New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1862-07-04


enemy and protect the retreat. The railrosd Il
once given up. TroOps Of the enemy's cavalry ap.
pcared simultaneously early on Saturday morning.
at half dozen points between White House and
Savage's Station.
Early on Friday morning, before the battle Of
Gainess Mills, Gen. S,oneman LETT Porter, taking
with him the ID and 9Th regular Cavalry, the J7fh
New-York, Col. Lansing, and the 18th Maosaehu-
sct,s, and some artillery, and marched toward
Old Church and White House. have NJ word Of
bis movements, but presume be guarded the rail-
road until the stores at the different stations
could be destroyed, and the scattered detstehments
along the road could beat timely retreat either to
White House or TO Ssvages, and then fell bsk upon
Yorktown. Col. Farnsworh of the 9Th illinois
Cavalry rent two companies Of his regiment, under
Capt Famsworih, to Dispatch Station, s1 miles
from Savage's. The Captain cmptied the hospitsl,
then burned all the stores " the station and projected
the hospital train into our lines, not howeve, With
out brisk skirmishing and the loss Of ssvcri IF bis
command. On Saturday the baggage trsins 81 The
whole army were started. Ksyes moved bic di'is-
ions to White-Oak Swsmps, ak miles south Of
Savzge's. Porter's division sragled s,me distance
after him. At midnight the stores had besn removed
from Savagss or heaped up for burning. More than
eight hundred wounded were there. Becoming
aware that the place WAS not to be held, perhsps
third ofhe more able wandered, lems, and bleeding,
out into TIE darkness, and followed the wagons.
Surgeons volunteered to remain with the Others, Dr.
Page Of Heintzclmans division in charge.
At day.break On Sunday morning the works in
front were evacuated the troops falling beck in line
on the railroad, two miles back. BY Soclock, tho
enemy appeared, and engaged portions OF Smith,
Richardson's, and Sedgwicks div sions. He was re-
pulsed by an hours heavy fighting. The affair
fought near Fair Oaks, in which our loss wss seve-
raj hundred, may be known a. the battle Of Peach
Orchard Agsin the line faced about, and took
position hear Sayages. Late ia the afternoon shs
enemy came up, and similar struggle, with simi-
lar result, brought on night. In these engagements
the artillery was OF the utmost service, raking the
enemy with canister, repelling him, aided by bas
few yolleys OF susketry and making his Toes ten
times our Own.
Tie action at Savages, the more severe ofthetwos
was spenddly fought by both sides, and the fnairs-
mise of the iniuriated bordes of the enemy We
complete and destructive. Gen. Heintzslmsn COM
handed on the held.
In the esrly part of the same day keyes came
upon the enemy in front small distance beyond
White Oak Swamps-squads Of cavalry in every
rood. Half q regiment came charging full into
Couch's Division, pursuing a dozen OF his scouts,
evidently entirely lDsuspicous OF our approach u
force. They swept furiously on, yelling and BRAN
dsbing their swords, Wien, quick az powder .nssh,
thew were treated TO tremendous surprise. Masked
batteries turned upon Kebe!e slaughter - freely ~
when they qucnch the genius Of Winthrop, and
that dashing band came square upto i've guns
Slight earthquake and there were thirty empty SD
dies. The pursued became the pursusrs Sixty-ons
prisoners were taken, nine Of the enemy killed, Id.
GLIDING MAJOR and two Captains, and twenty
wounded. We did not lose man. This nice little
Job was executed by Capt. Floods Co. ID. Let Penn
sylvania Artillery.
IRON 10 O'Clock until 5, the front Of the columns
halted Gems. Mcclellan, Reyes, Porter, Peck,
Morrel, Bulierfeld and others, were in anxious
consultation. Had the enemy penetrated our desgn
in season TO intercept with any considerable force
lie was close aud strong upon our rear: was b
close and saong in front. Would the rear-gu&rd
fight him back We could hear tough old Heintzel-
man at work. God give him victory! was the
spoken or unspoken prayer of all hearts Were
Heintzelman beaten it was utter ruin; if there wero
even one Rebel Division in front, the march 70 tho
James would be disputed and delayed. 1t was an
absolute necessity that the way be unimpeded.
There were twenty-five miles OF trains cooped up
between the advance and rear guards.
Hudded among the wagons were IL, 900 stragglers
for the credit of the nation be il said that four
fifths of them were wounded, sick, or utterly ex-
hausted and could NOT have stirred but for dread OF
tho tobacco warehouses Of the South. The confusion
of this herd Of men and mules, wagons and
wounded, men on horse, men on foot, men by the
roadside, men perched on wagons, men searching
for water, men famishing for food, men lame and
bleeding, men with ghosly eyes, looking out be-
tween bloody bandages that hid the fsce-,urn 70
some vivid account of the most pitifd pa, Of
Napoleons retreat from Russia, and ill out ne
pcture-she grim, gaunt, bloody picture OF war 10
its most terrible features.
IL was determined TO move OIL during tie night.
The distance TO TuIkoy.lsl Bridge, the poin: On
James River which 10 be reached, by the direct
road. was Fix miles. But those vast numbers could
not move over one narrow road in days. hence every
by.road. no matter how circutous hadbeen searched
our by questioning prisoners, and by cavalry eSeur-
sions. Every was filled BY ore OF the advancing
columns. The whole front was in motion by p
m, Gen. Reyes in command Of the advance.
rode with Gen. Howe's brigade Of Coocbs d.
vision, taking wagon track through dense woods
and PERCEPTIONS ravnes winding sinuouSy far sround
to the lett and striking the river some distance below
Turkey Island. Commencing ut dusk, the msrcl
continued until daylight. The night was DARK aud
fearful Heavy thunder rolled in turn along each
point Of the horizon, and dark clouds spread the en-
tire canopy. We were forbidden to speak aloud, or