Santa Fe gazette. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1859-1864, 1863-05-09

al contest credtable alike to the energy Of the
'nemy and the desperate valor Of the compara-
lively small band that repelled the attacks Of bis
masses. 1t will suffice, for the purposes
,f this report, to state that the action commenced
lbout 2 p. NJ. and that during the afternoon
up the division Of Socum to the support
VI Porter, and soon after the biigades OF French
md Meagher, Of Richardson division The latter
were not engaged, At later period two brigades
Of Peck's division were ordered forwarded but, as
their services were not needed, they did not cross
the Chickyhomny. The contest continued, with
varying fortunes until dark, when the enemy dis
continued sattack. During the night tho final
withdrawal ofthe right wing across the Chicka.
hominy was completed without difficulty and
without confusion, portion Of the regulars re-.
naming on the left bank until the morning Of the
2sth. Early on that morning the bridges were
burned, and the whole army was thus concentra
ted on the right bank Of The Chickahominy.
During the battle Of Gaines's Mill the position
of Gen. Smith was warmly attacked but the enemy
was at once repulsed with loss.
In the course of the night Of tho 9th Gen.
Keyes was ordered to cross the White Oak
Swamp with the Fourth Corps and take up
position to cover the passage Of the trains
Measures were also taken to increase the number
Of bridges across the swamp. The trains wero
set in motion at an earl hour and continued pass
ing across the swamp night and day, without
intermssOn until all had crossed.
On the 2sth Porters corps was also moved
across the White Oak Swamp, and on tho morn
Ing Of the 10th took up position covering the
ROADS leading from Richmond towards White Oak
Swamp and Long Bridges. During tho night Of
the 2sth and 29th the divisions oil Slocum and
Mccall were ordered across the White Oak
Swamp, and were placed in position to cover the
passage of tho remaining divisions aud trains. In
the course of the same night the corps Of Sumner
and lleintzelman and the division Of Smith were
ordered to fall back from their original positions
to an interior line resting upon Keycs's old en-.
trenChWents on the left, and so arranged as 10
cover Savage Station, They were ordered 10 hold
this position until dark then to full back acros:
the swamps and reioin the rest Of the army. Thi!
order was not fully carried out, nor was the exac
position | designated occupied by the difcren
divisions concerned. Nevertheless, the result wa
that two attacks Of the eneuy--one very deter
mined onse,-were signaily repnlsed by Sumner
corps, assisted in the last by Smiths division o
the sixth corps. These are the two actions know
as the affair of Aliens Field and the battle 0
Savage Station The third corps crossed tn
swamp before dark, having left its position befor
the hour assigned aud was not in action durin
/ that day, (the 29th) The second corps an
, Smiths division safely crossed the swamp durin
the night with all their guns and material, an
brought up the rear Of the wagon tram,
In the night fhe 10Th and 3Oh the fourth an
fifth corps were ordered to move 10 James rive
J to rest on that river at or near Turkey bend an
J occupy position perpendicular tothe river, thu
, covering the Charles City road to Richmoni
I opening communication with the gunbOats an
covering the wagon train, which vas pushed
= rapidly rs possible upon llaxalls md Harrison
Q plantations. The remaining corps were moved
a the same direction and posted oasto cover Il
e main roads leading from Richmond as well rs Il
crossings by which the army hal passed Il
!. White Oak Swamp, and to guard tie passage
4 our largo trains to the James river,
u W ntU tlu lluupa helo III pOslllua III tlt ulle
Il noon before the enemy attacked, th,y were post,
about as follows; Porter, with two division
If (Mores and Sykes's) and the mass of the reser
d artillery on Malvern lllll, the lett orthe position
10 next Couch, with one brigade Of Picks divsi,
@ in reserve; next Sedgwick; thon McOall, lIuokt
n Kearny, Slocuul, Nagles's brigade, RchardsC
it and Smith. During the actions which ensued
it Turkey Bridge. on the New Market Dad, (Glc
ID dalc and at White Oak Swamp CHANGES we
it made in this disposition,
rs The result Of the various actions q the 3Ot
lie during which our whole line was attacked, "
n. that the enemy was every where repulsed, exec
in his attack upon McCalls division, which, ha
m pressed by greatly superior numbers, and havi
IS, lost three Of its general officers, brose md Ii
w most of its artillery. The gallant Conduct Of til
ut comrades near by especially lIookers diyisi,
re retrieved that mishNp and rendered /! impossi
ur for the enemy to reap any advantages from it.
he BY this time the last Of the trains hsd reach
t., IIaxall's Landing and during the night the trot
ry fell back TO the vicinity Of that place. all arv
on in safety and unmolested at an early hour of
rtl morning. They were promptly placed in posit
lie to offer battle to the enemy should he again alta
of the left Of the line resting on the admirable Do
a ton Of Malvern Hill, with brigade in the
ground to the left, watching the road To Ri
lat mond the line then following line Of heig
co, nearly parallel to tho river, and bending b
ce through the woods nearly to the James river
of our right. On the left we reedupon the natt
on advantages Of the position on the right, where
Ter natural strength was less, some little cutting
RS timber was done, and the roads blocked. Altho,
,re our force was small for so extensive position
~ was necessary to hold itat any cost.
nat When the battle commenced in the afternt
III. saw that in the faces and bearing Of the
to which satisfied me that we were sure Of victory
he The attack was made upon our left centre, and
ng brunt oft was borne by Portor's corps (inclut
ere Hunts reserve artillery and Tyler's heavy gr
not and COUGHS division, reinforced by the briCu
of Sickles and Meagher 1t was desperate, br
| and determined, but so destructive was the fir
vas our numerous artillery, so heroic the conduct
her our infantry, and so admirable the dispositions
I'M Porter, that no troops could have carried the
inp ton. Late in the evening the enemy fell b
the thoroughly beaten, with dreadful slaughter.
the completely was he crushed, and so great were
ter. losses, that he has not since ventured TO at
to US. INN
,ka. Previous to the battle Of Malvern, had
ose consulted with Commodore Rodgers, and
tho him made hasty reconnaissance Of the post