across White Oak swamp, inasmuch as the Rebels were endeavoring to intercept them. A desperate race ensued to determine who should first gain possession of that position. The Federals were compelled to leave all their wounded at Savage's Station in the hands of the enemy. And now the movement toward James river, which had begun in a leisurely and voluntary march thither, unavoidably degenerated into a flight on the part of the Federals, and into a pursuit on the part of the enemy. The Federal soldiers knew this fact, and the resolution, not of hope, but of despair, now actuated them. That wearied, overworked, but heroic band, who had engaged the enemy so often and so bravely, were compelled to exhaust the last powers of human endurance, in order to escape complete destruction. The race to reach the swamp was one of desperate energy, accompanied by equally desperate fighting; for the superiority of num bers which the Rebels possessed enabled them to keep up an attack on the rear of the Union army, while their main body strained every nerve to overreach and intercept the front. The divisions of Heintzelman, Sumner, and Franklin, were compelled to keep continually in line of bat tle across the country, during this part of the retreat, in order to beat off the hordes of the enemy, as from time to time they renewed the assault. At length the last wagon and the last cannons plashed through the waters of White Oak creek. It was eight o'clock on Monday morning, June the 30th. The day was bright and hot. The fugitives were exhausted with their superhuman efforts in fighting and retreating. After crossing the creek, hundreds threw themselves upon the ground to rest, or crawling to the green margin of the limpid stream, leaned over, and drank to slake the burning thirst which consumed them.

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CHAPTER XXVI.

THE BATTLE OF WHITE OAK SWAMP-POSITION AND order of THE FEDERAL TROOPS-TEMPORARY PANIC-DESPERATE FIGHTING FORTUNATE ASSISTANCE OF THE GUNBOATS ON JAMES RIVER-HEROISM AND SKILL OF GENERAL HEINTZELMAN-A GENERAL BAYONET CHARGE ON THE REBELS-ITS RESULT FIRST ENGAGEMENT AT MALVERN HILLS-INCIDENTS OF THE FIGHT THE IRISH BRIGADE-COMPLETE DEFEAT OF THE REBELS-THE FEDERAL ARMY REMOVES TO HARRISON'S LANDING-RESULTS OF THE SEVERAL BATTLES BEFORE RICHMOND-ARTILLERY DUEL ON THE JAMES RIVER-GENERAL HOOKER SENT TO RECONNOITRE AND OCCUPY MALVERN HILL THE MARCH THITHER-ENGAGEMENT WITH THE ENEMY-THEIR DEFEAT-IMMENSE REINFORCEMENTS ORDERED FROM RICHMOND-RETURN OF THE FEDERAL TROOPS TO HARRISON'S LANDING-FINAL EVACUATION OF THEIR CAMP BY THE FEDERAL ARMY-ITS FUTURE DESTINATION-FEDERAL LOSSES DURING THE PENINSULA

CAMPAIGN.

A VERY brief period for repose was allowed to the Federal troops. They had indeed won the race to White Oak swamp; but the vast army of the Rebels was in eager pursuit of them, and in a short time were upon their rear. Then followed another desperate engagement, named after the locality in which it took place. Soon after crossing the White Oak creek the Federal generals formed their new line of battle with great energy and promptness. The chief of these officers were Heintzelman, Sumner, Kearney, Porter, and Hancock. The new position of the Federal forces extended about four miles in length. On the extreme right wing General Hancock was posted with his brigade. Next to him were placed the troops of Brooks and Davidson. The batteries belonging to this division were commanded by Captain Ayres. Then came the divisions of Sumner, Heintzelman, and Porter. The battle commenced with an attack by the enemy on the column of General Hancock. They opened with about twenty batteries, which were served with such vigor and skill that they soon blew up several of Captain Mott's caissons, shattered his guns, and spread confusion among the teamsters, cannoniers and troops who came within their range. It was at this period that so complete a terror pervaded some of the regiments, that one of them, the twentieth New York, fled in the utmost disorder, and scattered in fragments in every direction. For this disgraceful proceeding General McClellan, on the following day, ordered the provost marshal to arrest all the stragglers as they came into camp.

