Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1862-07-11
THE BATTLES AT RICHMOND.
Days, FIGHTING.



The general detection that followed the retirement Of
troops the Chckahominy particularly re-
BY the division Of General Smith who held position on
the extreme right, consisting u line u hoaetworks
aud two edouhts The ei ot these redouhts strong
y constructed, and had much annoyed the enemy, who
had reason TO believe that heavy artillery were placed
on it they might be compelled 20 cyacuate the high
grounds at both New Bridge and Old Tavern. Indeed
II commanded these and other points
Accordingly, when assured Of the successes Of the len
wing u their army the rebels determined 20 seize the
duty assigned To Toombs' Georgia Brigade, ono u
the best organizations in the Confederate service They
ming and advanced with close voeys " musketfy, In two
lues u battle. Haucocks brigade, consisting " the
Fifth Wisconsin, Sixth Maine, Forty third New York
and Forty ninth Pennsylvania regiments were tmmcd
atey under arms indeed they had been ali day expeo
sing to join in the the other side They adj
vauced over piece II corduroy road passed the fodoub
to the right aud amer travcrsng bottom or deohFty
formed IN line of battle about Third " mile from the
redoubt aud the ascending slope Of hill Here they
threw themselves upon their bellies, 30 that they could
just peep crest by rising to their knees, and wait
ed the onslaught Of the enemy
The pockets skitmishcd right into the main body the
rebels coming pel nell after them, hoping 20 capture the
whole force, when, just they turned the crest Of The
hin, Hancocks brigade and Brooks Finn Vermont reg
mcnt gave them staggering ire Al the same moment
the artillery from the fcd1uut and below opened upon
them and they fell right aud len, in heaps and files
All the espet Of die Gforpans change 90 doubt and
then to panic As they attempted to fau back our men
to their feet, rushed some distance aud lay down
again, pouring In as before murteIous yollcys The
whole hghtuE lasted hdlf aM hOuf huur eudihN IN
hundred dead Georgans being len on The field Our
loss was exceedingly slight, as our men were not only
properly gencratd but the fsgimeuta officers Of this
brigade of the most effective IN The service
rBB SECOND FiGHr or 0oLDISGis FARM.
The next morning Saturday, the eniuriaed Georgaus
who had in the eantme heard u their success OF fu-
day, the Chckahominy, determined TO attack our
lines before Grn smiths division second time, and
make another effort occupy the fcdouht near Godnys
House. Their dead still lay in the bottom or meadow
where they had fallen the night before. aud our uouis
a \
picket station, where they dug and masked rife pit
At eight O'Clock the Ge0rgans formed In line ofbste,
headed by Col Lamer, of the seventh Georgia (known
connection with the celebrated slave Of the yacht
Wandcrerl the INST regiment by ropute TO enter the
rebel service They did not seem dispinicd by their III
success Of the day before but marched boldly up To the
inevitable fate-etrble vueys, that cut them 10
pieces literally butchcrug them--and their enemy,
though obvious 20 fceug' was nowhere PLAIN TO the
sight
THE RATTLE At s,yAeEs srAuoS,-suNDAy
Our troops ell back eisurey Savagos Station, and
there awaited the enemy The battle VI SAvagcs Sta
ton was more saugunary II commenced about tive
night The rebels, when We had fallen back from PeAch
Orchard flied, and with large rcnorcomcnts and add
ton batteries well as with several squadtons Of cav
ally, towards several roads leading 10 the lhckahominy
and covered oy the thick timber, enabled 10 remain
concealed unit they had reached Wheatheld that
stretches from Savages Station 20 dense belt Of woods
in the direction Of he farms " DR. Trent and Mcssrs
Mickcs. Dudley and Couch.
Suddenly appearing out q the edges Il the timber
they opened with ridtd cannon upuu forces drawn
up IN fun view to the south " the railroad Directly
they three batteries 70 commanding points in the
wheat field, and opened rapid cuhading fire NJ she'll
and grape. This was at hfat 90 staggering that our
men could not for o., nor our afulitymtn bring their
acr,s into service The l06h PeuGsiiyania regiment
was seized with momcuaty panic, but soon recovered
and did good service The hrst named lost u the be-
ginning VI the fight hundred killed aud wounded men
and Argument OF cavalry ga ped 90 ana drove The reg
meut of, that the wouuded bad 90 betcslgned
Ia tDe meantime rebel brigade observed stealing
down TO the right as II with the design NJ aaukiug our
I "A 70
road. Captain Petit AT once planted two guns The
Railroad and swept the column with grape and causlet
unit 1t went back TO the woods upon run. some Of the
shatpest infantry lighting of the war ensued IN which
parts Of SougwicAs Richardson's Hookors, keamey 5
and smith divisions engaged WIN various success he
rebels came detetmmedy across the hed, hnng as they
advanced, until General Sumner ordered our troops up
a. doublc-quick to charge About four thousand n
them went of at with that might have
drowned the mhsketry.
