The National tribune., 1905-10-12
SAVAGE STATION.
Restrictions Of q 16th Mich, Soldier
Who Was Among the Wouhded.


Editor National Tribune: In your is
sue of Sept. :. 1905, apIeared an ar
tfcie written by Comgade's Patrick
O'Hare. in which he speaks Of another
comrade who was shelled, out tof q hos
pital tent at Savage Station. VA This,
he said. occurred in June. 1862. while
he was on his way to Malvern HILL His
recital prompts me to relate n part of
my experience at Savage Station Hos
pitai, which l entered Junee28, 1852,
because of a wound l received in my
left leg at the battle Of Gaines's Mill,
June 81, 1862
The buildings and q few tents at the
Station were occupied by wounded men,
but a large majority of those needing
treatment were without shelter when 1
first arrived. They lay in long rows
with aisles between them for the con-
Veniencc of the Surgeons who examined
and treated the wounds. l might add
that later we were furnished with tents
There were about $500 wounded men
collected at this hospital nearly all of
whom were wounded at the Gainess
Mill fight.
Soon after my arrival large guam
tty of army stores lying on the south
side of the railroad track were burned
10 prevent them from being captured
by the enemy. l remember having seen
colored woman and her children roll
three barrels Of flour from the burning
pile to her log cabin. She afterwards
baked some of this flour into cakes.
Whlch she sold to the wounded men at
20 cents each, and we were glad TO get
them even at that price.
also saw a train of cars loaded
with ammunition started towards the
Chickahoininy River, into which
stream it ran, the ammunition explod-
ing as II went overheard. The bridge
had been destroyed previously
On the afternoon of June % a line of
rebel infantry advanced from the direc-
ton of Richmond. This line was nearly
at right angle with the railroad and
crossing II. On the east side of the hos
the rebel line, the hospital being be-
tween the two lines of battle.
me ambulance train of Fitz John
Porters command was parked just
north Of the hospital. also between
The territory odjoning Savage Station
was OF an undulating character, af-
fording an excellent opportunity for
the use of artillery. The ravines be-
tween the hills somewhat protected the
infantry while the cannonading was in
progress. Between l and 2 o'clock in
the afternoon of June 20 the rebels
opened the fight.
The first two shells were aimed for
the hospital. Two of our Surgeons
went at once to the rebel line under
flag of truce and explained to a rebel
officer that the tents they had been fir
ing at were hospital tents. Thereupon
the rebel line was moved by the right
flank until the hospital was not in their
front. Then they came to a front and
the battle was resumed and continued
with vigor until sunset
Ihere We're seasons of artillery firing,
the infantry being In the ravines in
front of the batteries. When the cam
non firing ceased the Infantry would
rise up and charge. / don't know how
many charges and counter charges
were made during the afternoon, but
the last one occurred about sunset and
cleared the field Of rebels. The enemy
then ran siege gun down from Rich
mond and fired 1t at US from fiat car.
A rebel belonging to a. Louisiana
regiment was with US in the hospital,
for some reason. He was not wounded,
and soon after battle began he took
leg bail for the rebel line He had been
OF great assistance to US in caring for
the wounded. y
mish line emerged from the woods
closely followed by column of infan-
try and artillery. A small guard was
left over the hospital and the rebel col
umn moved on towards the James
River our men having retreated dur
ing the latter part of the night, taking
the ambulance train with them, but
leaving $500 wounded to fall into the
hands Of the enemy Those Of us who
could walk were Immediately marched
to Richmond and the others were left
at Savage Station for two weeks / was
in the latter class, and during the two
weeks we received no rations. The
rebels had plundered all our hospital
ratfons except what we had taken the
to preserve in our haver-
sacks, which we filled when we saw
how matters were going. Our dead
were buried In trench each morn
ing. the bodies being placed crosswise
The rebel army occupied the entire
day, June 80, in passing the Station,
the artillery proceeding along the road
while the infantry marched in the
fields or on the side Of the road, thus
making an uninterrupted line of in
fantry. The passing of the wagon
trains occupied July I. After the bat
tie Of Malvern Hill this army passed us
again, going towards Richmond, in a
condition. The men went
without any semblance of
order, many of them admitting that
Mcclellan might follow them. into Rich
Sanborn, Co. c, 18th
Mich, Dawson, Mich.