After a short time, however, the Federals who had been attacked recovered their self-possession, and their guns responded to those of the enemy. The latter had not yet crossed the White Oak creek, and the engagement was still confined to the operations of the artillery. At length a portion of the Rebels made an attempt to cross the stream, but were

met and repulsed with success by General Smith, whose brisk fire of infantry extended continuously along whole columns. Finding it impossible to cross in front, the enemy detached a powerful force to proceed four miles due south to Charles City Cross Roads, for the purpose of interposing between the Federal forces and James river, thereby intercepting their retreat. The position which they purposed to reach was within a mile and a-half of Turkey Bend, on that river; and had they succeeded in their intention, they would have inevitably accomplished the ruin of the army, and prevented its successful establishment at Harrison's Landing. Fortunately, information of this movement of the Rebels was obtained in time; and Generals Porter and Keyes so marshalled their wearied troops as to prevent its achievement. They reached the advancing columns of the enemy at four o'clock in the afternoon, and attacked them. The Rebels fought desperately, and their artillery produced a dreadful havoc in the Federal ranks. The latter were nearly dead already from the effects of heat, exhaustion, and thirst; and so little discipline remained that a portion of those regiments which were nearest the James river, at one time broke ranks, rushed to its shores, plunged in, and after slaking their thirst returned to their colors, and resumed the fight. But the resistance of the Federal troops gradually became weaker. Human nature could endure no more. The fresh masses of the exultant Rebel army continued to press forward with still greater resolution. An overwhelming and decisive victory seemed about to crown the persevering efforts of the Rebel hosts when, at the critical moment, a delivery suddenly appeared. As at Pittsburg Landing, so in the present instance, the gallant navy of the Union rescued the land forces from destruction. At that crisis the gun. boats on the James river opened their fire upon the enemy. At five o'clock the enormous rifled guns of the Jacob Bell, Galena, and Aroostook, which were anchored in Turkey Bend, belched forth their colossal shells, with a detonation which completely drowned the feebler chorus of all the artillery on land, and terrified the foe by the unexpected presence of a more formidable antagonist. As the shells descended upon the serried masses of the Rebels, and burst among them, whole ranks were battered to the earth by the flying fragments. Horrible havoc ensued. Confusion and terror were quickly diffused through their columns, and they who, a few moments before, were confident of driving the Federal army into the James river, or of compelling it to surrender, themselves began to give way.

Encouraged by the evident effect of the shot of the gunboats, the Federal commanders, of whom the most distinguished on this memorable field was General Heintzelman, determined to recover the fortunes of the day by making a combined and desperate charge. The gunboats were therefore signalled to suspend their fire. Preparations were quickly made to effect the intended movement. The great-hearted veteran whom we have

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just named, galloped from column to column. He announced the purpose to charge in brief and thrilling words. He then returned to his position, and passed down, to right and to left, the stern order to advance. The bugles sounded, and like the surging of a mighty deluge which had long been compressed within narrow limits, that mass of heroes, having caught new energy and strength from reviving hope, moved forward sublimely to the assault. The steady Massachusetts men of Grover, the fierce and fiery brigades of Meagher and Sickles, the well drilled soldiers of Hooker, Kearny with his brave Jersey Blues, the resolute troops of Heintzelman, and others equally gallant, marched defiantly against the foe, with the determination to conquer or to perish. The enemy met their rushing tides at first with firmness; but nothing could long resist such a delirium of fortitude as seemed to pervade and to inflame their assailants. They gradually gave way; their lines broke, and they eventually fled from the field in complete confusion. During this famous battle-shock, many were slain on both sides, and many prisoners were taken. The Rebels had previously captured a large number of guns, being portions of the batteries of Randall, Mott, and Ayres. In the entire engagement at White Oak swamp the Federal loss in killed and wounded was not less than three thousand five hundred. That of the enemy was undoubtedly as great, if not much greater. But the contest saved the Federal army from ruin or from capitulation, and covered both the generals who commanded, and the soldiers who fought in it, with enduring renown. In vain had the best Rebel officers repeatedly put in practice their favorite tactics of hurling fresh masses of troops on the Federal lines, first on one wing, then on the other, and suddenly in the centre. All was in vain. The goal had been safely reached. The glancing placid waters of the James river had at last greeted the longing eyes of the soldiers of the Union, and the possibility of their destruction or of a still more disastrous capture was forever averted.

