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790 Series I Volume XXXVIII-V Serial 76 - The Atlanta Campaign Part V

Page 790 THE ATLANTA CAMPAIGN. Chapter L.

SPECIAL
HDQRS. MIL. DIV. OF THE MISSISSIPPI, FIELD ORDERS,
In the Field, near Lovejoy's Station, Ga. Numbers 63.
September 3, 1864.

I. Army commanders will, during to-day, send to Jonesborough all sick and wounded men, all empty wagons, and prisoners of war, also all surplus wheels not needed for a five days' stay in front, ready to start to-morrow morning at 6 o'clock from Jonesborough for Atlanta. Each army will send a regiment to escort these wagons, and General Thomas will send an experienced colonel to conduct the train into Atlanta, there to await further orders.

II. The army will be prepared to move back to-morrow or next day, the Army of the Cumberland to Atlanta and Chattahoochee bridge, the Army of the Tennessee to East Point, and the Army of the Ohio to Decatur. Major-General Thomas will have General Garrard's cavalry ready to act as the rear guard.

By order of Major General W. T. Sherman:

L. M. DAYTON,

Aide-de-Camp

SPECIAL
HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT FIELD ORDERS,
AND ARMY OF THE TENNESSEE, Numbers 116.
Near Lovejoy's Station, Ga., September 3, 1864.

The major-general commanding Military Division of the Mississippi, not desiring to prevent the enemy from pushing toward or around our right, the following will be the dispositions for the day:

1. Major-General Blair will inspect the extreme right, and secure it against any reverse fire, shortening his lines if necessary so as to have some reserve.

2. Major-General Logan will hold his front line with as few troops

as he deems safe, and put the rest comfortably in camp.

3. General Ransom will encamp his troops, with a view to resting them pushing skirmishers far out toward our right flank.

4. Brigadier-General Kilpatrick, while he will conform the operations of his command to the foregoing, will at the same time keep a sharp lookout on our right flank, advising the general commanding of any movement of the enemy.

* * * * *

VI. The following are the orders and dispositions of this army in the preparations to move back, in pursuance of Special Field Orders, Numbers 63, Military Division of the Mississippi:

1. Major-General Logan will, with his reserves,at once form a brigade on the most practicable defensive ground in the rear of the cotton-gin; this reserve position will be occupied by the division of Brigadier-General Hazen, who will form the rear guard of the right column; General Logan;will then reduce his front line as much as possible, holding, however, to the last the hill now occupied by General Harrow.

2. Brigadier-General Ransom, commanding Left Wing, Sixteenth Army Corps, will with his reserves, construct,a barricade on the right of that to be made by the Fifteenth Corps, retaining General Fuller's division as rear guard of the left column. General Ramson will also, in conjunction with the commands on his left, reduce his front to a thin line, moving all troops not necessary to hold it to the rear of his barricade.


Page 790 THE ATLANTA CAMPAIGN. Chapter L.