... . Six views of the Battle of Savage's Station, which took place on June 29, 1862, in Henrico County, Virginia, as fourth of the Seven Days Battles (Peninsula Campaign) of … Sumner gained the safety of the depot and held his ground until the fighting ended in a draw about 9:00 P.M. Gen. Paul J. Semmes the center, and Col. William Barksdale (Griffith's Brigade) the right. Fighting continued into the evening until a strong thunderstorm ended the engagement. Operating on Burns' left and south of the Williamsburg Road, Brigadier General William T.H. Heintzelman decided on his own that his corps was not needed to defend Savage's Station, Sumner's and Franklin's being sufficient, so he decided to follow the rest of the army without informing his fellow generals. Confederate Brig. As Porter's men shifted to the south bank of the Chickahominy, a badly shaken McClellan ended the campaign and began moving the army towards the safety of the James River. "American Civil War: Battle of Savage's Station." American Civil War: Battle of Glendale (Frayser's Farm), American Civil War: Battle of Seven Pines (Fair Oaks), American Civil War: Major General Edwin V. Sumner, American Civil War: Battle of Fredericksburg, American Civil War: Battle of Malvern Hill, American Civil War: Major General John Buford, American Civil War: Brigadier General John C. Caldwell, American Civil War: Second Battle of Manassas, American Civil War: Battle of Peebles Farm, American Civil War: Lieutenant General Nathan Bedford Forrest, M.S., Information and Library Science, Drexel University, B.A., History and Political Science, Pennsylvania State University. "Stonewall" Jackson's divisions were stalled north of the Chickahominy River. Confederate Brig. Kh3 Classic Kingdom High Scores, The Power Of Nightmares, First Female Hollywood Director, The Prophecy: Forsaken, The Genius Of Marian, Does Netflix Have The Rockford Files, Sharon Jones Death, This entry was posted in Uncategorized by . However, the fault for the lost opportunity must be shared equally with the poor staff work at Lee's own headquarters and a less than aggressive performance by Jackson. Stonewall Jackson eventually crossed the river by about 2:30 a.m. on June 30, but it was too late to crush the Union Army, as Lee had hoped. Waiting another three hours, he finally resumed his advance with the brigades of Brigadier Generals Joseph B. Kershaw and Paul J. Semmes. Having begun the Peninsula Campaign earlier in the spring, Major General George McClellan's Army of the Potomac stalled before the gates of Richmond in late May 1862 after a stalemate at the Battle of Seven Pines. Brigadier General Smith’s division hotly engaged with the enemy, at noon, June 28th, 1862. In doing so, McClellan effectively ended his own campaign as the abandonment of the railroad meant that heavy guns could not be carried to Richmond for the planned siege. On the night of June 27, 1862, following the Battle of Gaines' Mill, Gen. George McClellan ordered a withdrawal of his Union army to the James River. He has appeared on The History Channel as a featured expert. A chronological history of the civil war in America. Although Magruder had been conservative about his attack, Sumner was even more so. Despite being outnumbered, Magruder elected to attack with only part of his command. The main body of the Union Army of the Potomac began a general withdrawal toward the James River. Moving out early on June 29, Magruder's men began encountering Union troops around 9:00 AM. Despite winning a clear victory on 26 June (Battle of Mechanicsville), General McClellan decided to abandon his position close to Richmond and retreat south to the James River, where he felt his supply lines would be safe from Confederate action. Battle of Savage's Station. [4], The bulk of McClellan's army concentrated around Savage's Station on the Richmond and York River Railroad, preparing for a difficult crossing through and around White Oak Swamp. While the Battle of Savage’s Station was a successful — albeit relatively obscure — holding action in the Union’s well-executed tactical retreat, the Seven Days Battles were a great morale-lifting victory for the Confederates. On June 25, McClellan finally moved and he ordered the divisions of Brigadier Generals Joseph Hooker and Philip Kearny to push up the Williamsburg Road. Taking a strong position behind Boatswain's Swamp, V Corps came under heavy attack on June 27. On the night of June 27, 1862, following the battle of Gaine’s Mill, Gen. George McClellan ordered a withdrawal of his Union army to the James River. James Longstreet and A.P. In the fighting at Savage's Station, Sumner suffered 1,083 killed, wounded, and missing while Magruder sustained 473. Gen. Edwin V. Sumner's corps, which formed