E. D. Keyes to 8S. Williams, July 20, 1862

July 20, 1862.

Harrisov’s Bar, July 20, 1862.

Siz: I have the honor to submit the following as my report of the operations of the Fourth Corps from June 27 to July 2 instant, embraecing the time occupied by the flank movement or change of base of the Army of the Potomac from the Chickahominy to the James River:

At 1 o’clock a. m. June 28 I received orders to place three brigades of my corps and all their artillery and baggage across White Oak Swamp before daylight the same morning. My orders from General McClellan required that I should seize the strong positions on the opposite side, so as to cover most effectively the passage of the other troops. White Oak Swamp Bridge had some time previously been destroyed by General Hooker, and other bridges were to be constructed for the passage of the whole army. Not a single bridge was ready for a Wheeled carriage to cross until about two hours after sunrise. The moment the first was ready I pushed forward Brigadier-General Peck, commanding division, with Wessells’ brigade in the advance, and immediately following General Couch, commanding division, with Palmei’s brigade.

Before 12 o’clock m. those two brigades, with several batteries of artillery, were established nearly 4 miles beyond the bridge, in position to guard the Charles City road, the New Market and Quaker roads, and the roads and paths below which lead to the James and Chickahominy Rivers. Before night Abercrombie’s and Howe’s brigades, of Couch’s division, with most of the artillery and baggage of the Fourth Corps, had joined me. In this position, near the junction of many roads, I thought my corps could best cover the crossing of White Oak Swamp and thwart any designs the enemy might have to interrupt the passage of the army to the James River. :

Naglee’s brigade of Peck’s division, and Miller’s and Brady’s batteries had been left behind to guard and destroy the railroad and Bottom’s Bridges, which was done most effectively, and after several conflicts with the enemy they joined the balance of the Fourth Corps at Haxall’s, on the James River, July 1. Col. D. MeM. Gregg, with a portion of his Highth Pennsylvania Cavalry, was also detached and made a spirited reconnaissance on the east side of the Chickahominy, and rejoined the Fourth Corps by swimming the river at Long Bridge and rafting over his arms on the 28th.

On the morning of June 29 a large portion of a regiment of rebel cavalry, approaching on the New Market road, charged upon a part of

Car. XXIII. SEVEN-DAYS’ BATTLES. 193

the line of Couch’s division with extraordinary audacity. Averell’s cavalry sentinels in front gave way judiciously, leading the enemy forward to within 50 yards of our line, when a section of Captain MeCarthy’s battery, commanded by Lieutenant Munk, First Pennsylvania Artillery, opened with canister and case-shot, which being followed up by Averell’s cavalry and assisted by Lieutenant Dougherty, of Flogd’s battery, First Pennsylvania Artillery, who commanded a section on the right, damaged the assailants to the amount of about 80 killed, wounded, and prisoners. Our side lost not a man. This little affair produced an excellent effect in clearing the roads, as the contrabands informed me that all the cavalry we did not kill had run away to Richmond. I desire to call particular attention to the fact that Lieutenants Munk and Dougherty were ready with their guns to fire when the enemy appeared. Lieutenant Munk had measured the ground in front of his guns, and was thus able to cut his fuses to the proper length.

On the afternoon of June 29 I was ordered by General McClellan to move my whole force to the James River, where I was to communicate with the gunboats, guard Turkey Bridge, the mill-pond, and stream leading to the river. Brig. Gen. Fitz John Porter’s corps was ordered to support me in case of attack.

By the assistance of scouting parties from the Highth Illinois and Eighth Pennsylvania Cavalry and persons belonging to the country I had learned all the roads and paths to the James River. I directed Colonel Farnsworth, with his (Kighth) Regiment of Illinois Cavalry, with all the baggage and mule trains, to march after dark by a road to the left. The whole of the infantry, artillery, and Colonel Gregg’s Eighth Pennsylvania Cavalry I directed along an obscure road through the woods, which had been brought to my knowledge by Captain Keenan, of the Eighth Pennsylvania Cavalry, an excellent officer, and as skillful as an Indian in woodcraft. A portion of that road had not been used for wheels in many years, and old trees were lying across it. The cavalry and artillery were divided through the column, the infantry of Couch’s division in advance and that of Peck’s division in the rear. In this way the Fourth Corps moved all night silently 6 miles through the woods, and early in the morning of June 30 it encamped, with all its artillery and baggage in good order, on the banks of James River, below Turkey Bridge, which was strongly guarded, without delay.

After the arrival of the commanding general and other portions of the army the line of defense on the down river side of the new position was assigned to the Fourth Corps. The enemy having attacked above Turkey Bridge, I was ordered successively to detach the brigades of infantry of Couch’s division to strengthen our forces in that direction. By a reference to the reports of Brigadier-General Couch and his subordinates, and of Major West, chief of artillery, and other artillery commanders, it will be found that at Seven Pines, Malvern Hill, Bottom’s Bridge, Jones’ Bridge, and elsewhere the troops of the Fourth . Corps fought with the same gallantry with which they have uniformly met the enemy in this campaign. That corps has won many advantages over the enemy and has never given an inch of ground to equal numbers. y a ee :

With the balance of my command, embracing Peck’s division of infantry, thirty-five pieces of artillery, and two regiments of cavalry, I was charged on the night of July 1 to form the rear guard of the army in its movement down the river to Harrison’s Bar, 7 miles below Turkey

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194 THE PENINSULAR CAMPAIGN, VA. (Cuar. XXII.

The road along which the army was to move, running at an average distance of 24 miles from the river, was bordered throughout on the left with forest and on the right by open fields, here and there checkered with woods. From the left the enemy might approach by many roads and paths through the woods, and might follow on the main road over Turkey Bridge unless we could succeed in destroying it.

