The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1862-07-12
rom Special Correspondent. Of the N ". Tribune
LANDING ON JAMES RIVER,
SIyEKrEEH NILES BELOW R,cHMoND,S


SIyIHrEER NILES BELOW RlCHMOND,S
Monday, June 80, ls62-l2m.
There has been series of battles-fercely
contested, bloody, exhaustive battles-from
Thursday, June 26, at Beaver Dam, near Me-
ehanicsville, up to this hour, when hear artil.
le,y and musketry, and shelling from the Gale
nj, and wounded me- are being borne BY.
The army was put in motion for this point on
Saturday morning, Gen. Keyes' corps taking
,se front, next to which followed Porter's thin
ned ranks and the enormous trains of baggage
Heiptzelman's, Summers and Franklin's corps
we're left to face the enemy and protect the re.
treat. The railroad was at once given up
troops of the enemy's cavalry appeared simul.
uneously early on Saturday morning, at half
dozen points between White House and Ssva.
ge's Station
Early on Friday morning, before the battle of
Gains Mills, Gen. Stoneman left Porter, taking
With him the I'd and 9th (regular) cavalry, the
l7.h New York, Col Lansing, and the 18th Mass
sehusetts, and some artillery and marched to.
wards Old Church and White House. have
no word of bis movements, but I presume he
guarded the railroad until the stores at the
different stations could be destroyed, and the
scattered detacbments along the road could
bes! timely retreat either to White House or
Ssrages, and then fall back upon Yorktown
COL Fsrnswor:h of the sth Illinois cavalry, sent
two companies Of his regiment, under Capt
lirnsvofth, to Dispatch Station, six miles from
Syiges. The Captain emptied the hospital,
Asn burned all the stores at the station, and
projected the hospital train into our lines, not,
however, without brisk skirmishing, and the
Ss Of several of his command. On Saturday
,ae baggage trains Of the whole army we're
started. Keyes moved his division to White
Oak Svamps, six miles south of Savsge's. Por-
a's division struggled some distance after him.
A:midnight the stores had been removed from
Ssysges or heaped up for burning. More than
elel. hundred wounded were there Becoming
lss'e that the place Was not to be held, per.
taaa third Of the more able wandered, lame,
Md bleeding, out into the darkness, and follow.
ane wagons. Surgeons volunteered to re.
NAN With the others, DR.. Psge of Eeintzelman's
division in charge.
/ at daybreak on Sunday morning the works in
ifont were evacuated, the troops falling back in
lne on the railroad, two miles back. By s
O'CLOCK, the enemy appeared and engaged por.
nons Of Smiths, Richardson's and Setgwick'e
cVisions. He was repu!sed by an hours heavy
Hgnting. The affair fought near Fair Oaks, in
sncn our loss vas several hundred, may be
MoWn as the battle of Peach Orchard. Again
Se Ane laced about, and took position neal
a'sges Late in the afternoon, the enemy
aae up' and similar struggle, with a similar
sN Drought on night. In these engagements
Nsfaiiery vas OF the utmost service, raking
ueaemy with canister, repelling him, aided by
W eS volleys OF musketry, and making bis
s.en times our own.
me- action at Savage's, the moresevere of the
MAWs splendidly fought by both sides, and
HaaA repuise of the infuriated hordes Of the
s.u7 was complete and destructive. General
fsaaelman commanded on the field
1.-The early part Of the same day Keyes came
s@ the enemy in front small distance beyond
Nhs Oak Swamps-souads of cavalry in every
,Na half regiment came charging full into
Ieehs Division, pursuing dozen Of his scouts
Haen.y entirely unsuspicious of our approach
aiotce. They swept furiously on, yelling and
GNdlshiDg their swords, When, quick as pow
e'tHh they were treated to q tremendous
siEfse Masked batteries turned upon Rebels
aasa.er as freely ss when they quench the
Eaus Of Winthrop, and that dashing banG
ase square up to five guns-a slight earthquake
mere we're thirty empty saddles. The pur
10 oecaue the pursuers. Sixty.oDe prisoners
'aeaken nine Of the enemy killed, including
,.aos and two Captains, and twenty wounded
Eaa not lose man. This nice little job was
ws Artillery,
"on 10 O'clock until 5, the front Of the col
S ~ as!ted. Gems Mcclellan, Keyes, Porter
,,, Aorrell, Bu.terfeld, and Others, were il
o., ,ss W. consultation. Had the enemy penetrated
Ssa IN season TO intercept with any con
on, 0s '" iofce? he was close and strong upor
lWoSs.i was he close and strong in front p
Ibea, ~. ae fear.guerd fight him back? We coulG
Him yic., isa OLD Heintzelman at work God give
AL Ias! vas the spoken or uIispoken prayer
ner ,n;r's. Were Heintzelman beaten it wa:
I,fror. mere were even one Rebel Division
lived snd 5-d AN march to the James would be dis
er no n!ed. Sss!ed. II was an absolute necessity
sr,es .s eaupeded. There were twenty
ms ,,s Trans Wsns eooped up between the ad
tt.,eu among he wagons were 10, 900 strsg
haSsS. sse cfeoit Of the nation be it said thai
sS,psss VI zen were wounded, sick, or utterly
Dad n -, anu eoa!d ne. have stirred but fol
Ias n,fr. 'ooacco warehouses of the South
sg,,s,aa OF this herd of men and mules
ss b, ~ wounded men on horse, men on foot
ss s,,sS S roadside, men perched on wagons
u.a haag TOR water, men famishing for food
oosrp w.. anu bleeding, men with ghostly eyes
be isss-,ween iN, between bloody bandages, that hit
sos. i;fh ni,;.s, 70 some vivid account of tn
s2s, F,sa ,sss, par. of Napoleon's retreat from
saod, n;o.I III out the picture-the grim, gaunt
ea p'afe Of war in its most terrible fes
y. determined TO move on during th
q sOi.. 1ae distance to Turkey Island Bridge
sssd Va James River which was to
sro! the direct road, was six miles. Bu
I'm, numbers could not move over on
I've, boS osa IN days; hence every by.road, n
hcaos circui:ous, had been sesrched o,
: ". Ia.oe prisoners, and by cavalry excu
's'! one Wa Gled by one of the O