Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1862-07-10
OPERATIONS ON THE PENINSULA
From the Special Correspondents of N Times
Army ofhs Potomac on James R'psr'
Monday Evening, jane 80, '62.

transpired within the last five days, touch
ing the condition and prospects ofthe ar
my on the Peninsula. Acting under the
necessity which the Commanding Gener-
al Inns long foreseen, the widely-extended
lines of the army, with its miles OF we'll
constructed defences, stretching almost
from the James River on the left, to, and
beyond the Chickahominy on the right,
have been abandoned, and the army be-
fore Richmond has fallen back to more
practicable line Of defence and attack, up
on the James River. Hither the grand
army, with its immense artillery and wa
gon train-its commissary and Quarter
masters stores-its ammunition--its cat
tie drove of 9 hAn 49, ,.;ua
Wv Ni''e -,v1v ucau-ln fact, It's entire
material, horse. foot and dragons, bag
and baggage, have been transferred
THIS mapeuvre, however-one Of the
most difficult and dangerous for a COM
mander to execute in the face of the enc
my-has been accomplished safely, tho
under circumstances of difficulty and trial
which would have taxed the genius of a
Napoleon.
The army has been engaged in con-
flict with the enemy for sic days, during
which their highest energies have been
taxed to the utmost. We have had no
moment of repose-no opportunity scarce
ly to properly care for the wounded and
to bury the dead. The enemy have close
ly watched every movement, and with an
army more than double that of our own,
have had the ability to constantly launch
fresh troops upon our rear, an advantage
which they have been quick to discover,
and remorceless in improving. Their
perfect knowledge of the roads, paths and
bridges, and the topography of the coun-
try, which has taken us time to learn, has
placed an immense advantage in their
hands Heaven grant that here, under
the shadow of these hills, and with the CO.
operation of the gunboats, our overtaxed
soldiers and officers may have that brief
repose which is so essential to them, and
to the existence of the army itself.
Beginning with the fight at Mechanics
vile on Thursday, our advance forces,
while steadily falling back, have had a
continuous running fight.
On Friday one of the severest battles
which was ever fought on this continent
occurred on the right of the Chickahominy
near Gaines Hill. On Saturday, after
our forces had retired in good order across
the creek and d stroyed the bridges, we
we're attacked in front of our encamp-
ments, but Gen. Smith repulsed the enc
my, leaving the ground strewn with his
dead. ss.aa aa.asg saa.
On Saturday morning the arrangements
having been completed, the wagon train
was started on its way to James River,anc
was followed on Saturday morning by the
artillery and commissary train. IL
Meantime the enemy, getting scent o
our movement, strongly reconnoitered gu
front, and finding that several of our pc
sitions had been abandoned, pushed il
and attacked US vigorously. Gems, Hook
er and Richardson drove them back, AM
f Gen. Meaghar's brigade, always on hanC
at the right time. charged, and capture
two of their guns. The rebels paid dea
, price for the information which they oh
tanned The chief struggle was near Saw
ages Station.
Anticipating movement on our RICH
: flank, the railroad bridge over the Chick
= ahomihy was destroyed on Saturday morn
ing. The rebels, surprising we had falle
! back on the White House, sent a larg
force of infantry, cavalry and artillery
, that direction, but after long, rapid an
weary march, discovered they had gon
A on wild goose chase in the wrong diret
- ton. They only found a small force {
: our infantry and cavalry scattered dow
'i to guard the rear, who fell back and e.
= capped from White House Landing. TIL
{ rest was one of those bowling wildel
nesses" which the rebels intend to leav
for US. All the quartermaster and con
N missary stor IS had been removed two day
before, and the rubish burned. j.
Gen. Mcclellan and staff left the heat
quarters at Savage's Station at dayligt
IS on Sunday morning, with body guar
/ of the Fourth United States cavalry, an
e halted some five miles out, after crossin
Il the White Oak Creek.
!, There were, on Saturday, about on
/ thousand of the wounded and sick, chief
g accumulated from the battle of Frida,
y many of whom it was found impossible {
y remove, owing to the nature ard severit
o. of their wounds. and as a matter of h,
h mainly, as well as of necessity, they wei
l. left behind. A great many, howeve
= who could walk slowly followed the trac
o of the army, and the ambuances brougl
i away great many others.
e Gen. Hooker's Division broke camp
e the intrenchments at 3 O'Clock Sunda
i, morning, and Gen. Sickles' and Grover
e brigade proceeded to the outposts to r.
$, lieve Gen. Patterson's New Jer-ey bri;
D. ade. At 5 o'clock A. NJ. the three bri,
AIDES fell back to the second line of r,
doubts, where they forsaed line of bait
!, with Richardson's and Kearpey's Diyi