the Union rear guard near Savage's Station on the Richmond & York River R.R. While the divisions of Maj. Gens. The bulk … It was pushed by a locomotive at about the speed of the marching infantry. It did so without centralized direction because McClellan had personally moved south of Malvern Hill after Gaines' Mill without leaving directions for corps movements during the retreat nor naming a second in command. Posted on August 29, 2020 by . Union troops continued their retreat that night. Skirmishing through the morning, the Confederates were able to push the enemy back, but Magruder became increasingly concerned about the size of Sumner's command. In the wake of the retreating army, Savage’s Station, located one half mile in front of you along the Richmond and … Union morale plummeted, particularly so for those wounded, who realized that they were not being evacuated from Savage's Station with the rest of the Army. The most evocative of these photographs, entitled “Wounded at Savage Station, after the Battle of 27th June, 1862” has caught the eye of viewers and publishers ever since. On the night of June 27, 1862, following the Battle of Gaines’ Mill, Gen. George McClellan ordered a withdrawal of his Union army to the James River. This was mostly due to the Union commander's overly-cautious approach and the inaccurate belief that General Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia badly outnumbered him. Kennedy Hickman is a historian, museum director, and curator who specializes in military and naval history. Our correspondent described this battle as follows: “Having left our wounded, about thirteen hundred men, in the hospital, to the tender mercies of the Confederates, our troops fell back at daybreak on Sunday from their line of entrenchments. 111-12. He sent in two of Burns's regiments, and then the 1st Minnesota Infantry from another brigade in Sedgwick's division, and finally one regiment each from two different brigades in Brig. Jackson got across the Chickahominy at 2;30 AM on June 30, far to late to participate in the battle or prevent the retreat of the Union army. 272-74. The two sides remained engaged, with neither making any progress, until a storm ended the battle around 9:00 PM. Stonewall Jackson, commanding his own division, as well as the divisions of Maj. Gen. D.H. Hill and Brig. ThoughtCo. https://www.thoughtco.com/battle-of-savages-station-2360248 (accessed May 24, 2021). Eicher, p. 291; Sears, p. 267; Salmon, pp. The Battle of Savage's Station was part of the Seven Days' Battles of the Peninsular Campaign. The house appears to have never been rebuilt, and no trace of it remains today. [15], The battle was a stalemate at the cost of about 1,500 casualties on both sides, plus 2,500 previously wounded Union soldiers who were left to be captured when their field hospital was evacuated. Seeking reinforcements from Lee, he received two brigades from Huger's division on the stipulation that if they were not engaged by 2:00 PM they would be withdrawn. This was largely due to his dislike and distrust of his senior corps commander, Major General Edwin V. Sumner. The Richmond and York River Railroad is also indicated. The highest ranking casualty was Confederate Brig. These failures of the Confederate plan were being matched on the Union side, however. The Battle of Savage’s Station took place on June 29, 1862, in Henrico County, Virginia, as fourth of the Seven Days Battles (Peninsula Campaign) of the American Civil War. Stonewall Jackson, commanding his own division, as well as the divisions of Maj. Gen. D.H. Hill and Brig. Eicher, p. 290; Sears, p. 261; Salmon, p. 111. Remaining away from the fighting, McClellan made the situation worse by failing to name a second in command. This map shows the area of Savage's Farm in Henrico County, Va., to the north and the Williamsburg Road to the south. [10], Magruder was forced to give up the two brigades from Huger's division at 2 p.m. and was faced with the problem of attacking Sumner's 26,600 men with his own 14,000. Gen. John B. Magruder's division attacked Brig. McClellan considered his senior corps commander, Sumner, to be incompetent, so he appointed no one to command the rear guard. Gen. Israel B. Richardson's division. After initially thinking the approaching troops belonged to Heintzelman, they recognized their mistake and informed Sumner. [6], McClellan's rear guard at Savage's Station consisted of the II Corps, commanded by Brig. Earlier in June, General Lee had hoped to counter the approach of McClellan's siege artillery by rail by using his own weapon: a 32-pounder Brooke naval rifle, shielded by a sloping casemate of railroad iron, nicknamed the "Land Merrimack." ThoughtCo, Aug. 26, 2020, thoughtco.com/battle-of-savages-station-2360248. [13], The