HEADQUARTERS SIGNAL DETACHMENT, Before Atlanta, Ga., August 22, 1864.

Major General JOHN A. LOGAN,
Commanding Fifteenth Army Corps:

SIR: I have the honor to transmit the observations of my officers and myself of to-day.

Observations of Lieutenant Colonel Fish from the lookout station:

Everything very quiet along the lines; a train of five freight, two platform, three passenger, and one baggage cars arrived at Atlanta at 5.30 p.m . There were a few persons on it; probably fifty. I have observed for several days a body of men at work on what appeared to be a new line of works on east side of Marietta railroad. To-day I have been able to better determine the nature of the work. A line of works runs parallel to the railroad directly opposite of railroad buildings, terminating in a strong fort. In front of this line rifle-pits for skirmishers are already made.

CH. H. FISH,

Lieutenant.

Observations of Lieutenant J. H. Weirick along the line:

I was at battery De Gress to-day making observations of rebel lines and movements. Their lines unchanged except on one point in front of Second Division, Fifteenth Army Corps, where no rebels could be seen for three or four days until this morning, when they appeared in considerable number and were busy all day building shelter, completing earth-works, &c.

J. H. WEIRICK,

Lieutenant.

Observations of myself from station in tree: The enemy are busy strengthening their works and building new ones in front of the Twentieth Corps. The news casemate battery and six-gun fort south of big gun and in front of the left of the Sixteenth Corps appear to be temporarily abandoned, casemates and embrasures being thickly covered servant girl, all of them well dressed, took quite a promenade on the large work in front of the main part of town. The enemy issued green corn again to their men in the rifle-pits this p. m. The box-cars reported by Lieutenant Fish appeared to be loaded.

Men seem to be very scare in front of the Sixteenth Corps. The big gun stands in the same position.

I have the honor to be, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

SAMUEL EDGE,

First Lieutenant and Chief Acting Signal Officer.

CARTERSVILLE, GA., August 22, 1864.

Brigadier General W. L. ELLIOTT,

Chief of Cavalry, Department of the Cumberland:

I received your telegram to-day concerning Colonel Palmer's force. If any mounted force should be placed at my command sufficiently large to be effective, I desire to ask you as to the disposition of them. If the object is simply to scout along the road the force is at contrary, you design to intercept Wheeler should he endeavor to return south by his old route, all the cavalry should be concentrated at Dalton, Resaca, or Spring Place. Dalton is probably the best point from which to defend the road. I deem it impossible, however, for any cavalry force you could concentrate at present to intercept Wheeler if he desires to avoid you, as he can back through Ellijay and Jasper or though Ducktown and Amicalola Falls or through Cooper's Gap to Dahlonega and cross the