The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1862-07-12
1uor Nous.
The Battles on the Peninsula,
Correspondence of the New York Herald

THE BATTLE OF PEACH ORCHARD.
At daylight on Sunday, june Doth,
our whole line of ear ,hworks had been
deserted, and our artillery removed a
mile to the rear. Here it was judiciously
disposed, the batteries masked, and the
infantry covered by thickncsses of woods.
The spot was part OF the battle ground
of Fair Oaks, but it is designated as
Peach Orchard Station.
At daylight the enemy came eastward
on the Williamsburg road, one column
advancing down the railroad. They
opened from two batteries on the left ;
but their firing was awkward and inef-
fcctive, as likewise their muskctry. which
was close and might have been more
serious. When they reached line of
march about three hundred yards from
our front, the whole terrible fire of our
cannon burst upon tAem.
They staggered, but before the full
effect of our discharge was discernibe
the pieces rang again, and ,hcr columns
were fearfully thlnncd. For half hour
our fire was so close that i, seemed the
perpetual echo Of single deafcuing
rcpor:, continuous blaze of flame and
ball, to which the Rebels replied fecbly,
but with some show of determination
General Sumner rode in the thickcst of
this fgh', and the gallant brigade of
Meagher was like wall of shamrock. -
Indeed, richardson's Division We'd with
Scdgwick's, and llelntzelman's troops
were not behind hand in the rapid of
their discharges and the stcadincSs Of
their behavior. The whole fight, though
it lasted from eight O'Clock A. NJ. to
twelve, was like one incident, and it ter
minated wi h Il loss to our side of not
more than one hundred aud fifty men, to
the Rebels of not less than one thousand
five hundred.
The cifor of the enemy to ovcrreach
us on the left were made futilely, for we
took pains to cover our line of general
re reat along the Williamsburg road, by
dcploying our left along that road to a
creek that crosses it more than mile in
the rear of Savage's. They endeavorod
to Charge through the brigades of Burns,
Dina, and German, but the steady fire
of such regiments as the Massachuset S
Twentieth baflled them in that regard.
Having held the place unil, in the judg-
ment of the Generals, our teams, heavy
ant llcry and ambulances were far across
White Oak Swamp, our troops fell back
to the neighbour of Savage's Station,
and again drew up in order of action.--
The fight Of Peach Orchard, for SO it
will be called, was | decisive victory to
the Union troops.
1t was fought with small force,
against immense odds, and in the rear of
the main army that was every moment re.
ceding. To conduct an action so mauful-
ly, III view of these gloomy fac s, argues
bravery akin to invulncrability. The
large figure of General Sumner, with his
long white beard, handsomely mounted
and followed by a dashing staff, is fea-
ture of this fight that will be forever
imprinted upon the minds of his soldiers.
When they saw him galloping down the
lines they cried, I" Here comes Old Bull,
boys give him three cheers !" and
fought with renewed enthusiasm. The
conduct of General Dana is universally
approved. Cool, S cady, and valorous,
he exhibited in this action the great self
possession that marks him in daily life.
Colonel Sully, the son of the distin-
guished artist, was acting as General of
Gorman's brigade during part of the
battle. He also won cncomiuuls for his
gencralship.
THE BATTLE OF sAvAGE's.
The bat lc of Savagc's was more sam
culinary. 1t commenced about ; o'cloc,,
in the afternoon, and lasted till II at
night The Rebels, when we had fallen
back from Peach Orchard, filed with
large reinforcemeuts and additional bat
terics, as we'll as with several squadrons
of cavalry, towards several roads leading
to the Chickahominy, and, covered by
the thick timber, were enabled to remain
concealed until they had reached wheat
field that stretches from Savage's to a
dense belt of woods in the direction of
the farms of DR.. Trent and Messrs.
Mickey, Dudley and Couch. Suddenly
appearing out of the edge of the timber,
they opened wi b riAed cannon upon our
forces, drawn up in full view to the
south of the railroad Directly thev
ran out three batteries to commanding
points in the wheat-fcld, and opened a
rapid enliladng fire of shell and grape.
This was at first SO staggering that
our men could not form, nor our artil-
lcrymen bring their batteries into SER
vice. The LOG Pennsylvania Regiment
was seized with momcntary panic, but
soon recovered and did good service
They lost in the beginning of the fight a
hundred killed and wounded men, and a
regiment of Rebel cavalry gallopcd in
and drove the regiment off, so that the
wounded had to be resigned. In the
meantime Rebel brigade was Observed
stealing down to the right, as If with the
designed of fanking our troops by reach
ing position on the Williamsburg road
Captain Petit at once planted two guns
on the railroad and swept the coiamn
with grape and canister, until it went
back to the woods upon a run. Some
Of the sharpest infantry fighting of the
war ensued, "a which parts of Sedgwick's,
Richardson's, Kearney's aud Smiths
Divisions engaged with various success.
The Rebels came determnedly across
Al II Al II