first Union unit to engage was one of Sedgwick's brigades, Philadelphians led by Brig. Pressing forward, two regiments from Brigadier General George T. Anderson's brigade engaged two Union regiments from Sumner's command. Gen. Edwin V. Sumner (two divisions), the III Corps, under Brig. Brig. Striking on June 26, Lee's forces were bloodily repulsed by Porter's men at the Battle of Beaver Dam Creek (Mechanicsville). Quinlan receives America’s highest military decoration, the Medal of Honor, on February 18, 1891 for his actions at the Battle of Savage’s Station in Henrico County, Virginia, the fourth of the Seven Days Battles (Peninsula Campaign). At 2:00 PM, having not advanced, Magruder returned Huger's men. Sneden, R. K. (1862) Plan of the Battle of Savage's Station Va. Gen. William F. "Baldy" Smith's division. Sears, p. 274; Salmon, p. 112; Eicher, p. 291. The brigade as a whole took 439 casualties; the 5th Vermont regiment, commanded by Lt. Col. Lewis A. Striking the Union rear guard, centered on Major General Edwin V. Sumner's II Corps, Confederate forces proved unable to dislodge the enemy. View waymark gallery. Initial contact between the armies occurred at 9 a.m. on June 29. Despite McClellan's personal feelings, Sumner effectively led the 26,600-man Union rear guard which had concentrated near Savage's Station. [8] Magruder, who was alleged to be under the influence of morphine to combat a bout of indigestion, was confused and became concerned that he might be attacked by a superior force. [5], Lee devised a complex plan to pursue and destroy McClellan's army. ... We must lose no more time or he will escape us entirely." The Confederate movement was first noticed by Franklin and Brigadier General John Sedgwick who were scouting west of Savage's Station. American Civil War: Battle of Savage's Station. The Army of the Potomac continued its retreat toward the James River. On the farm and orchards owned by a Mr. Allen, about 2 miles (3.2 km) west of Savage's Station, Fought June 29th 1862. Seven Days June 26-27.jpg. The main body of the Union Army of the Potomac began a general withdrawal toward the James River. Gen. Joseph B. Kershaw commanded the left flank, Brig. With McClellan providing little guidance to his men, the Army of the Potomac fought off Confederate forces at Garnett's and Golding's Farms on June 27-28. Hickman, Kennedy. While McClellan remained inact… Attacking into a stand of woods, they met intense Confederate fire and were repulsed with heavy losses. Battle of Savage's Station. Gen. William W. Burns, but his defensive line proved inadequate to cover the two brigade front of Kershaw and Semmes. Posted by: archway. Gen. William B. Franklin (one division). Most of the Army of the Potomac crossed White Oak Swamp Creek unmolested by noon on June 30. Attempting to hold the flank south of the Williamsburg Road, the Vermonters charged into the woods and were met with murderous fire, suffering more casualties of any brigade on the field that day. With the end of the fighting, Union troops continued withdrawing across White Oak Swamp but were forced to abandon a field hospital and 2,500 wounded. Sears, p. 261; Salmon, p. 110; Eicher, p. 290. The house also functioned as General George B. McClellan 's headquarters during the battle of Savage's Station on June 29, 1862. That night, McClellan, concerned about the presence of Major General Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson's command to the north, directed Porter to retreat and shifted the army's supply line from the Richmond and York River Railroad south to the James River. At Savage's Station, Heintzelman decided that his corps was not necessary to the Union defense and began withdrawing without first informing Sumner. Hill looped back toward Richmond and then southeast to the crossroads at Glendale, and Maj. Gen. Theophilus H. Holmes's division headed farther south, to the vicinity of Malvern Hill, Brig. The resulting Battle of Oak Grove saw the Union attack halted by Major General Benjamin Huger's division. Clouds of black smoke filled the air as the Union troops were ordered to burn anything they could not carry. in Civil War Discovery Trail Sites. The final actions of the evening were by the Vermont Brigade, commanded by Colonel William T. H. Brooks, of Brig. 53rd Pennsylvania Infantry Regiment-Wikipedia Gen. Richard Griffith , was mortally wounded at the Battle of Savage's Station on June 29, 1862, Barksdale assumed command of the brigade and led it in an heroic, but bloody and futile, charge at the Battle of Malvern Hill . For four days the battles of The Seven Days had raged north of the Chickahominy as the Army of the Potomac withdrew. It is a singular image — taken during an active campaign — of a