HOWARD'S HEADQUARTERS, August 7, 1864.

(Received 8.30 p.m.)

Major-General SCHOFIELD:

General Dodge advanced his skirmishers, taking 27 prisoners. Sixteenth and Seventeenth Corps main lines advanced about 300 paces and intrenched. Fifteenth Corps advancing and intrenching to-night near our present skirmish line. It is reported that one of Baird's wagons and some men were captured between here and Chattahoochee. Is not Utoy Creek picketed by your cavalry?

O. O. HOWARD,

Major-General.

[AUGUST 7, 1864.- For R. W. Johnson to Schofield, reporting operations of the Fourteenth Corps, see Part I, p.510.]

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE OHIO, Near Atlanta, Ga., August 7, 1864.

Major-General HOWARD:

My cavalry is picketing Utoy Creek, and Colonel Garrard thinks no rebel cavalry has passed this way; but he has only 400 men, which, I apprehend, is entirely too small to guard so long a line.

J. M. SCHOFIELD,
Major-General.

BEFORE ATLANTA, GA., August 7, 1864.

Brigadier-General WILLIAMS,

Commanding Twentieth Army Corps:

GENERAL: Brigadier-General Corps informs me that you promised to move up the right of your line to the hill immediately on his left as soon as he had gained possession of the ridge in his front. General Corse has already moved his line forward and is intrenched, but it will be impossible for him to extend his line, not even the length of a regiment. Will you be kind enough to connect the right of your line if you can with the left of General Corse's division, and oblige,

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

O. O. HOWARD,

Major-General.

HDQRS. SIGNAL DETACHMENT, FIFTEENTH ARMY CORPS, August 7, 1864.

Major General JOHN A. LOGAN,

Commanding Fifteenth Army Corps:

SIR: I have the honor to state that I took my position in lookout station at 7 a.m., but on account of fog it was sometime before I could see with any correctness. At 10.30 a.m. I sent a message to Major General O. O. Howard stating that a column of the enemy just moved toward their left. I was unable to count the files, but saw two regimental flags, twelve wagons, and two ambulances by with column. One train of freight cars loaded with white sacks, apparently corn or meal, passed into Atlanta at 11 a.m. At 1.30 p.m. a train consisting