THOMAS' HEADQUARTERS,

August 24, 1864.

Major-General HOWARD:

The road you indicate will not be used by my troops after Friday morning.

GEO. H. THOMAS,

Major-General, U. S. Volunteers, Commanding.

HEADQUARTERS FIFTEENTH ARMY CORPS,
Before Atlanta, Ga., August 24, 1864.

Major General P. J. OSTERHAUS,

Commanding First Division:

GENERAL: The following telegram is just received from Major-General Howard:

Major-General LOGAN;

Please satisfy yourself fully as to whether there is anything more than a skirmish line in your front or not, and report.

O. O. HOWARD,

Major-General.

You will take the necessary measures to ascertain whether or not there is more in your front than is indicated in the telegram, taking care not to expose your lines too freely, and report your operations to these headquarters.

By order of Major-General Logan:

H. N. WHEELER,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

HEADQUARTERS SIGNAL DETACHMENT,
Before Atlanta, Ga., August 24, 1864.

Major General JOHN A. LOGAN,

Commanding Fifteenth Army Corps:

SIR: I have the honor to submit the following as my report of to-day. Lieutenant Fish, of this detachment, took position on lookout station at 8 a. m. and reports the following:

At 11.30 a. m. I discovered a column of smoke rising from Atlanta. I examined it closely, but could not determine from what it originated. The fire emitted black smoke for a space of five minutes, then white smoke, something like steam. Heated air could be seen to rise in thick white clouds. It was still burning at dark. At 11.40 a. m. a train of eighteen box-cars left town; doors closed; could not tell if loaded or not. At 4.30 p. m. a train of eighteen box-cars and one passenger-car arrived, all empty. At 4.50 p. m. a train of our passenger and five box cars arrived; they appeared to be empty. At 6 p. m. a train of eight box-cars, loaded with boxes, bundles of clothing or bedding, and other articles, left town, also about thirty-five men on board. The six-gun fort in front of the Seventeenth Corps has part of the embrasures casemated. A battery in the Seventeenth Army Corps almost destroyed one of the casemates to-day; their firing was very good.

Lieutenant Weirick, of this detachment, reports from Captain De Gress' battery:

I notice the following changes on the rebel lines in front of Fifteenth Army Corps: During the last twenty-four hours considerable timber has been cut in front of their main lines. They have extended and completed some of their advance skirmish puts and pitched some additional tents or flies in rear of main works, apparently officers' quarters; otherwise their lines appear unchanged.