site that would be overrun and captured by Confederates the very next day. Gen. William H. C. Whiting, was to rebuild a bridge over the Chickahominy and head due south to Savage's Station, where he would link up with Magruder and deliver a strong blow that might cause the Union Army to turn around and fight during its retreat. While McClellan remained inactive for much of June, Lee tirelessly worked to improve Richmond's defenses and plan a counterattack. [12] However, even with this impressive weapon, which outgunned anything the Federal artillerists possessed, the results of Magruder's decision to send only part of his smaller force against a much larger enemy were predictable. Articles incorporating text from Wikipedia, Battles of the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War, Inconclusive battles of the American Civil War, Battles of the American Civil War in Virginia, https://military.wikia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Savage%27s_Station?oldid=4351994. Their immediate assumption was that these were men from Heintzelman's corps, but they soon realized their mistake. To stabilize the line, Sumner randomly began feeding regiments from other brigades into the battle. Union forces continued to withdraw across White Oak Swamp, abandoning supplies and more than 2,500 wounded soldiers in a field hospital. The Battle of Savage's Station took place on June 29, 1862, in Henrico County, Virginia, as fourth of the Seven Days Battles (Peninsula Campaign) of the American Civil War. In the wake of the retreating army, Savage's Station, located one half mile in front of you along the Richmond and … Gen. Samuel P. Heintzelman (two divisions), and the VI Corps, under Brig. Nearly 1,000 men had been killed and wounded at Savage’s Station out of just more than 10,000 engaged on both sides; the Federals had the worst of it, losing about 600 men, but they had more men engaged and in the fiercest fight, between Semmes and Brooks, the Southerners had the advantage of using “buck and ball” rounds, a combination of a bullet and buckshot, that at short range (and the lines were less … Initial contact between the armies occurred at 9 a.m. on June 29. Gen. John B. Magruder's division was ordered to move due east along the Williamsburg Road and the York River Railroad to attack the Federal rear guard. After Battle of Savage's Station.png 900 × 633; 359 KB. The Battle of Savage's Station was fought June 29, 1862, during the American Civil War (1861-1865). Hickman, Kennedy. Dubbed the "Land Merrimack," this weapon was slowly pushed down the railroad. Battle of Savage's Station - Civil War Discovery Trail Sites on Waymarking.com. Then Richard Ewell reported Dispatch Station and a nearby bridge was burned. These forces were to converge and overwhelm the Union defenders. N 37° 31.693 W 077° 16.131. The Battle of Savage’s Station was the third major battle during the Seven Days’ Battles. Mounting a tenacious defense, Burns' men soon faced envelopment by the larger Confederate force. Hickman, Kennedy. [June 29, 1862], 1885. found : National Park Service, Civil War Sites Advisory Commission, Technical Volume II: Battle Summaries, 1993 (Savage's Station; fourth of the Seven Day's Battles) The Army of the Potomac continued its retreat toward the James River. These troops were aided on the right by part of a brigade led by Colonel William Barksdale. Gen. George T. Anderson fought against two Pennsylvania regiments from Sumner's corps for about two hours before disengaging, suffering 28 casualties to the Pennsylvanians' 119. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/battle-of-savages-station-2360248. Description. (2020, August 26). Having begun the Peninsula Campaign earlier in the spring, Major General George McClellan's Army of the Potomac stalled before the gates of Richmond in late May 1862 after a stalemate at the Battle of Seven Pines. Campaign: Seven Days Retreat. This was mostly due to the Union commander's overly-cautious approach and the inaccurate belief that General Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia badly outnumbered him. The fourth of the Seven Days Battles outside Richmond, VA, Savage's Station saw General Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia pursuing Major General George B. McClellan's retreating Army of the Potomac. As Magruder contemplated his next move, Jackson received a confusing message from Lee that suggested that his men were to remain north of the Chickahominy. J. E. B. Stuart reported destruction of … It was also the site of a Union field hospital, where doctors were caring for roughly 2,500 soldiers wounded during the Battle of Gaines' Mill. Brig. Sumner managed this part of the battle erratically, selecting regiments for combat almost