SPECIAL FIELD ORDERS,
NEAR KENESAW MOUNTAIN, GA., Numbers 57.
July 2, 1864.
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V. In order to carry out Special Field Orders, Numbers 31, headquarters Military Division of the Mississippi a copy of which is inclosed herewith,* the following movements will be made:
1. The supply trains of the Army of the Tennessee, as fast as they are loaded with stores, will be moved to-day under the direction of Lieutenant Colonel J. Condit Smith, acting chief quartermaster, by the most practicable route to the Sandtown road, thence south to Cheney’s at the intersection of the Sandtown and Powder Springs and Marietta roads, where they will be parked.
2. Major General F. P. Blair, commanding Seventeenth Army Corps, will commence moving his command from the left at 9 p.m. this day, continuing successively to the right, and will march by the route selected by his staff officers to-day to the Sandtown road and thence down it to some good point near the Widow Mitchell’s indicated on the map.
3. Major General G. M. Dodge, commanding Left Wing, Sixteenth Army Corps, will commence moving his command from the left as soon as Major General F. P. Blair’s troops have filed out, and will march by the most practicable route selected by his staff officers to-day to the Sandtown road and there follow Major-General Blair’s command down it to where the road branches off to Ruff’s Mill, on the Nickajack Creek, and take up a good position near Ruff’s Mill.
4. Major General John A. Logan, commanding Fifteenth Army Corps, will commence moving his command from the left as soon as Major-General Dodge’s troops have filed out, and will march to the Sandtown road, thence down it, following Major-General Dodge’s command to the forks of the road leading to Ruff’s Mill and Widow Mitchell’s, where he will halt and act as a reserve.
5. Brigadier-General Garrard, commanding cavalry division, will move his command at 9 p.m. to-day to the vicinity of Big Shanty to cover the rail and wagon roads leading north from Marietta and east of Kenesaw Mountain, availing himself of the defenses thrown up by our troops. He will establish and keep open communication with the left of General Thomas’ command, and will send one good regiment for picket duty over this afternoon to report at these headquarters at 5 o’clock to relieve the pickets of Blair’s and Dodge’s commands.
6. These movements will be made with as much celerity as possible, and with the least amount of noise. All arrangements, except moving troops and artillery, should be made quietly before dark to avoid confusion.
7. Troops and trains will move as much under cover and screened from the view of the enemy as practicable.
8. One wagon with ammunition for each regiment and battery will follow each division as heretofore ordered; the remainder of the ordnance train of each division will go forward with the general supply train, in charge of ordnance officers.
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By order of Major General James B. McPherson:
WM. T. CLARK,
Assistant Adjutant-General.