, 1865-07-01

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lcne and arduous conflict. The line being
now complete, general advance, from right
to left, was orde;ed. On the right the troops
moved forward with stead!Eess, unchecked
By the terrible 1-e ffoE the triple lines Of
infantry On the hill, and she cannon On poth
s;des Of the nyer wh:eh o5;at Tps qpena sesm a as
wounded marked the way Of their intrepid
advance, the brave Te1aps leading, closely
iollowtd by their no less daring comrades.
The enemS were driven from the ravluc to
the first line Of breastworks, over which our
impetuous column dashed up to the intrench-
meats on the west These were quickly
captured, and the enemy driven into the field
btyord. Flesh troops came to his Eupport
anu he endeayorcd repeatedly to rally bnt
In vain. He was forced back with gfeat
SLAUGHTER, until he reached the woods on the |
banks Of The Chtekahomiuy. and night ,put
and wounded marked each stand made BY the |
enemy in his stubborn resistance, and the |
field over which he ret1catcd WAS 6tfeIn |
with the slain: On the left, the attack was
no less vigorous and successful. .. e. Hill |
charged across the open ground In his front,
1itd a battefy whose fire end1adet his nd
rance. Calamity supported By the troops On
his tight. who pressed forward with unfalter- |
fng resolution, he reached the crest Of the
ridge, and, after aapguinafy struggle. broke
the enemy'e line, captured several Of LIS bat-
the Chlckahominy. until darkness rendered
further pursuit impossible Our troops re.
manned In undlsturbtd possession Of the 1eld,
covered with tho Federal dead and wounded,
and their broken forces fled to the rlver or
wandered through the woods. OWlng to the
nature 6f the country. the cavalry was un-
nble to participate in the general engage
meut. It rendered valuable service In guafd-
ing Jackson's flank, aud took large number
ofprisoners. On the morning Of tho eStb 1t
was as ettaintd that none Of the enemy re-
manned in our front north Of the Chlckahom-
preserve hts commnnica ton J, the 9th Casal-
r, supported by Ewe1fs division, Was or
de1ed TO seize the York River rni1load, and
Gen. Stuart, with hts main body, to co-ope-
rate. When the caTa!ry reached Dispatch
Station the enemy retreated to the konth
bank of the river, and burned the railroad
bridge. E~ell, coming up shortly after
wnrat, destroyed portion Of the track. Dur
Ing the forenoon columns OF dust. south Of the
Chlckahomfny, showed that the Federal army
was In notion. The abandonment Of tho
ra'lroad and destruction Of the bridge,
to hp1d that line. Bat from the position It
occupied, the roads, which lel towards James
river, would alec enable it 10 reach the lo~er
bridges over the Ch:caas asominy, and ratfeat
down the Peninsula. In the latter arent,
1t WAS necessary that our troops should con-
! until the intention Of Gen. Mcclellan was
discovered, 1t vas deemed injudicious to
change their disposition. Egell WIS there
fore ordered to proceed to Bottoms Bridge
| TO gunsd that POINT, md the cayslty to watch
tie b;idees below. No certain indications Of a
retreat to James riycr were discovered by our
forces On the south side Of the Chlckahoniny,
| and late in the afternoon tue eneny's works.
were leporttd to be fully uanned- The
strength Of these 70 tiacat1ons prevented
Generals Hager and Magruder from discover
! Ing what was passing In their front. Bel W
the enemy's works, the country WIS densetY
| wooded and intrrsected by impossible
6waups, At once conceallng his movements,
aud lIteclullug onnoissances. except by
the regular roads. all Uf y heb were stronly
iny, In rear Of the enemy were destroyed,
their reconstruction impracttcahle in pres
eIee. Of his WlLle lrmy aud powerful bat
teries- We were, therefore, compelled to
Watt until his purpose should be Developed.
Generals Hugcr 1nd Msgtnder were again
directed to use tue utmaet vigilance, and pur
sue the enemy vigorously should thoy DIS
cover that he vas fetre1rfng. During tht
aft.rnoon and night Of the 2Sth, the signs o
! general move mint we're apparent, aud III
Indications Of bis approaches 70 the love-
biidgcs Of the Chickahutai1y having beea DIS
covered by the plckets in observation Vt clos.
points. 1t became: manifest that Genera
Mcclellan WAS retftatiug to the JAMES river
RATTLE OF SAVAGE STATION.
Early on tho 2osh, Lorgstrcct and 4. P
Hill we're ordered to Tecross the Chickahou,
ipy at New Bridge, and move by the Darby
town to the Long Bridge road. Maj. X. K
Meade and Lieut. 8. K. johnson, OF the en-
gineers, attached to Gen. LrngdtTeet'e digi:
ion, who had been ssut to rcconnolter, fouud
: about sunrise, the works on the upper es
,, TRINITY Of the enemt's line Of intrench1n- ut
t abandoned. Generals Huscr and ,lasrude
were Immediately ordered IN pursuit, the tos
: | mer By tue Charles City road, 50 as to tsk
the Federal army In flank, and the latter b.
