The Battles Of The Peninsula

IIeadquartèhs Akmy of tuk Potomac, ) Camp at Beukley, Va., July 15, 18G2. ) General : Without waiting to receive the reporta of all tlio subordínate commaftders, I submit tho followioff very brief narrativo of tho operations óf this nrmy sincc the 25th uliinio : Oh the 24th of June I received information thnt appenred entitlerl to scime credit, that General Jackson was at Frederick's Hall with his entire foree, consisting of his own división with those of Ewell and Whiting, and that his intention was to atfack oar right flank and rear in order to cut off our eotnmunication with the White House, and to throw the right wing of the nritiy in tho Chickahominy. - Fortnnately, I had a few dayi before provided against this contingency by ordening a number of transporta to the James lliver, loaded with comrnissary, quarterfoastei, and Qrdnance supplies. I, therefore, feit free to watch the enerny closely, wait events, and act according to ciroumstances, feeling sure that if cut off frorn the Pamunkey I could gain tho James river for 8 rcar base. I placed Gen. Stoneman in comroand of the cavalry on the right, entrusting to his charge the-pieket duty towards ILinover Court House, to givc the earliest potsible infonnation of an advance of the enemy from that direc;tion. On the 2")th General Heintzelman was directed to drive in the enemy's picKefs from ffie woods in his front, in order to give us the cornmand of the closud fiekls still furthyr in advance. - This was gallantly and hiindsomely done, under a stubborn resístanos, the brunt of the fighting i'ulling upon the división of Ilooker. Jusl as the new line was gained, I wa3 called irom the fiuld by lntelligence vvbicK tended strongly to confirm the belief that Jackson was reallv appruaching, I imtcediately repaired 10 the camp of General Filz John Por;er, comrnanding on t'he rig"ht of the Chickah-ominy, to obtain furtber information and arrange the ntovêmenie for the incrrovv. On my arHVal I found (hal there was a strong probability of Jackson's advancing. although not a certainty of it. I therefore determined to leave our heavy guns 'm battery and to retuin McCall's división in its strong pofition on ]3eaver Dam Creek, near Mt'chantysvillo, posting merely sma!l tiutposts to walen the cronsing near Meadow Bridge r.nd Mech:micsville, and to give McCall itpmediate riotic'e of the ênerÖV's approach. Porter's remaining troops were to I-e held in reserve, ready lo act according to circumstances. Tho centre and left of the array were alsp to bc held in ivadness to repulse any attack, or to move to the assistance of the right. It had long beforo been determined to hold the position of Beaver Dam Creek in the event af being' aüackd on thut side, for the rcasons that the posiiion was iu'rinsicaüy a very strong one, was less Hablo to be turned on cither Hank Ihan any position in advance of it, and brought the armv in a more concentrated and tnanageable condilion, The natural strength of the position had been sotnewhat incre'ased by slight rifle .pits and fellíng a littlo timber iü front of' it ; with tho exception of cpaulrr.ents for artillery noar Gainotj' and llogan's housos, to aet against the enemy's ba'teries on the right bauls of the Chickahominy, there were no oiher artificial defenees on the lelt bank of that stream Our position on the right bank of the river had been rendered reasonably seeure against assault by felling timber and the conBtruction of' sliht ear'hworks. Jleasures had already been taken to secure ihe passage of tho White Oak Swamp. The right wing, under thé command of General Fitz John Portor, consisted of the div'isipns of Morell, Sykes and McCall, tvith alargo part of the cavalry reserve. H had heavy' guns in the battery on the banks of tho Chickahoinu.y. Such was the state of affairs on tho morning of June 27. I wrs by that time eatisfied that I had to deal with at least doublé rny numbors; but so great was m confidenr.e in the conduct of the ol'-i ers and the braver y, discipline anl dovülion af mii men, that 1 ' fi-tt. cnntvnied calmty