REAR-GUARD FIGHTING DURING THE CHANGE OF BASE.
37i
of this change of plan; so when I joined General Smith early in the morning,I found him in his proper position, but with an interval of more than amile between him and the troops on the left. It was soon learned, by send-ing out cavalry, that General Sumner had not moved from the position thathe held the day before, and was, at the very time we learned this fact,engaged with the enemy at Allen’s farm. | It was also apparent that strag-gling parties of the enemy were in front of the interval already mentioned.These circumstances showed an alarming state of things, and General Smithand I rode over to Savage’s Station to learn something of the positions ofother troops. We found no troops in the vicinity except General Meagher’sbrigade and the 15th Massachusetts Infantry, which had been sent to the sta-tion to destroy the stores that had to be abandoned. I at once wrote GeneralSumner, describing the situation, and informing him that I should moveGeneral Smith’s division to Savage’s Station, the vicinity of which offered agood fighting position, and advising him to bring his corps to that place.He answered the note at once, telling me that he was then engaged with theenemy, and that as soon as things were quiet he would join me with his corps.Soon after I had sent to General Sumner General Heintzelman rode up, andI told him what I had done. He approved, and said that he would also joinus at the station with his corps. He afterward changed his mind, however,and instead of halting in the wood in front of the station, as we naturallysupposed he would, he marched off toward White Oak Bridge, hidden fromus by the woods, and crossedthe swamp, so that we saw himno more that day, supposing,nevertheless, until we were at-tacked by the enemy, that histroops were in position on apart of our front, j! GeneralSmith’s division arrived at thestation about noon or shortlyafter, and took position on the1 left in a wood. General Sum-
? ner’s corps, consisting of Gen-
i General Israel B. Richardson ’s
divisions, arrived about 2 p. m.
There was a cleared field of several acres on the north side of the railroad,filled with hospital tents laid out in rows, each tent containing fifteen/ or
4Sumner's corps, retiring, left the works at Fair “The whole open space near Savage's wasOaks at daylight and halted for bivouac on Allen's crowded with troops—more than I supposedfarm, between the Williamsburg road and the rail- could be brought into action judiciously.” Heroad. The Confederates of Magruder's command then states that an aide of the commanding generalopened on the troops at 9 A. M. with musketry and was with him to point out the road for his crossing,artillery, and a spirited fight was kept up until 11 “I ordered the whole of my corps to take thiso’clock. This engagement is known also as the road, -with the exception of Osborn’s and Bram-Peach Orchard.— Editors. hall’s batteries.” These were turned over to
J) General Heintzelman in his report says: General Smith’s division.— W. B. F.
RUNNING AMMUNITION TRAINS INTO THE CHICKAIIOMINY
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