The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1862-07-12
The Rebels kent their position for q

VI thci UhllCilCS. -ncdS ucI D DIiSdue,
however, succeeded in charging right
upon the guns of Virginia battery, two
of which they hauled off, spiked ,and
chopped the carriages to pieces. The
Eighty eighth, Sixty-thrd and Sixty
ninth participated in this gallant act
1t was here that the brave Colonel Pierce
Of the Twenlh-ninth Massachusetts Re-
giment, formerly General Pierce, of Big
Bethel fame, lost an arm. 1t was taken
off by a solid shot.
Night came on, but put no end to the
carnage. The s eady roar of the cannon,
and the sharp, quick ring Of muskctry,
now bursting mo vollcys, now degen-
Grating to that rasping noise made BY
file firing, filled the whole air. The
darkness was lit up by the ftful flashes,
and to complete the awful picture, the
woods were set on fire by bursting shells,
and The conhagratiou painted fiery terrors
on the sky.
THE LOSSES AT sAV4GE'S.
The battle of Savage,s was much
heavier than that of Peach Orchard. -
| We los, in addition to our wounded
all of whom fell into the possession of
the enemy-from seven hundred to a
thousand men, the greater part Of whom
were killed and wounded. Most of the
wounded and all the killed were left
behind, as we had no means Of trans
portation for them, and the exeency of
the army would not allow of 1clay in
waiting the tardy movements If the
wounded. The enemy lost sevcrcl,, and
several of his caissons were blown Up bv
ihe effectiveness of our firing. During
the several parts of the action we took
not less than five hundred prisoners, but
were compelled to let them 90 for the
same reason that operated in the cac of
our wounded.
FALLING BACK FROM s.ivAGE'S.
The weary but $ ill resolute soldiers
received orders at midnight to fall bek
rapidly from Savage's across White Ok
Swamp. The enemy was making turtle
attempts to ovcrrcach them in this re
spect, and it was likely to become tigh
race between the Rebels and Unionists
as to which should first cross the creek
and gain the high grounds on the other
side, Ii they should be more speedy,
and succeed in placing the swamp be-
tween ourselves and them, our retreat
would be almost inevitably cut off, and
almost tue whole army butchcrcd or sur
rendered. Though every soldier and
| nf1 fn1f u, IL Il Il Il
close, no one acted otherwise than as !.
Northerncr and man. There was nd
murmuring, no tlinching, no undue has7
tening, only the sublued talk of soldiers
comparing opinions, the eady tramp OIL
battalions, and now and then the griffin
of teeth, or the hard drawing of breath
to indicate the bit erncss of the hears
all. Had some lost spirit supplied til
orch, there was the requisite fire in tn
whole army to rush headlong upon il
notation at Richmond. and end the car,
paign with honor, if not with consui
nation. At dawn all had reached tt
swamp, and the enemy was coming
behind.
| GREAT BATTLE OF WHITE OAK SWAMI |
The enemy followed us hard towai
White Oak Swamp: the faithful fellow
of Hem zelman, Sumner and Frankll
protecting our laggard baggage and arti
lcry These, indeed, were compelled
keep in line of battle across the coun'r
along the whole extent of the retreat, I'd
The enemy was forever endeavorinn /
turn us upon the right and the left
Notwi hstanding this, our march exh
bted no symptom Of haste or fear; I'll
trains went on duly, but not riotousl.
and when, finally, the last wagon an
cannon went FLASHING through the crcel
our teams whitcned all the hills on I'll
southern side, and the weary soldier
having torn up the bridge, laid thel
selves down to rest. 1t was now eigi
O'Clock on Monday, day arid, dust
and closer than the painting but indom
table Northerners could we'll endure
Many of them were hungry, the waite
in the swamp was such that the stomach
turned at it with loathing, and the
wounded hobblcd here and there will
dry eyes that seemed to plead for drink
White Oak creek runs through bel
of swamp timber, precisely as the Chick
ahominy flows through its encompassins
morass. The creek is not more thai
four or six feet deep, and had been made
passable by the engineers brigade, who
built good corduroy bridge across it
\ strip of bottom land lies on bo.h sides
of the swamp, and on the north side {;
steep hill, crowned with farm house
forming the headquarters Of Genera
Casey, had been encirclcd by our ow,
troops with line of rifle pits. A,
abat is also sire ,chcd across the bottom
land. Beyond the stream the countn
was rising, and two farm houses lay Oh
poste each other at little DISTANCE ,
where some of our officers stopped \
rest and refresh.
Beyond the most eastern house ran
small creek, supported by thick WOO
This was the right ofour new line of bal I
tie, where General Hancock was posteI {
with his brigade, consisting of the Eff
Wisconsin, Sixth Maine, Forty-thi s
New York, and Forty-ninth Pennsy t
vania. Generals Brooks and Davids(
lay close in to Hancock, and the ba, |
terles of the division we're commanded 4 s
Captain Ayres, formerly of Sherman .
Battery Generals Sumner. Heintya {