make demonstrations, as though looking for a place to assault, and next day keep up a lively activity along the whole line, so that infantry cannot be spared to go out to protect the railroad. I think Hood has made a mistake in sending his cavalry now, and propose to take advantage of it. If the cavalry cannot do the jot, of necessity we must then go out in force.

W. T. SHERMAN,

Major-General, Commanding.

HDQRS. DEPARTMENT AND ARMY OF THE TENNESSEE,
Before Atlanta, Ga., August 17, 1864.

Major General JOHN A. LOGAN,

Commanding Fifteenth Army Corps:

GENERAL: General Howard directs that every embrasure in your redoubts be screened so that the enemy can be no possibility see your guns; then, in case of removal, the enemy will not discover the withdrawing of the guns.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

T. W. OSBORN,

Major and Chief of Arty., Dept. and Army of the Tennessee.

(Same to Generals Blair and Dodge.)