Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1862-07-16

iooiiSn enemy never Tor one III onfent suspect
ed our real design. and thinking these move
mehts demonSi rations against them, made for
The purpose of weakening the effect Of their
iancIed turning of Or right wing, continued
concentrating their entire army on the Chick
ahominy, sending tens of thousands of troops
across 1t as reinforcements for the advancing
column. Deluded rebeldOm little suspected
she was sending the flower OF her army away
from her enemies, and that the hundred thou
sand men she had across the Chick ahominy
had no other foe to fight but a few helpless
men, lying in al old house opposite W oodbury
I bridge.
Saturday commenced the evacuation of the
right wing, which was slowly, though surely
maze. White House, and all the stores there
which could not be carried away, were burned.
Thirty thousand Federal musl<ets were thrown
1 into the Pamunky. The mali came through
| that morning with newspapers, and Bottom S
bridge and the railroad bridge were destroy
I ed as soon Us the train passed over. All day
/ the rear guard was marching and counter
marching, still binding the enemy, ald in
/ every sklrmlsh with his forces gaining vic
tory. Thousands of wagons were sent oil on
the road past Savage station, through White
Oak Swamp, towards City Point, on the james
river All the sick and wounded who could
walk were sent along with the teams-the
helpless had to shift for themselves. enlist
ed that day in the squad who hunted mp the
sick and sent them away, aud at night was
with the extreme rear at Woodbury. bridge.
ever IN my life did evening pass with
such solemn grandeur as that one spent at
Woodbury. bridge. On the Federal side Il
solitary company OF cavalry guarded the end
OF the destroyed bridge, and soldiers burned
the few valuable articles which were lying
about. Camp fires were lighted as for vast
army. StraggierS, tired almost to death, lay
OH the ground sleeping, each marked feature
sunk into perfect rest. A few wagons were
still there. The vast plain, once filed with
all the pageantry OF war, was stretched ont be
fore nae dotted all over with fires, but having,
save that one cavalry company, not single
human being upon all its surface. Across
the river, brightly reflected upon the clouds,
where the lights OF the rebel camp, and their
forces, with no one to oppose them, no doubt
were as they had been for many hours previ-
ously, under arms upon the bloody field which
bore So many OF their dead
AT ten clock Saturday evening, the
last OF the Federal army had left woodbury.
bridge, and we've IN iui retreat for W White Oak
Swamp. The night was dark and cloudy,
threatening rain. Thousands Of stragg ling
soldiers were mixed up with the wagons, ana
as We proceeded, regiment after regiment,
from all parts OF the right wing, oiled us.
through d wilderness OF wood and swamp,
the close and damp atmosphere almost suffo-
eating us, we went rushing over logs and
stumps, the men running TO keep up with the
=
most outrageous manner. Midnight brought
us to Savage Station, and here WAS the first
horror OF that nights journey. Savage Sta |
ton was large depot OF commisSary stores, |
and an Immense hospital Sheds and tents by |
scores had been erected, aud were flied TO |
oYerhowing with the sick and wounded, whom |
exposure aud battle he'd rendered helpless |
The poor soldiers, far too numerous to receive |
anything Ike proper care from the very few |
surgeons who were at their posts, lay on the |
ground III heaps, hugging each other for |
warmth. Officers and men, high and low,
were all reduced to the same level that hight. |
Each was waiting TO have his wants attended |
TO, and all, am glad to say, amid the terrible
scenes which surrounded them, bore their ae-
OnieS with patience, This horror, however,
was nothing to that which next morning saw.
When the rear guard came up, the enemy
pressing them on all sides, the entire hospi- |
tai was turned out. Sick and wounded were
told TO SHIFT for themselves as they best could
and those who could not get into the few am.
balances which We're there had to walk for
ward, or If possible, persuade some surly
teamSter TO carry them on his overloaded wag-
on. In gloomy squads the lame and halt
limped of towards the james river, the groans
OF poor suffering humanity almost sitting the
words of encouragement which the slightly
Wounded gave. They shifted for themselves,
and many did it by lying down by the roadside
to die. When the enemy came there few
hours afterwards, even their barbarity must
have been modified by the terrible appearance
OF Savage Hospital. Dead and dying soldiers
covered the ground. The ashes OF commissary
stores, blown about by the wind of that Sab
bath morning, shrouded them, and the ex-
posion of railway train, laden with amuni-
tion, which was sent shrieking through the
woods, was the kneli sounded for all. That
railroad station will always be sad spot in
my recolIccton. For terrible sights and
scenes, the world has not It's equal.
From Savage Station all the way to James
river, the retreat had to be conducted by u
single road, which crossed the stream border
ing White Oak Swamp by rude log bridge,
SO imbedded in mud that every wagon had 20
be assisted at the crossing, aud many stuck
fast. Over this one road, a vast army, with
all its baggage, had TO pass. Yhe reader may
judge of the confusion OF the passage, when
tee thousand wagons and twenty live hundred
head OF cattle were two small Items in the ac-
count. White Oak Swamp bridge is some six
miles frcm the station, and from one end of
the road between them to the other wagons,
horses, soldiers, cannon, pontoon boats, calS-
sons, ambulanceS, and everything conceivable
for the use of Il moving army, were standing
in perfect jam. An officer at almost every
step urged them on. Twenty rows of wagons
stood side by side, teamsters swearing, horses
banking and officers shouting. Babel was a
second time seen on earth, and all could
be heard Gen. Fitz John Porter as he urged
his horse up hill shouting to a WAGNER not
TO stop up the entire road. On came to
White Oak Swamp, passed it and few miles
hey yond the party | walked with lay down on
the ground, completely tagged out, and slept
during the heat of the day Thou
sands of soldiers lay around, belonging to
every regiment in the army. Maine and Penn
syIyania went to bed together. New ork
forgot her exclusiveness in the embraces OF