Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1862-07-05
FROM GEN. n1cCLELLANs Army.
THE BATTLES OF PEACH ORCHARD,
sAvAGE'S AND WHITE OAK SWAMP.
Correspondence Of the New York Herald. ]
The Battle Of Peach Orchard.

cove red by thicknesses of woods The spot was
part Of the battle ground Of Fair Oaks but II is
designated a. 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
fecnve, as likewise their musketry, which was
clcss and might have been uiore serious. When
they reached a line Of march about three hundred
yerds nom our 'front.' the whole terrible fire Of our
cannon burst upon them.
They staggered, but before the full effect Of our
diseharge was discernible the pieces rang again,
ana their columns were tearf1lly thinned. For q
half hour our nre was so close that It seemed the
perpetual echo OK single desfening report,
continuous blaze or fame and bail, to which the
Confederates replied feeelY, but with some show
Of determination.
The whole fight, though Il lasted from eight
O'Clock a. m. TO twelve, was like one incident,
and IL terminated with loss to our side Of not
more than $50 men, to the rebels Of not less than
$40.
The Efforts of the enemy to overreacb us on the
left were made futile, for we took pains to cover
our line Of general retreat along the Williams
burg road, by deploving our left along that read
to creek that crosses 1t more than a mile in the
rear OF SavaRes. They endeavored 70 charge
through the brigades Of Burns Dana and Cor.
man, but the steady fire OF such regiments az the
Massachusetts goth bafaed them In that regard
Having held the place until, in the Judgment of
the Generals, our teams, heavy artillery and
snbulances were far across White Oak Swamp,
our troops fell back leisurev to the neighborhood
OF sayages Station, and again ew up in order
OF action. The fight Of Peach Orchard, for so II
will be called, wasa decisive victory to the Union
troops.
The Battle Of savase's.
The battle Of savege,s was more sanguinarv,
IL commenced about five O'Clock in the afternoon,
ana lasted till eleven O'Clock at night Tie
rebels, when we had fallen back from Peach
Orchard, filed with large reinforcements and
additional batteries, as well as with several
,quadrons Of cavalry, towards several roads lead
n kn hnm rnNy nnA raI 49,
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 oDened with
rlned cannon upon our forces, drawn up in full
view to the south Of the railroad. Directly they
ran out three batteries to commanding points In
the wheat field, and opened a rapid enfilading
FIRE Of shell and gtlpe.
Thls was at first so staggering that our men
could not form, nor our ertillerYmen bring their
batterie: into service. The 1O6th PENNSYLVANIA
Regiment was seized with momentary panic but
soon recovered and did good service. The first
named lost In the beg inning Of the fight hun
died killed and wounded men, and a regiment
ofrebel cavalry galIoPed in and drove the regi-
msnt OF, 80 that the wounded had TO be resigned
In the meantime a rebel brigade was observed
stealing down to the right, as II with the design
tia Williamsburg road. Capt. Petit at once
planted two guns on the railroad aud swept the
column with grape ard canister, until II went
back TO the woods upon a run. Some of the
sharpest Infantry fighting Of the war ensured, in
which parte OF Sedgwick's, Richardson's, Hook
er's, Kesrney's and Smiths divisions eng aged
with various success The rebels GENE deter
minedlY across the field, firing as they advanced
until Gen. Sumner ordered our troops up al
double quick to a charge. About 900 of them
went OF a. once with q roar that might have
drowned the musketry.
The rebels kept their pcJi ton FOR moment and
then fell back to the rear oftheir batteries Mea-
gher's brigade, however, succeeded in charging
right upon the guns Of Virginia battery, two OF
carriages TO pieces. The seth, SD and seth par
ticipated ia this gallant act twas here that the
brave Col Pierce, OF the 2eth Massachusetts rszi-
ment, formerly Gen. Pierce, Of Big Bethel fame,
lost an arm. IL was taken of by solid shot.
Night came on but put no end to the carnage
The steady roar Of cannon, and the sharp, quick
ring Of musketry, now bursting into volleYs now
aeGenetsan1ing to that Ta,ping noise made by file
lit up by the ftful flashes, and, to complete the
awful picture, the woods were set on fire by
bursting shells, and confagration painted fiery
terrorssn the sky.
THE REBELS FIRE INTO OUR HOSPITALS
In the battle Of Savage's the rebels fred into
our hospitals repeatedly, although admonished
by the customary red flag, and afterwards by
white heg Deaf to all appeals 70! fo,oear1nce,
they continued to burl messengers OF death among
those already past thciT veng eance, and the
wounded were compelled to lie immovably and
hands that had already MANNED them. A few had
limPed away from the hospitals, but were shot
down whenever they were discovered by the
bloOdthiIstY foe.
THE LOSSES AT sAvAsE's.
The battle Of Savage's was much heavier than
that OF Peach Orchard. We Lost, in addition to
our wOunded--ail Of whom fell into the posses
sion Of the enemy-fFom 200 TO coo men, the
greater part OF whom were killed and wounded
Most Of the wounded and all the killed were left
be hind, as we had no means Of transportation for
them, and the exigency Of the army would not
allow Of delay In waiting the tardy movements
OF the wounded The enemy lost severely ara
several of his caissons were blown u . by the eff.
fectiveness Of our firing. During the several
parts OF the act!on we took not less than 500 prIs
oners, but were compelled TO let them go, for the
same reason that operated in the case Of our
wounded.
FALLING BACK FROM sAvAsR's
The weary but still resolQte soldiers received
orders at midnight to fall back rapidly from
Savage's across W hite OAK Swamp. The enemy
was making furtive attempts to overresch them
Ia this respect, and 1t was likely to become a
tight race between the ReOe's and the Unionists
az to which should cross the creek and gain the
high grounds on the other side Ii they should
be more speedy, and succeed In placing the
swamp between ourselves and them, our retreat
would be almost inevitably cut OF, and almost
the whole army butchesrd or surrendered AL
though every soldier and Ofcer felt this dreadful
alternative SO Close no one acted other wise than
as Northerner and man. There was no muir
Inurlng, 40 nlnchlng, no undue Fastening ONLY
the suOdued talk Of soldiers com pairing opinIon.,
the stead tramp Of oattalions, aud nrN and tnen
The gritting OF teeth, or the hard drawing of a
breath to indicate the bitterness In the hearts of
all. Had some lost spirit supplied the torch.
there was the requisite Ore In the whole army to
rush headlong upon immolation at Richmond,
and end the campaign with honor, II not with
contamination. At dawn all had reached the
swamp and the enemy was cenins on behind.
The Great Battle Of White Oak Swami.
The enemy followed Us hard toward White
Oak swamp, the faithful fellows Of Heintxel.
man, sumner and Franklin protecting our lag
gard baggage and artillery. These, indeed, were
compelled 10 keep Ia line Of battle across the
country along the whole extent Of the retreat. for
'oe enemy was forever endeavering to turn M
upon the right and the left Notwithstan hiding
this, our march exhibited no symptom Of haste
OF lear; the trains went duly but not riotously,
ana wnen, INA ly, the last wagon and cannon
went plashiIg through the creek, our teams
whiiened all the hills on the southern side, and
ths weary soldiers, having torn up the bridge.
Isld themselves down TO rest. IL was now eight
O'Clock on Monday, day arid, dusty and closer
tn4n the painting but indomitable NorthernerS
could welt endure. Many Of then, Were hungry,
the water In the swamp ySas such that the storn
dch turned ct IL with loathin0 and the uornaoS