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| Battle of Savage Station (hmbd.org) |
HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC,
June 29, 1862 - 1. 25 a. m.
Brigadier General E. V. SUMNER:
I have just seen your dispatch to General Meagher directing him to return with his brigade and the regiment of infantry, by the railroad, to your position. Unless yor are threatened with a superior force of the enemy I prefer that these troops should remain here. Please answer immediately by telegraph.
G. B. McCLELLAN,
Major -General, Commanding.
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FORT MONROE, June 29, 1862 - 9 a. m.
[Received 10 a. m.]
Honorable EDWIN M. STANTON,
Secretary of War:
Colonel Campbell, commanding, telegraphs me that General Stoneman will arrive there from the White House in an hour. I have not yet been able to hear directly from him, but will keep you advised of all I learn. One hundred and fifty wagons partly laden have reached Williamsburg from the White House, and I have ordered them here.
John A. DIX,
Major - General.
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HEADQUARTERS FIRST DIVISION, June 29, 1862.
Major-General MAGRUDER:
SIR: My line is formed to the left and somewhat to the front of General Cobb. The enemy seem to be in large force in front of my right, and are or have moved a little to their right. I do not think it prudent for me to attack him with my small force unless there be a simultaneous attack all along our lines. I will keep a good lookout on my left. I had hoped that Jackson would have co-operated with me on my left, but he sends me word that he cannot, as he has other important duty to perform.
Respectfully, &c.,
D. R. JONES,
Brigadier-General.
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PETERSBURG, VA., June 30, 1862-9 a. m.
Honorable SECRETARY OF WAR:
I have just received the following dispatch from Rhea's Farm Station, opposite City Point, viz:
Two gunboats gone down James River; one gunboat off City Point; six gunboats off Turkey Island, above City Point; heavy firing on up the James River; one gunboat hoisted a black flag.
J. F. MILLIGAN,
Captain and Signal Officer.
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FORT MONROE, June 29, 1862 - 1 p. m.
[Received 1. 15 p. m.]
Honorable EWIN M. STANTON,
Secretary of War:
Nothing since my last dispatch. Unless you desire me to continue hourly dispatches I will only telegraph when I have something to send. I have sent a dispatch to Colonel Ingalls, on the Pamunley, in regard to sending further supplies to the James River. I am also loading a schooner with mixed ammunition for same destination. I can get no direct communication with General Stoneman to learn what orders he has.
John A. DIX,
Major - General.
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FORT MONROE, June 29, 1862-2.45 p.m.
M. C. MEIGS,
Quartermaster-General:
The White House depot was abandoned by me last night at sunset, in compliance with instructions previously given by General McClellan and directly in consequence of the movements of the enemy the two preceding days. At 12 yesterday he was in possession of our railroad. At Dispatch, 12 miles from White House, it was known he was marching down this side of the Chickahominy in great force-at least 30,000 strong-and that a column of 6,000 was moving rapidly on this depot. At 5 (afternoon) General Stoneman fell back from Tunstall's to White House, pressed by the enemy. About 7 (afternoon) General Casey, who had recently relieved me in command of the troops, had embarked his infantry on boats and dropped down the river. Stoneman, with the cavalry and artillery, retired toward Williamsburg, in which direction I had already sent all the wagons, animals, &c., not provided for on transports. It was presumed that our army was across the Chickahominy. F. J. Porter's corps crossed night before last, thus leaving the enemy's large force quite isolated on this side. In any event the depot was useless the moment our railroad was seized; therefore I perfected arrangements to abandon it at once, and succeeded in so doing without loss, confusion, or accident, moving out from the narrow and tortuous Pamunkey some four hundred vessels laden with supplies, quite all of which I now have with me, en route to James River by Fort Monroe, if our arms are successful to-day and to-morrow at Richmond. The gunboats were still at White House and other important points on the river. Everything not required to be taken away was burned before I left. The White House itself was burned, probably by some unknown hand. The officers of the staff department were one and all wonderfully zealous and energetic.
RUFUS INGALLS,
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FORT MONROE, June 29, 1862-4.15 p.m.
Honorable E. M. STANTON,
Secretary of War:
I arrived here this morning, the enemy having driven our army from the left to the right bank of the Chickahominy, and having in force cut the railroad at Dispatch Station. The evacuating of White House Station became last evening a military necessity, and agreeably to orders from the Headquarters of the Army of the Potomac I evacuated. Every man was saved, and all public property that could not be saved was destroyed.
SILAS CASEY,
Brigadier-General Volunteers.
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WAR DEPARTMENT, June 29, 1862-6 p.m.
