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Battle of Savage Station, VA
in the American Civil War
Online Books:
The seven
days' battles in front of Richmond, an outline narrative of the series
of engagements which opened at Mechanicsville, near Richmond..., by Edward
Alfred Pollard (Correspondent of the Cincinnati Commercial), 1862
Report of Henry M. Naglee, brigadier-general, of the part taken by his
brigade in the seven days, from June 26 to July 2, 1862, Army of the
Potomac, by Henry Morris Naglee, 1863
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Union Battle Summary |
| Savage Station, Va., June 29, 1862 - While the battle
was in progress Magruder made a number of feints against various
portions of the Union line south of the river, but the only serious
result produced by his demonstrations was to prevent reinforcements
being sent to Porter. By McClellan's holding the north side of the
Chickahominy as long as he did Lee came to the conclusion that the
Federal commander was solicitous about his line of supplies via the
White House on the Pamunkey river, and that all of his efforts would
be directed to regain the old depots. As a matter of fact the reverse
was true, for Gen. Casey had received orders on the 25th to defend the
White House to the last moment, when he was to destroy such stores as
could not be removed, embark his troops on the transports, drop down
the York river and ascend the James to the new base. Earlier in the
month the topographical engineers had mapped the country between White
Oak swamp and the James, and on the 18th a number of transports, with
supplies of all kinds, were ordered to be sent up the James under
protection of the gunboats. On the night of the 27th, after the battle
of Gaines' mill, McClellan called his corps commanders to his
headquarters, explained his plans and gave them their orders. Keyes
was directed to move his command at once across White Oak swamp and
take position to cover the movement of the rest of the army. By noon
on the 28th he was on the south side of the swamp, covering all the
roads by which a flank attack was likely to be made. That morning
Franklin's corps was subjected to a severe cannonade from the enemy's
guns across the river and from a battery that had been established
during the night at Garnett's farm. To get out of range he withdrew
his command to the edge of the wood on Golding's farm, where his left
division connected with Sumner's line. Soon afterward he was charged
by two Georgia regiments, but the attack was repulsed with a loss of
several killed and wounded and about 25 captured. During the day a
detachment of Cobb's Georgia legion had a skirmish with the pickets of
the 8th Ill. cavalry at Despatch Station, on the Richmond & York River
railroad.
At 8 o'clock that evening McCall was ordered to cross the swamp and
join Keyes. Franklin, Sumner and Heintzelman were directed to evacuate
the intrenchments at Fair Oaks and fall back to a position near Savage
Station, where Slocum's division was already in reserve, hold that
line until dark on the evening of the 29th to cover the withdrawal of
trains, and then relieve Keyes and McCall, who would move to a new
position in advance. Early on the morning of the 29th Magruder
discovered that the works at Fair Oaks were abandoned and immediately
moved forward to attack. About 9 o'clock he came up with Sumner's
rear-guard at Allen's farm, 2 miles west of Savage Station, and opened
fire with both artillery and musketry. Sumner threw Kirby's, Pettit's
and Hazzard's batteries into position in a few minutes to return the
fire, which they did with such good effect that in a short time the
enemy's guns were silenced. The fight lasted for two hours, during
which time Magruder made three desperate charges, but each time he was
repulsed with heavy loss. Sumner reached Savage Station at noon and
soon afterward learned that the enemy was advancing against him in
force. He sent Heintzelman to hold the Williamsburg road and a skirt
of timber between it and the railroad, and then formed his own and
Franklin's corps in line of battle, with Smith's division on the right
to hold the railroad. At 4 p.m. the Confederates advanced on the
Williamsburg road, where they met with no resistance, as Heintzelman,
through some misunderstanding of orders, had withdrawn his command and
was then on his way across White Oak swamp by the Brackett's Ford
road. The assault was met by Burns' brigade of Sedgwick's division,
reinforced by two lines in reserve and the 69th N.Y., the famous Irish
regiment. A little while before sunset the enemy made an assault along
the whole lines. Hazzard's, Tompkins', Pettit's, Kirby's, Osborn's and
Branhall's batteries met the rush with a murderous fire of canister,
followed by a steady and continuous roar of musketry for half an hour,
when the Federals made several charges in quick succession that forced
Magruder to give way, leaving the road to the swamp open. No detailed
report of the loss at Savage Station was made. The Confederates
admitted a loss of 4,000, and claimed that Sumner lost 3,000. That
night Sumner and Franklin crossed the swamp and destroyed the bridge
about 5 a.m. on the 30th.
Source: The Union Army, Volume 5, Cyclopedia of Battles,
1908 |
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