lu awaU the bursfing oj. the coming storm, rcady to profit bh any f axil t ff the enemy, and sure that 1 could extrícate the army from any dijjlculty in whioh it might bccome vnvotced No othor course was open to me. for my itii'oi'mation in regard to the nfovoinpats of the euemy waijtoo meagre to ehablq ma to tako a rieculect eourse. I had not long to wait. Daring lIio afternoon of the 26th, the o.nemy crossed, in several columns, m the vicinity of Mechaiiicsville and Meadow Bridge, iinj attacked McCall in his pos tion at Boavei' Dam Croek. Ilis repeated et torts woi;e constatitly repulsed, with but littlo loss tífl our side, btit with great slaughter on the purt of the enemy. The contest eeased here about nine P. M., the enemy leaving us in f'ull possession of every purt of the .field of battle. During the Sction McCall was srnpp'ortéd ly tho brigndvs o! IMartinijnlj ::nj Griflin, of the división of Moill. Whüe this was going on, there were some sharp afïairs of pickets on the centre and lelt, 'uut aothing oí', a serious nature. }sy tli;, tiiViè I had èertain information that Jack on was rapidiy advancing, in strong forct, irom IICoiiït House, and that his advance uard had nyubublyípartiit'ated i tne battle c.r Béaver Dam Oreek. This s rendered. that position iihtenaWe. I theref'ore determïned ötiil furlher to concéntrate the nrmy by witbdrawing Porter's eommand to ;i posifton near Gaines' Mili, where he eould rost both hia flunks on the Chickahorniny and oover the most important bridges over tliat stream. The wagons and heavv guns were vvithdrnwn dufing the niaht, the troops ialling bnck to their new position early in the morning. The enemy iittacked Seyinonr's brigade, constituting the rear guard of the di visión of' McCmII, but were sharply repulsed, and the movement was not further molested. In the course oí tira morning of the 27th I reoeived intelligence that Long s'reet's corps was at Mecbaniesville, ready to move down on cithor bank of the Chickahominy, according to eiren mstances. This intelligent, and many threatening tnovements of tho eneniy tin vatious parts of the centro and left, placed a limit to the nmount of the reinforcements avnilab'e for the support of Porter. Undor tho cirenmstances it was impossible to withdrnw him to ihe light bank OÍ the Chickahominy by daylight. The enemy wefe so close upon him that tlie attempt would have iusured the loss of a largo portion of bis corps, and, in any event, the abandonment of bis position at that time wouid Lave placed our right flank and rear at the mercy of the enemy. It was neeessaiy to fight him where we stood, to hold our position, at nny cost, until night, and in tho meantime to perfect the arrangement for the changeot base to the James river. ín tho report of Gen. Porter will bo found a detniled description of the field of batlle at Gaines' Mili, and the eiroumstanees of that eventhil contest, creditable alike to the eüérgty of the enemy and the desperate valor of the oomparatively small band that repellen1 tho attacks of his enormous masses. It will siifficr;, for the purposes of this report, to state that the aeli n commencerl aliuut 2 P. M., and that during the af ternoon I ordered np the división of ïilocimi to the support of Porter, and soon after the brigades of French and Moagher, of Riehardson's división. - I he latter were not engaged. At a later period two brigades of Peck's división wero ordered forward, bat, rys their services were not needed, they did not cross tho Cbiokahominy. Tho contest continued, with varying fortunes until dark wheri the enemy discontinuad his attaok. During the night the final withdrawal of llie riglit v. ing scruss the Chickahominy was coinploted without difficulty and without contusión, a portion of the regülars re maining on tho left bank until the morning oj tho "28th. Early on that morning the bridges were burned, and the whola army was thus covicenlrated on the right bank of the Clnckahominy. During tho " b. Ulo ol Gaines' Mili tho po.sition of Gen. Smith was warmly attacked, but the enemy was at once repulsed