To insure the destruction of the bridge I requested Colonel Farnsworth, Highth Illinois Cavalry, to send me an officer and a detachment of men from his regiment, on whom I could rely, for that purpose. He sent Captain Clark, with a party of 25 axmen, who proceeded to make, in advance, the examinations and preparations necessary to secure the prompt demolition of the bridge the moment the last of our troops should have crossed. To provide against a hot pursuit, I directed Major West to select an able officer of artillery to blow up the bridge if-it should become absolutely necessary to destroy it in that way. Lieut. M. Reichenbacher, First Pennsylvania Artillery, was the artillery officer selected. Lieutenants Gibson and Jackson, of my staff (the former an officer of General McClellan’s staff and a volunteer with me for the night), were directed to go with the parties to the bridge and to make sure of its destruction, and bring me information. While our troops were passing, many large trees were chopped nearly through, and in fifteen minutes after the tail of the column had crossed the bridge had disappeared without the use of powder, and the road through the jungle was blocked against the possible passage of wheels or cavalry for twenty-four hours and made hazardous for infantry.

Beside the main road, upon which the army was to retire to Harrisows Bar, a road for the accommodation of neighbors starts from Haxall’s immense field, below Turkey Bridge, on which vast numbers of our wagons were parked, and joins the main road about 4 miles below the bridge. Near my headquarters on the lower edge of the field this road crosses a stream, wooded on both sides, which extends from the main road to the river. To prevent the enemy passing that way to attack our right flank I had given permission to General Naglee, who came to ask it, to fell trees across the road after he had passed over with his brigade and several batteries of the rear guard.

As the day began to dawn it became evident that all the artillery and wagons could not pass along oneroad. Immense trains were standing still, and others were turning off the main road, which had become blocked, and were moving down toward my headquarters. At this time the rain began to fall briskly, and though I was not yet certain of the destruction of Turkey Bridge, I knew the roads would be seriously injured by the rain; so, weighing all the chances and dangers, I concluded to save the trains if possible. Accordingly I ordered as many axmen as could work to clear away the felled trees and open the road which Naglee had obstructed. Over the road thus cleared not less than 1,000 vehicles, nearly all drawn by six cattle, passed, and were saved from the enemy, who might otherwise have seized them all.

The troops composing the rear guard were arranged as follows: Wessells’ brigade, with Miller’s and one section of McCarthy’s batteries, all under immediate command of Brigadier-General Peck, commanding division, were formed in line of battle, faced to the rear, on the hill overlooking Haxall’s vast farm and in the woods aceoss the roads coming in from the direction of White Oak Swamp. Upon all these roads cavalry scouts were kept in constant motion. Half a mile below Peck’s position Colonel Farnsworth’s regiment, the Highth MliCrap. XXIII.] SEVEN-DAYS’ BATTLES. 195

nois Cavalry, was drawn up in line of battle, faced also to the rear, and still a mile farther on Naglee’s brigade and several batteries under Major West were formed in line of battle on the brow of a ridge. All these arrangements were made before daylight, and the extremities of the lines of battle concealed in the woods or by the inequalities of the ground, so as to confuse the enemy in regard to our numbers. The Highth Pennsylvania Cavalry, under Colonel Gregg, was ordered to accompany me, toact as circumstances might dictate. The columns of infautry moved in the fields parallel to the double line of wagons in the main road. The men were kept in the ranks and the ranks and teams closed up, so that the army never presented a more formidable appearance nor had it before been so much massed and in so good a situation to repel an attack, which was threatened, but not made, during the march of our columns. :

As the last of our wagons passed the rear guard withdrew to new positions. Every straggler who could be seen was sent forward, and nothing was left behind except a small number of wagons which broke down. No doubt some stragglers concealed in the woods fell into the hands of the enemy.

As the day advanced the continuous deluging rains rendered it next to impossible to get forward the trains over Kimminger’s Creek, which is the boundary of our present camp. It was found necessary to park some 1,200 as they came up on the other side of the creek, and it was not till after dark of the 3d instant that by extraordinary exertions the last of the wagons was brought over.

Brigadier-General Wessells, with his brigade, assisted by Miller’s battery and a party of Grege’s cavalry, remained to guard the wagons and to defend them against the enemy, approaching with cavalry and artillery. After firing a few shells the enemy left upon being saluted with a few 100-pounders from the gunboats.

I do not think more vehicles or more public property was abandoned on the warch from Turkey Bridge than would have been left in the same state of the roads if the army had been moving toward the enemy instead of away from him; and when it is understood that all the carriages and teams belonging to the army stretched out in one line would extend not far from 40 miles, the energy and caution necessary for their safe withdrawal from the presence of an enemy vastly superior in numbers will be appreciated.

Accompanying this report are reports of Brigadier-Generals Couch and Peck, commanding divisions, and of Major West, chief of the Reserve Artillery of the Fourth Corps, and of their subordinates. To these officers, especially to my staft, and to many others I owe my acknowledgments for their efficient co-operation with me in the late movements. In other communications many gallant officers have been recommended for advancement.

In the battles, labors, and exposures to which this army has been subject the Fourth Corps has had its full share. Many in that corps have fallen while nobly-and bravely fighting for our cause. Their names will be held in honorable remembrance. A few, I regret to say, have sought to evade the stern duties which this crisis imposes upon every man who loves his country.

Respectfully submitted.

Brigadier-General, Commanding Fourth Corps.
Brig. Gen. 8S. WILLIAMS,
Adjutant-General, Army of the Potomac.

No. 79.
Beport of Maj. Robert M. West, Chief of Artillery, of operations June 28July 2.