VIEW OF SAVAGE’S STATION FROM THE NORTH SIDE OF THE RAILROAD.
From a sketch made before the battle.
The railroad passes close to the south side of Savage’s house. In the foreground are shown burial trenches, and in the peach orchard the graves of officers. The negro cabins on the left were used by the Sanitary Commission ; the barn, on the right, was a hospital, but most of the wounded were sheltered in the tents.
bly to be explained by physical causes. The labor of the previous days, the sleeplessness, the wear of gigantic cares, with the drenching of the comfortless night, had sunk the elasticity of his will and the quickness of his invention for the nonce below their wonted tension. And which of the sons of man is so great as never to experience this ?” I think that an important factor in this inaction was Jackson’s pity for his own corps, worn out by long and exhausting marches, and reduced in numbers by its numerous sanguinary battles. He thought that the garrison of Richmond ought now to bear the brunt of thé fighting. None of us knew that the veterans of Longstreet and A. P. Hill were unsupported ; nor did we even know that the firing that we heard was theirs. Had all our troops been at Frayser’s farm, there would have been no Malvern Hill.
Jackson’s genius never shone when he was under the command of another. It seemed then to be shrouded or paralyzed. Compare his inertness on this occasion with the wonderful vigor shown a few weeks later at Slaughter’s [Cedar] Mountain in the stealthy march to Pope’s rear, and later still in the capture of Harper’s Perry. MacGregor on his native heath was not more different from MacGregor in prison than was Jackson his own master from Jackson in a subordinate position. He wrote once to Richmond requesting that he might have “fewer orders and more men.” That was the keynote to his whole character. The hooded falcon cannot strike the quarry.
The gentleman who tried his “ splendid rifle ” on the drunken Irishman was the Rev. L. W. Allen. Mr. Allen had been raised in that neighborhood, and knew Malvern Hill well. He spoke of its
on the Charles City road, came upon Franklin’s left flank, but made no attack. I sent my engineer officer, Captain W. P. Lee, to him through the swamp, to ask him whether he could not engage Franklin. He replied that the road was obstructed by fallen timber. So there were five divisions within sound of the firing, and within supporting distance, but not one of them moved. Longstreet and A. P. Hill made a desperate fight, contending against Sumner’s corps, and the divisions of McCall, Kearny, and Hooker; but they failed to gain possession of the Quaker road, upon which McClellan was retreating. That night Franklin glided silently by them. He had to pass within easy range of the artillery of Longstreet and Hill, but they did not know he was there. It had been a gallant fight on their part. General Lee reported: “Many prisoners, including a general of division, McCall, were captured, and several batteries, with some thousands of small-arms, were taken.” But as an obstruction to the Federal retreat, the fight amounted to nothing.
Major Dabney, in his life of Jackson, thus comments on the inaction of that officer: “ On this occasion it would appear, if the vast interests dependent upon General Jackson’s cooperation with the proposed attack upon the center were considered, that he came short of the efficiency in action for which he was everywhere else noted.” After showing how the crossing of White Oak might have been effected, Dabney adds: “ The list of casualties would have been larger than that presented on the 30th, of one cannoneer wounded; but how much shorter would have been the bloody list filled up the next day at Malvern Hill? This temporary eclipse of Jackson’s genius was proba-
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THE ARTILLERY ENGAGEMENT AT WHITE OAK BRIDGE.
From a sketch made at the time.
The view is from Franklin’s position south of the bridge, Jackson’s and D. H. Hill’s troops being seen in the distance.
We had taken one prisoner, a drunken Irishman, but he declined, the honor of going back with us, and made fight with his naked fists. A soldier asked me naively whether he should shoot the Irishman or let him go. I am glad that I told him to let the man go, to be a comfort to his family. That Irishman must have had a charmed life. He was under the shelter of his gum-clotli coat hung on a stick, near the ford, when a citizen fired at him four times, from a distance of about fifty paces; and the only recognition that I could see the man make was to raise his hand as if to brush off a fly. One of the shells set the farm-house on fire. We learned from the owner that Franklin’s corps was in front of us.
Our cavalry returned by the lower ford, and pronounced it perfectly practicable for infantry. But Jackson did not advance. Why was this? It was the critical day for both commanders, but especially for McClellan. With consummate skill he had crossed his vast train of five thousand wagons and his immense parks of artillery safely over White Oak Swamp, but he was more exposed now than at any time in his flank march. Three columns of attack were converging upon him, and a strong corps was pressing upon his rear. Escape seemed impossible for him, but he did escape, at the same time inflicting heavy damage upon his pursuers. General Lee, through no fault in his plans, was to see his splendid prize slip through his hands. Longstreet and A. P. Hill struck the enemy at Frayser’s farm (or Glendale) at 3 p. m. on the 30t.h, and, both being always ready for a fight, immediately attacked. Magruder, who followed them down the Darbytown road, was ordered to the assistance of General Holmes on the New Market road, who was not then engaged, and their two divisions took no part in the action. Huger,
as the cavalry mask was removed. The battery fired its loaded guns in reply, and then galloped off, followed by its infantry supports and the long lines of infantry farther back in the field. Munford crossed his regiment over the ford, and Jackson and myself went with him to see what had become of the enemy. We soon found out. The battery had taken up a position behind a point of woods, where it was perfectly sheltered from our guns, but could play upon the broken bridge and ford, and upon every part of the uncultivated field. It opened with grape and canister upon us, and we retired rapidly. Fast riding in the wrong direction is not military, but it is sometimes healthy.
LIEUTENANT-GENERAL DANIEL H. HILL, C. S. A.