send Forrest to Tennessee. I meet him at Meridian to-morrow. This place is in need of re-enforcement. It is liable to investment. I apprise you of orders to Forrest, that you indicate change if desirable.

D. H. MAURY,

Major-General.

[39.]

AUGUSTA, September 3, 1864.

General BRAGG:

Shall I send to General Hardee the employes at the powder-works who are organized into companies? Colonel Rains reports an extreme necessity for the continuance of the works.

A. R. WRIGHT,

Brigadier-General, Commanding Post.

[38.]

MONTGOMERY, September 3, 1864.

Honorable J. A. SEDDON:

The Governor issued his proclamation on the 22nd of July, calling out the militia to assemble on the 5th of August. He is now doing all he can to have them at once organized for the defense of the State.*

JOEL RIGGS,

Adjutant and Inspector General.

[39.]

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF TENNESSEE,
Near Lovejoy's Station, September 4, 1864.

General BRAXTON BRAGG,

Commanding C. S. Armies, Richmond:

GENERAL: I have the honor to make the following statement of facts touching the evacuation of Atlanta:

On the morning of the 26th I found that the enemy had abandoned his works on our right and had thrown back his left from a point a little west of the Marietta railroad, and resting near the railroad bridge. The next night he abandoned all his old line except a few brigades in front of my extreme left. I found that he had thrown the greater part of his forces across the Utoy Creek, crossing the river at Sandtown, which place he ad strongly fortified. He also retired an entire corps certainly, and I think something more, to the north side of the river. From his preparations I was convinced that he intended a movement in force upon my left or to my rear upon the Macon railroad. I accordingly massedmy forces upon the left, leaving only such in Atlanta as I felt necessary to hold the town against the force which I knew he had left at the railroad bridge on either side of the river, and from the force on the Sandtown road bearing direnctly upon it. His change of position was made with great secrecy and circumspection intrenching at each step and sometimes even inadvance of his movements. He seemed to have his forces extending from Sandtown nearly perpendicular to the river and reaching the West Point railroad. To take the offensive I would have been compelled to have hazarded battle against a labyrinth of field-works over a very broken country, and in any event I could not have hoped for more than a partial success. I determined to await further developments. Finally, on the 29th, I found that the enemy had detached what I though to be two or three of his smaller corps in

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* This in reply to Seddon, VOL. XXXIX, Part II, p. 812.

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