At the close of the battle of White Oak swamp the Federal army took possession of Malvern Hill in the vicinity of the river. General McClellan had selected Harrison's Landing, six miles below, as his future permanent camp, and thither the convoy of wagons, ammunition stores, and supplies of all sorts continued to be directed. The James river was crowded with transports and vessels of all kinds, to assist in the work of transportation. During Monday night the heroes of a seven days' battle rested from their herculean labors. But their task was not yet completed. On Tuesday, July the 1st, the last of this memorable series of engagements, the battle of Malvern Hill, was fought.

As an attack from the enemy was anticipated, the Federal army was drawn out in battle array at an early hour. Their line formed a magnificent semicircle, which presented a formidable front. General Keyes, with his command, was posted on the extreme right. General Franklin's

corps came next; then the troops of Sumner, comprising the divisions of Sedgwick and Richardson. The extreme left was occupied by Fitz John Porter. Heintzelman's corps, embracing the divisions of Hooker, Kearny, and Couch, occupied the centre. Fifty heavy guns bristled along the lines from their freshly made earthworks. The battle commenced about noon with a vigorous cannonading on both sides. The enemy were commanded by Generals Lee, Magruder, and Jackson, and opened the engagement with great spirit. Several hours passed away before the infantry came into action. At four o'clock the Rebels advanced, fiercely attacked the troops commanded by General Couch, and attempted to break the Federal line. The effort failed, and the assailants were driven back with great slaughter at the point of the bayonet. But they were not easily disheartened. After a short interval they made a still more desperate effort to accomplish their purpose. The Rebel commanders threw for ward heavy masses of troops, assisted and protected by artillery, against the ranks of Porter and Couch, and continued for more than an hour to hurl forward fresh columns upon the Federal line. At one crisis their determined efforts seemed about to be successful in driving back the Federals. At that critical moment General Porter despatched a messen. ger to General Sumner, requesting immediate reinforcements. The Irish brigade of Meagher, whose valorous troops seemed, in almost every emergency, to be the protecting Egis of the Federal army in the peninsula, were immediately sent to the rescue. They advanced to meet the enemy with their usual enthusiasm. The wavering Federal lines were quickly steadied; the Rebel host in turn recoiled, and the periled fortune of the day was recovered. Thus the fight was continued until after nightfall. At ten o'clock the last gun was fired. During the progress of the engagement the most signal service had been rendered by the gunboats on James river. The immense shells from their rifled cannon tore shrieking and howling through the forests, and often exploded within the lines of the enemy, with a concussion which shook the solid earth, and scattered piles of dead and wounded on every hand. In all their efforts to drive the Federal forces from their position the enemy had signally failed. After each advance they had been repulsed with heavy losses. The battle was to them an unqualified defeat. To prove that this statement should not be regarded as exaggerated or inaccurate, we might adduce many admissions made by the Rebels themselves. One of the most impartial of these will suffice. A leading Richmond journal said: "Officers and men went down by the hundreds; but yet, undaunted and unwavering, our line dashed on, until two thirds of the distance across the interval was accomplished. Here the carnage from the withering fire of the enemy's com bined artillery and musketry was dreadful. Our line wavered a moment, and fell back into the cover of the woods. Twice again the effort to carry the position was renewed, but each time with the same results. Night at