: : the Williamsburg road, to attack Its real
, jackson was directed to cross at Grap:yin
! Bridge, and move down the fonth side Of til
! Chickahominy. Nagsuder and Huser1 foun
the whole line Of works deserted and lare
: quantities Of military stores, Of every de-
: cliption, abandoned Or destroyed. The fo
: net reached the vicinity of Savage Static
: about noon. Wien he came upon the res
y guard Of the rctreatiug army. Being i
Z Z formed that the enemy wss advancing, b
y talud and Ecnt fer Ietnfurcements. IW
= b.isalts Of Huger's division we're ordered
his suI port, but subsequently withdrawn,
= being al parent that the force IN M1agr:
u main body. Jack:Un's route led TO the d q
!. aud rear If Savage Station, bu. b: WIS de
. layed by the necessity of tecouetructinE Ct,
. . | p Y nc BIldge. Late Ia the afternoon, n
u gtuder attacked The enemy With one Of b
: divisions and two regiments OF another.
= severe action enEueo, and continued eb7s
y y two hours, when 1t was Terminated By nigh
70 Tie troops display ed great gallant1y. and II
l.cttd heavy loss uron the enemy, hut, OF
i irg TO the 1a:enrss Of the honE, ard Ii: sma
y force employed, The result was not decisIv
~ and tie enemy continued hts 1etrat, und
n,.1v ,f II a. RI 1Y4tA
" red prisoners, With his dead sud wounded,
:. our hands. AZ Savage Station we're four
- about twenty-five hundred men In h0sptt1
!, and 1aiEe amount Of property. Stores
much yalne had been destroyed, inclulir
:, the Necessary medical supplies Tor the sit
Y 1Id wounded. Bud the time gained cnabl.
=, the retrtnting column to cross White o:
y Swamp without interruption, and destroy Il
H. = bsldge. ...
!, j., BATTLE OF FRAxIEn's FARM.
n jackson reached Savage Station carly (
v The 30tb. He was directed to pursue the c
) envy on the road he had taken, and al.gr
e der to follow Lougstrees by tha Dnrbyto1
81 road. Aa jackson advanced. he capsur
II grth numbers Of prisoners and collected
d 1nany arms, that two regiments had to be i
II taehea for their security. His progress u
+. srtested ut White Oak Ewampt. The eucu
ID resisted the Reconstruction Ct tho bride
D. LonEttreet md A. P. Hill continuing The
re- advance on the aoth, scon came upon the E
be emJ, strongly posted across the Long Bird
d, read, about q mile from Its intersection ri
be the Chasles Ciiy rosr. Hugef's route led
.e- the right Of this position, Jackson's to I
. resr. End the arrival Of their commands v
in | 1waited to begin the attack. On the -
Gen. Holmes had crossed from the Sou
side Of the james river With part Of bis div
lnp. On the 90:h. reinforced BY Gen. vi:
IT, with detachment Of his brigade, be NOV
y down the ryer road, ard cnme upon the Il
~ ~ ol the retteattng army near Malvern I'll
~ Percetr.nG indications Of confusion, Ge
" Holmes Was ordered 10 open upon tho c
~ umn with artillery. BE soon discovered th
~ ~ anumber Of batteries, adyantageously poate
RS his own, and assisted By tie fire OF the ~
H. u. beats in the James river, guarded this part
u f.e line. Magruder, who hud reached
~ ~ DlrbytoWn road, vas ordered to re.nto,
~. ~ Holmes, but being at greater distancc th
y had been supposed, be did not reach tue
y HueeF reported that his progress WAS {
" " suucted but about p. n. firing was hea
M eMtt In the direction Of the Charles CITY roe
~, which was supposed to Indicate his approat
~ ~ LoDestTeet tmmt d;ately opened With one
~ ~ bis batteries to give notice Of bis present
~ This brought on The engagement, but Hug
'se ". force the pssesEe Of White Oak Swamp, Lo1
Il STREET and Hill we're Without tue expect
~ eu support. The superiority Of numbc1s q
81 sd,sntsge Of position were on the side Of t
Iel enemy. The battle ragged tusiopsly un,i
,aN ne p. M By that time the enemy had be
r. r. driven with great slaughter from every po
~ tlon but one, which he maintained until
~ WAS enabled to Withdraw under enyer Of da
~ ness. At the ciofe Of the struggle nearly I
~, enti'e field remained in our possession, G.
IT,. ,sa cred with tie enemt's dead and wound
,ae Many prisoners, including General Of dls
rs Ion, were captured, .and seve1cl batteri
its Cnnid The otEer rnnmands f.ra cn.one-ni
~ ~. in The action, The. result would have prov
~ mlet disastrous 10 the enemy. After the
ta .ne gagemtnt Msgruder was recalled to rcl't
L0- fh. fto0nH nj f6nfystrent and Hill His I'll