Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1862-08-28
GEN. MAGRUDER-THE BATTLES OF SAVAGE
STATION AND MALVERN HILL.


To he Editor u the Wig:
The recall Of Gen. Msgruder while on bis way 10 the
important command to which he had been assigned BY
the President excited at the time, much curiosity and
speculation in the public mind Nor has that curiosity
yet been lAyed by any authoritative statement OF the
circumstances connected with this apparently, mystef
Gus affair. So prone We, indeed to search for re
condite causes and hidden reasons to explain events In
themselves Of simple solution, that rumors preposer-
Gus in their character and highly derogatoy to this gal
LIANT and m,ritoous officer freely circulated, and,
for time obtained easy credence Some Of those re-
ports we're such that to stoop to meet them would have
been incompatible with the position Of gentleman. 1t
is sincerely TO be hoped that they have found the OBJ
Iivou they deserve. Other reports. specous in
their nature asserted that Gen. Magruder had been re
called in consequence Of charges preferred against
him with relation the operations Of his corps during the
recent battles before Richmond. The writer OF this has
no official information the SUBJECT, but he thinks be
can state with confidence, that charges Of any kind
have been preferred against Gen. haguder Statements
made concerning him which induced the President
10 require his presence in Richmond in order that he
might make report Of his operations during the period
above referred to- That report has been made, and,
when submitted to the public will am confident prove
a complete fefutaton OF the anonymous charges which
have been made, and perfect vndlcation OF his pro
csedings against the aspsfsons and criticisms OF nnin
formed persons. ~
The writer has, Of course not seen the report, but
he is with the facts Of the case and is per-
suadsd that the Judgment Of the President o. Gen. Lee
and Of all intelligent public will corroborate what lie
has said. IL certainly rather remarkable that Gen
Aagruder's il competency for command should be dis
covered only after than years service in very
important position during which period he had won the
first victory gained the enemy, had secured the
Confederate Capital against attack aud Southeastern
Virginia sgars nVsson although with small forces and
comparatively iusd quate means had with 1000 men
repealed the assaults Of the 10000 composing AeOle'
ans grand army oi the POomac aud kept them 1t bay
until sufficient force Ter the defence OF Richmond could
lie concentrated; aud had flsy been assigned by the
President, Who knew his services, aud appreciated his
merits, to an exceedingly responsible and important
command in distant portion OF the Oonfederscy The
ruth Of history will justify the PresideDt's confidence,
aud assign Gen. hsgrudeT al eminent position among
our military leaders, aud especially among those who
aided in the operations by which Richmond Wss relieved
from the proximity Of heOlelsns amy
Mech has been said both In private and in public, in
defogstiou Of Gen. hsgtuders operations ST Malvern
Hin and in coul, qaenee Of unfair and pr Judicial crit
suns here the enemy have been encouraged to claim AS
. victory, AL action which 10 them, perhaps, the
M ,.l DISASTROUS oil the whole series Many comments
have been made that engagement; AID ye. NO de
.,rpliou Of las been given to the public, and
nothing IL generally known OF IT, except that Il vas
cha scte ID by desperate aud bloody lighting AID that
Il terminated the lis! Of battles which closed Mcclellan
ca eer 10 Southeastern Virginia. !. has been eqarnt
" asserted and is generally believed that this action
vas accompanied with immense losses 10 our army, and
that in its results indCcsVe You will be surprised
20 arm that in proportion 10 the of troops
aged speak of the divisions under command OF
Gee hsgruder--Our loss lees at Malvern Hill than
Al either Of tie other battles Tie eDemys oss
heavy the saus upon their positions vigorous and
yell sustained, that they compelled, during the
night 10 abandon the ground retlrir in haste aud
u.op, and with every evidence Of panic aud defeat
As the part performed by Gen hagrudsr in the recent
struggle has not been ntellgibly explained, brief
statement msy perhaps not prove ptable ~ you
AID your rsaders
TAX BATTLE OF SAVAGE STATION.
The Eject Of tie various actions the ether side CT
the hll kAhomny, commencing at hechanicsSleo GU the
Afternoon Of June 70 h. aud terminating at Ganss' Mil
on the night Of June 27h was, a. you aware, 10
rout, NJ Cellars light wing drive it from all its poei
lions aud seyer s communication with the bass Of OF
era,ions on the Pau key No ot%r resource was left
Mcclellan than to withdraw the shattered remnants Of
a. ~. = u.
thence 10 make his say With his army, TO eligible
point on James river Blu. this mosemtn. necessa.
Nv attended with extreme Danger. /. had been foo.
seen ty Gen Lee aud that great Commander had made
dispositious which, had they been carried into fleet
might have assured the total rout and dispersion OF
Mcclellan Amy. Gen M4gIuter still remained in pc.
-lon in front OF the enemy al Far Oaks den. Huger
column oecup,d the Williamsburg TOAD aud threatened
h,tk mOVeuicui, aud Gen. Holmes division sta
toned still farther To the right ready 10 co-opt rate in the
general plan nLch had been adopted. Gen Jackson
had ad,anesl down The Ohiekahomiay az far q the
Grape Vine Bddse, crossing which he would men
ace hank and rear attack on tue Ietf,a:Hg CO.
nmns Of the enemy. la 'fsot Gen Jackson 10
eros, 1t that pou aad take road leading U the rear
o. AoCielans army, While Gen haguieI 10 attack
ia from and Con. huger ~ 90 operate by maI Serng
aloog the wi u, msburg road. These movements we're
10 haSe beeq made Oh SUNDAY morning. at which time
il had been discovered that Mcclellan actually PEE.
pairing 70 islTelt upon jams RIVER. Gen kagfader az
codingy d,eS up bis forces fn line Of battle ready TO
make ia. attack he slCuld be info med that
Gan Jackson had crossed the ChiekshOmiay. He re-
csiyed Intelligence 10 tbs. a Ct during the morning,
aud Immediately proceeded to assault the tnemys posi-
ton st Fair osk'. The fsderals driven from
heir works, making only sunh ssstsncs Was Gecessa
- to impede Nig,uisfs advance. Thus they we've
d,sen excessively from FORTH S,tOn sitter iortfoso1
forces vigorously PuTsuing up to and beyond the
yell kuo~I position at Seven Piaes,
la the meantime, he learned tina, Gan Rogers hoots
on bis sight had been ordered elsewhere aad received
message from General JI,k'On informing him that in
qusues OF having received other ORDERS he should
Ia, unahla N a., nnar.ta L., fat tLa.. ha1 Liam an