Alan J. Pitts
Re: Skinner's/Watkins' Farm
Wed Jul 25 12:59:02 2001


Thanks Art.

Federal troops engaged were from all three divisions of the Second Army Corps, as well as at least two brigades of Griffin's First Division, Fifth Army Corps. Counting five or six batteries that supported these troops during the day, the units involved number well over twenty thousand officers and men. Humphreys reported his losses as 670 killed, wounded and captured, while taking about 370 Confederates prisoner. In OR XLVI 3:177, he advises Meade that only one Confederate flag was captured, not two as earlier reported. Perhaps the other was that of the 43rd Alabama, secured by Chamberlain's men.

Thanks for your information on the position of Moody's and Wise's brigades. Federal reports include an exchange with a Confederate officer who proposed a truce so that dead and wounded of both sides could be safely recovered. Evidently that officer represents Davis' Brigade of Heth's Division, which I assume to have connected to Moody's Brigade on its left (east). A least one of the captured Confederate officers represented the 1st Confederate, a battalion assigned to Davis. Two of Johnson's brigades (Wallace's and Ransom's) supported Gordon's assault that morning and would not have been present.

Do you know anything of Confederate artillery in this sector? What about other Confederate units which may have been involved further west and east, such as Wilcox's Division and other brigades of Heth's Division?

Thanks -- Alan