Honorable WM. H. SEWARD,
Astor House, New York:
Not much more than when you left. Fulton, of Baltimore American, is now with us. He left White House at 11 a.m. yesterday. He conversed fully with a paymaster, who was with Porter's force during the fight of Friday and fell back to nearer McClellan's quarters just a little sooner than Porter did, seeing the whole of it. Staid on the Richmond side of the Chickahominy overnight and left for White House at 5 a.m. Saturday. He says Porter retired in perfect order under protection of guns arranged for the purpose, under orders and not from necessity, and with all other of our forces, except what was left on purpose to go to White House, was safely in pontoons over the Chickahominy before morning, and that there was heavy firing on the Richmond side, begun at 5 and ceased at 7 a.m. Saturday. On the whole I think we have had the better of it up to that point of time. What has happened since we still know not, as we have no communication with General McClellan. A dispatch from Colonel Ingalls shows that he thinks McClellan is fighting with the enemy at Richmond to-day and will be to-morrow. We have no means of knowing upon what Colonel Ingalls
found his opinion. All confirmed about saving all property. Not a single unwounded straggler came back to the White House from the field, and the number of wounded reaching there up to 11 a.m. Saturday was not large.
A. LINCOLN.
To what the President has above stated I will only add one or two points that may be satisfactory for you to know:
1st. All the sick and wounded were safely removed from the White House; not a man left behind.
2nd. A dispatch from Burnside shows that he is in condition to afford efficient support and is probably doing so.
3rd. The dispatch of Colonel Ingalls impresses me with the conviction that the movement was made by General McClellan to concentrate on Richmond, and was successful to the latest point of which we have any information.
4th. Mr. Fulton says that on Friday night between 12 and 1 o'clock General McClellan telegraphed Commodore Goldsborough that the result of the movement was satisfactory to him.
5th. From these and the facts stated by the President my inference is that General McClellan will probably be in Richmond within two days.
EDWIN M. STANTON,
Secretary of War.
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FORT MONROE, June 29, 1862-7.45 p.m. Honorable E. M. STANTON, Secretary of War:
Colonel Ingalls is here, with most of the transports. He will go up the James River to-night and try to communicate with General McClellan. We expect to hear from him before morning.
JOHN A. DIX,
Major-General.
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FORT MONROE,, June 29, 1862- 8 p.m.
M. C. MEIGS,
Quartermaster-General:
I have seen General Dix, and arranged for boats to go up James River to-morrow with supplies and for wounded. General Casey is here on board of transports. Stoneman is at Williamsburg, en route to Yorktown. My trains arrived in safety. I leave immediately to-night for City Point, to ascertain the position and condition of the army.
RUFUS INGALLS,
Lieutenant-Colonel.
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FORT MONROE, June 29, 1862-8.30 p.m.
D. C. McCALLUM:
The rebels have possession of our railroad. White House is abandoned. Wentz and myself, with all our men, are here, waiting your orders. One locomotive, with forty cars, are at headquarters. The other locomotives are under the guns of the gunboats, with connecting-rods taken off and preserved. All the men are safe. We ran the railroad up to the last moment. The two locomotives last sent are still afloat and safe.
C. S. McALPIN,
Superintendent.
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HDQRS. DEPARTMENT OF NORTHERN VIRGINIA, June 29, 1862.
Major General J. B. MAGRUDER,
Commanding Division:
GENERAL: I regret much that you have made so little progress to-day in the pursuit of the enemy. In order to reap the fruits of our victory the pursuit should be most vigorous. I must urge you, then, again to press on his rear rapidly and steadily. We must lose no more time or he will escape us entirely.
Very respectfully, yours, &c.,
R. E. LEE,
General.
P. S.-Since the above was written I learn from Major Taylor that you are under the impression that General Jackson has been ordered not to support you. On the contrary, he has been directed to do so, and to push the pursuit vigorously.
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Official Records, Series I., Vol. 11, Part 3 (various)
The Confederates found Union trenches empty and began marching across the swamp in pursuit. Longstreet and A. P. Hill made good progress, moving close to 20 miles. Huger, in yet another example of poor staff coordination marched to no good end. Jackson did not, as Lee had intended, forcefully coordinate with Magruder. Magruder was confused, fatigued, and overly cautious before attacking the Union rear guard at Savage Station (the second major supply area McClellan would give up). The rest of the army and trains continued toward the James River. The Confederates lost a golden opportunity to cut up the Union rear guard by a too cautious and uncoordinated pursuit. It is interesting to read Lee's postscript to Magruder that Jackson had been positively directed to push the pursuit vigorously, while D. R. Jones had been told by Jackson he had other important duty to attend to. The other interesting facet of the day is the inability of Union planners in Washington to coordinate the McClellan other than by way of Fort Monroe, the Confederates having cut the telegraph line.
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