Alan J. Pitts
Re: Skinner's Farm - Mar 25, 1865
Tue Jul 24 09:46:35 2001


It would be interesting to know what really happened there. Evidently Watkins House was near the Confederate line, not far from the Vaughn Road crossing of Hatcher's Run. Here's the Congresional Medal of Honor citation for a member of the 124th New York Infantry who captured an Alabama flag that day:

THOMPKINS, GEORGE W.

Rank and organization: Corporal, Company F, 124th New York Infantry. Place and date: At Petersburg, Va., 25 March 1865. Entered service at: Port Jervis, N.Y. Birth: Orange County, N.Y. Date of issue: 6 April 1865. Citation: Capture of flag of 49th Alabama Infantry (C.S.A.) from an officer who, with colors in hand, was rallying his men.

Can you hear someone saying, "flag of the 49th - 59th...what's the difference?"

According to the Siege of Petersburg site,

http://members.aol.com/siege1864/accounts.html

the end of the Confederate line along White Oak Road, west of Hatcher's Run was held by Bushrod Johnson's division. This division included the brigades of Wallace, Wise, Ransom (North Carolina) and Moody.