HEADQUARTERS SECOND ARMY CORPS,
March 28, 1865.

Major General JOHN GIBBON,

Commanding Twenty-fourth Corps:

GENERAL: The strength of my picket-line at present is as follows: First Division, on right 500 men; Third Division, in center, 600 men; Second Division, on left, 715 men. Please let me know at what time you will relieve the pickets. I would suggest that before daylight will be best. The pickets which you post on the left of the Vaughan road on the other side of Hatcher's Run may be withdrawn after the corps has passed the point where they cross the road. If your will send three orderliest here to-night I wiil have them directed to the right of picket-line headquarters of the different divisions, that the commander of each picket detail may be able to find his position and communicate, if necessary, with my division commanders.*

[46.] A. A. HUMPHREYS.

HEADQUARTERS SECOND ARMY CORPS,
March 27 [28], 1865.

Major-General GIBBON,

Commanding Twenty-Fourth Corps:

GENERAL: From my knowledge of the line I now hold I should say that 200 men to support Fort Sampson, a brigade about where Battery A is (on the road running west from Fort Cummings), a brigade about Battery E (near the Tucker house) to hold down to the Vaughan road, and some support for the battery on the left of the Vaughan road would be sufficient. I do not doubt that the picket force may be reduced. Upon that subject the division commander will have the most recent information as to the reduction in strength of the enemy's picket force. It is not necessary to have any guns in Battery D, near the Thompson house. Colonel Hazard will have a battery of ours guns in Battery A. He has none for the other batteries in consequence of being obliged to keep batteries in Forts Gregg and Sampson. Four guns in each of the Batteries B, C, E, and left of the Vaughan road will be sufficient. The right of my line will begin at Fort Gregg, and I have troops camped on the curtain between Gregg and Sampson. Wright furnishes the garrison for Sampson. I have received your note by hand of General Smyth.+

Very respectfully,

A. A. HUMPHREYS,

Major-General, Commanding.

The staff officers will be at your headquarters at 4 a. m.

[46.]

HEADQUARTERS FIRST DIVISION,
March 29, 1865. (Received 6 p. m.)

Major-General HUMPHREYS:

GENERAL: General Miles has connected his skirmish and line of battle with General Warren's command. General Warren directed me to say to you that his prisoners report the enemy to have fallen back to

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* For reply see Gibbon to Humphreys, VOL. XLVI, Part III, p. 225.

+ This in reply to Gibbon, VOL. XLVI, Part III, p. 225.

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