vvith lo&s. In the courseof the night of the 27th Gen. Keyea was ordord to cross the White Öak Svvamp with the fourth corps and take np a posiíion to cover tho passage of the trains. Measures were also taken to iocreáe the nümber of brigades across the swamp. Tho trains were set in motion at au earlv hour, and continued passing across the swaóip. night and day, without inter:niHsion, until all had ciossed. On the 28th Porter's corps was also moved across tho White Oak Swamp, and on the morning ol the 29tb took up a position covering the roads leadiny from Richmond towards White Oak Swamp and Long Bridge. During ihe night of the 28ih and 29th the ilivisions of Slo.cum and MeCall were ordered across the. White üak Swamp, and were placed in position to cover the passage oí the remaining división? and train. In the courseof the same night the corps of S irnner and HeintZelman, and the división of Bittith were ordered to full back from their original poáitjpns to an interior lino resiing upon Keyes' old intrenchments on the left, and so arranged as to cover Savaga Staüufl. They were pderd to hold this position until dark, then to fall back aoross the gvwamps and reioin the rest of the anny. This order was not fully caniüd out, nor was the exact posilion I designatod oucupied by the diffei'eut divisions conceined. Ñevertheless, tilt result was that two attacks of the eneiny - one a vei'y determipod onset - weie signaüy repulsed by Sumnyr's cot ps,assisled in thelast bv Smith's división of the Sixth Corps. These are the two actions known as the aliair at Allen'd Field and the biittla of S;.vage Station. The Third Corps crossed the swamp beioro da:k, baving luft its poattion before the hour asigned, and was not in action during that day (the l'í.m.1.) The Seoi.nd poiipa and Smith's Üvisipn safely crossed the swamp during the night vvith all their guns aial umtutiul, and bi'ought up the rear ol tlie Wigon train. In the night of tho 20th and SOth the, Fourtk aud Fifth Corps were ordered to, niüve to Jauies li'iver, to re.-tou that river at or near Jiy-kejp liend, auj oüc-upy a position perpendieu'ar .o the ïiver, thus covering the Cliui'les City road to Kichaiond, opening conmiuuiciition with the guubouts, aud onvoviog the wagon train,, whieli was pushed as rápidiy as possible npon Ilaxaü's. and Harrisou's plantiitioui). The reniaimng corps w.erfi moved in the same direction, and posted o "s to cover the main road-i leadïhg froin llichmoml, as well as the eroseisjs by which the arniy had pasaed the White O.ik Swamp, and to gu-ird the passage oi' nur lafge traína to James ftivor. By this time the last, of the trains Kad reaehed Hlikall'8 Lifldirt, and during the bight the troops feil back.to. tljo vf-. cinity of that place, all arriving safely and unmolosted at an early bour of the morning. S'hey were proniptly placed in position to offer battlo to the enemy should he again attack, the left of the line resting on the admirable positiou of Malvern Hill, with a brigade in the low ground to the left, watching the road to ltichmond, the liuc then following a line of heights nearly paralrel to the rWer, and bending back through' ffVe #oods nearly to the James Iliver on our right. On the left we relied upon the natur'a'ï advantages of the position ; on the right, whore the natural strength was less, some little cutting of timber wa3 done, and the roads blocked. A'lthough our forc'e Wasf smull for so exteusive a position, it was necessary to hold it at any cost. Wlien the troops were in position in the afternoon, before the enemy attacked, thev were posted bout as follows: Portor, with two divisions (Moreli's and Sykes'), and the'mass of the reserve nrtiilery on Malvern Hill, (the left of the" position) ; next Couch, with one brigade of Peek's división in reserve; next Sed'gwick, then MeCalI, Ilooker, Kearney, Slocum, Neglee's brigade, Iliehardsott and Smith. During the actions which cnrucd at Turkey Bridge, on the Newmarket road (Glendale) and at White Oak' Swamp, changos were made in this dispositiou. The result of the variou3 .lotions on