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had been forced by superior numbers to fall back to an interior positionnearer the bridges, and, by their steady attitude, checked all further progressof the enemy and completed the attainment of the purpose in view, which wasto hold the left bank of the river until dark, so that the movement to the Jamesmight be safely commenced. The siege-guns, material, and trains on theleft bank were all safe, and the right wing was in close connection with therest of the army. The losses were heavy, but the object justified them, orrather made them necessary. At about 6 o’clock next morning the rear-guardof regulars crossed to the south side and the bridges were destroyed.
I now bent all my energies to the transfer of the army to the James, fullyrealizing the very delicate nature of a flauk march, with heavy trains, by asingle road, in face of an active enemy, but confident that I had the army wellin hand and that it would not fail me iu the emergency. I thought that theenemy would not anticipate that movement, but would assume that all myefforts would be directed to cover and regain the old depots; and the eventproved the correctness of this supposition. It seemed certain that I couldgain one or two days for the movement of the trains, while he remaineduncertain as to my intentions ; and that was all I required with such troopsas those of the Army of the Potomac.
During the night of the 27th I assembled the corps commanders at head-quarters, informed them of my intentions, and gave them their orders. Keyes’scorps was ordered to move at once, with its trains, across "White Oak Swamp,and occupy positions on the farther side, to cover the passage of the remainderof the army. By noon of the 28th this first step was accomplished. Duringthe 28th Sumner, Heintzelman, and Franklin held essentially their old posi-tions ; the trains converged steadily to the White Oak Swamp and crossed asrapidly as possible, and during this day and the succeeding night Porterfollowed the movement of Keyes’s corps and took position to support it.
Early on the 28th, when Franklin’s corps was drawing in its right to takea more concentrated position, the enemy opened a sharp artillery fire and madeat one point a spirited attack with two Georgia regiments, which were repulsedby the two regiments on picket.
Sumner’s and Heintzelman’s corps and Smith’s division of Franklin’s werenow ordered to abandon their intrenchments, so as to occupy, on the morningof the 29th, a new position in rear, shorter than the old and covering the cross-ing of the swamp. This new line could easily be held during the day, andthese troops were ordered to remain there until dark, to cover the withdrawalof the rest of the trains, and then cross the swamp and occupy the positionsabout to be abandoned by Keyes’s and Porter’s corps. Meanwhile Slocum’sdivision had been ordered to Savage’s Station in reserve, and, during the morn-ing, was ordered across the swamp to relieve Keyes’s corps. This was a criticalday; for the crossing of the swamp by the trains must be accomplished beforeits close, and their protection against attack from Richmond must be assured,as well as communication with the gun-boats.
A sharp cavalry skirmish on the Quaker road indicated that the enemywas alive to our movement, and might at any moment strike in force to