The rebels kept tkeir position for moment aud then
fell back the VI their batteries Meager's brigade,
however succeeded in charging night M To the Of
a Virginia battery, two Of which they had hauled off,
spiked aud chopped the carriages TO pieces
FALLING HACK FROM sAvAoEs.
The weary but still fcsoute soldiers received orders
midnight fall back rapidly from Savagr's he
Oak Swamp. The enemy was making turtive attempts
20 oyeeach them IN This respect, and was likely to te-
tight between the rebels and Unioniss 10
which should first cross the creek aud gain the high
grounds other side lftheg tbpuld be spec
dy and succeed in placing the swamp between ourselves
and them our retreat would be almoT inevitably cut on,
and almost tho whole army putcherca OF surrendered
THE oagAr BATTLg or WHITE OAK SWAMI.
The enemy followed us hard towards white Oak
Swamp, the fdithfm fellows Of Htinitleman, Sumner
and Franklin protecting our baggage and ARTILLERY -
These, indeed were compelled 70 Keep in line Of battle
the country along the whole extent Of the
for the enemy was forever cudeavufug 10 turn us upon
the right and the left Nuwhstandug this, march
exhibited symptoms Of haste or fear the trains went
duly but not rotousy, and when finally the last wag
on and cannon vent FLASHING through the creek, our
teams whitencd all he hills ON the southern side and
the weary soldiers, having torn up the bridge laid them
selves down 20 rest
II was now eight O'Clock on MONDAY day arid dust,
and closer than the painting but iudomitabc Notthenj
could wen endure. Many " them hungry IN,
in the eNaups such that the stomach tuue,
II with loathing, and the wounded hobhed here aut
there with dry eyes that seemed To- plead for drink -
White Oak creek runs through belt OF swamp timber
Wo'isely as Ne 0Nanon'u! uu"s 'll.u.L ~ tcom
passing Worass lie creek is not more than four OF Nj
feet deep, and had been made pasabe by engineers
baigade, who built go corduroy bridge over 1t
4 stup Of bottom land lies on both sidcs Of the swami
and the north side a steep hill. crnwntd with farm
house formerly headQuarter, Of Gen Casey, had
encirced by our troops with line Of rife pits AnahAt
ii. also stretched across the bottom land Beyond thi
the country rising. and two farm houses Ia,
opposite each other alta hue distance where -ome o
officers stopped 60 rest and tctrcsh.
: supported by thick wood This the right NJ on
. line Of battle, where Gen Hancock was posted will
: his brigade: consisting OF INC ON Wisconsin, 81
n Maine, AID New York, and i9th Pennsylvania.
= Generals Brooks and Davidson lay close into Han
cock aud the batteries Of the division commando
by Capt AyTrs formerly If Shermans battery. Gener
ais sumner Porter and iu fact all the whole Of the ar
~ my, excepting the corps Of keyes and mmeHar mum
her Of sragglers that had pushed toward the Jane
river and could be rallied in time TO be Of service
extended the line Of battle upwards Of four miles to tn
leh bordering the whole distance upon the swamp, wit
batteries, every commanding hill, and strong pick
Q ct situated Charles City Cross r. ads where II
shfewdy expected, the enemy would attempt 10 come pu
= in force from Richmond
e Hancocks position was a strong one and it woul
10 have taken strong enemy TO dslodgc nim The fr
FED this point Monday, when the bridge tha
the engineers had constructed for the passage Of the
: my having subseryed its purpose, removed frou
White Oak Creek Previously, the railroad bridge ha
been burned and euyeIts blown up. and lot NJ super
J. uous ammunition and oumbrous baggage by train in
n 10 the Chickahominy.
= lie appeared White Oak Swamp in strong force.
directly opened from twenty masked batteries tina
blew up several OF Captain Motifs oaissons dsmounte
U his pieces, and raised hubbub generally among th
: tcamsters, waRouers, cannoniers and infantry. tn
u twentieth New York at this time made their celebrate
stampede for which, day the Provost Guard by
i der Of Mcclellan, picked them up and took them q
- headquarters like so many culprits.
o However very light batteries recovered them
selves and vigorously responded TO the enemy who
soon ~ perceptble disadvantage, fat accurac
II and effect concerned. Our infantry, too, fell
line ready TO support the batteries meet half
attempt Of the rebel infantry push the creek
Thus the battle progressed late in the afternoon with
rous loss to both sldesmore wounds from she
perhaps resulting than at any other time In any BATH,
> The rebels made desperate efforts 10 N
. creek but General Smith brought his up clos
quarters with them whenever they dared the contest
- diers bit the dust there were signs u holding OF
fne hera he1