the 30tl), during whieh our whole line was attacked, was that the enemy was everywhere rcpulsed, exceptio hts attack upon McCall's división, which was hard pressed by greatly superior numbers, aod liaving lost throo of its general officer, broke and lost most of iis artillery - The galhint conduct of their comrades near by, espccially Hooker's división, retrieved that mishnp and rendered it irapofsiWfc for the enemy to reap any advantages from it. When the battle commenced in the afternoon I saw that in the facet and hearing of the men which haiisfud me that w were sure of victory. Ths attack wai made upon our left and left centre, and the bruit of it was borne by Porter'i corps (includ'ing Hunt's reserve artillcry and Tyler's heavy gutis)' Gouch'g división, reinforcod by the brigades of SiekUs and Meaglier. It was desperate, b ave and determined; but so destructivo was the firo of our numerous artillarjr, so heroic the eonduct of our infantry, and so admirable the dispositions of Porter, that no troops could havecarried the position. Late in the evening the enemy feil back, thoroughly beatón, with dresdful elaughtcr. So corapletely was hc crushed and so great were bis losses that he has not since venlured to attack ui. Previous to the battle of Malvern, I had fully consul tod with Commodore Rodgers, and with him made a hasty reconnoissance of the positions of the river. The difficulty of passing our transport above City Pouit was so great that Í dotermined to fall back upon the position now oceupied by the army - a position, too, niucli loss extensivo than that of Malvern, and therofore permitting me to give the raen the rest they so mueh needed. Accordingly the army feil back during the night of the lst and 2d of July, reaching the place at an early hour on the 2d. On the 3d the troepg wcr placed esseutially in thcir present positions. To the calm judgtnent of history nd the iutu'-e I leave the task of pronouncing upon this movement, confident that its verdict will he that no sitch difficult movemcnl ivas ever more svcce&fidty executed; that no army ever fought more repeatcdly, heroicaliy, and succ essfuHy against such great odds ; that no men of any race ever display ed grealer discipline, endurance, patience and cheerfulness uuder such hatdships. My tnind cannot coin expressions of thanks and admiration warm enough er intense onoughjto do justiee to my feelings towards rae army I am so proud to eommand. To my counlrymen I confidintly commit them, convinced they will ever honor every braoe man who served during those seven historie days with the Army of the Potomac. Upon whatever field it mny hereafier be called upon to act, I ask thut it may never lose its name, but raay ever be known as the Army of tUö Potomac - a name which tt never ha, nor never wil) disgrace. ït is not wi y purpose now to make rrieotion of distinguished services. Tha names of those who deservo well of their country would swell this report to too great dimensión. I will simply cali attent ion to the invaluablo services rendered by the artillery, and say that its petr formalices have fully justified my antiek pations, and prove it to be our policy to cherish and inercase that .arm ot the &SX.-Ï vico. I cannot conclüde tlie üoport' iiiulioulf" ex.pressing my thanks to the gn,nt and acooHiplished Commodore John llogsrs lor the valuable assistauce rendered .th army in various ways, but ecpecially.b} the fire of a poïtion of the. ftotilta upo. tlie Üank of the eoemy attaeking Malven. Hill on tlie itlth of J uno and lst of July. Thair. lire was excellent, and preducedj very bcneficial rosults. I am. General, very respectfully, Tour obedient ser.vant, GEOÊGE IX' MtCLELLAY, Mfijr-vlen, .Conmianding.,. Brig.-Gen. L. Thomas, AUjntant General;. fy" Tho editor of a W.es'ern papersnvs that rnany of its patrons vwnjlit make goud wbc&l horses, tbcy hull back bo wcll. Ösp Young.wouven should gf)ii' jfn-mplos, for the yoiHvy men &- a'H ways i()llowing thern. IPST Tlie. rvdirroes os' Bufftilo aro1 tbey had: b'etterform a or Dot. The "nota?'" BL'cm ia tho asecnidaacy, .