at random. As the forces engaged were largely equal in size, a stalemate developed as darkness and foul weather approached. Not included in this total were 2,500 previously wounded Union soldiers who were left behind to be captured when their field hospital was evacuated. In order to reap the fruits of our victory that pursuit should be most vigorous. Sandwiched between the larger battles at Gaines’s Mill and Malvern Hill, the Battle of Savage’s Station remains a relatively obscure engagement in the Civil War. The Land Merrimack bombarded the Union front, with some of its shells reaching as far to the rear as the field hospital. This force comprised elements of his own II Corps, Brigadier General Samuel P. Heintzelman's III Corps, and a division of Brigadier General William B. Franklin's VI Corps. “Battle of Savages Station. Later in the day, Lee resumed his offensive by attacking McClellan's army at the Battles of Glendale (Frayser's Farm) and White Oak Swamp. Gen. Richard Griffith, who was mortally wounded by a Union shell fragment. Franklin and Brig. Supporting the attack was a 32-pounder Brooke naval rifle mounted on a rail car and protected by an iron casemate. In the wake of the retreating army, Savage’s Station, located one half mile in front of you along the Richmond and … As Porter's men shifted to the south bank of the Chickahominy, a badly shaken McClellan ended the campaign and began moving the army towards the safety of the James River. The photographic history of the Civil War - thousands of scenes photographed 1861-65, with text by many special authorities (1911) (14576288458).jpg. In the resulting Battle of Gaines' Mill, Porter's men turned back several enemy assaults through the day until being compelled to retreat near sunset. "American Civil War: Battle of Savage's Station." By noon the following day, Union troops had crossed the swamp. By the time all of these units reached the front, the two sides were at rough parity—two brigades each. The Seven Days Battles began with a Union attack in the minor Battle of Oak Grove on June 25, 1862, but Union Maj. Gen. George B. McClellan and his Army of the Potomac quickly lost the initiative as Confederate General Robert E. Lee and his Army of Northern Virginia began a series of attacks at Beaver Dam Creek on June 26, Gaines' Mill on June 27, and the minor actions at Garnett's and Golding's Farm on June 27 and June 28. Plan of the Battle of Savage's Station Va. Sunday, June 29th . [14], The fighting turned into a bloody stalemate as darkness fell and strong thunderstorms began to move in. Advancing, Magruder encountered Brigadier General William W. Burns' Philadelphia Brigade just south of the railroad. He requested reinforcements from Lee, who ordered two brigades from the division of Maj. Gen. Benjamin Huger to assist, under the condition that they would have to be returned if they were not engaged by 2 p.m.[9], Meanwhile, Jackson was not advancing as Lee had planned. The fourth of the Seven Days Battles outside Richmond, VA, Savage's Station saw General Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia pursuing Major General George B. McClellan's retreating Army of the Potomac. Union artillery opened fire and pickets were sent forward to meet the assault. Though outnumbered himself, Lee understood his army could not hope to win an extended siege in the Richmond defenses. Coming up on Burns' left, the 1st Minnesota Infantry joined the fight followed by two regiments from Brigadier General Israel Richardson's division. … 18S E 299518 N 4155890. Battle of Savage's Station: John Bull Cartoon: Battle of Malvern Hill: Battle of Chickahominy: Army Life in the Army of the Potomac: Battle of Beaver Creak: Bombardment of Vicksburg JULY … The Seven Days Battles began with a Union attack in the minor Battle of Oak Grove on June 25, 1862, but Union Maj. Gen. George B. McClellan and his Army of the Potomac quickly lost the initiative as Confederate General Robert E. Lee and his Army of Northern Virginia began a series of attacks at Beaver Dam Creek on June 26, Gaines' Mill on June 27, and the minor actions at Garnett's and Golding's Farm on June 27 and June 28. To due so, Lee ordered Brigadier General John B. Magruder to push his division down the Williamsburg Road and York River Railroad while Jackson's division was to rebuild the bridges across the Chickahominy and attack south. Of the 26 regiments he had in his corps, only 10 were engaged at Savage's Station. Plan of the battle at Savage's Station. Jun 29, 2012 - Plan of the Battle of Savage's Station Va. Gen. John B. Magruder pursued along the railroad and the Williamsburg Road and struck Maj. Gen. Edwin Vose Sumner's II Corps (the Union rearguard) with three brigades near Savage's Station, while Maj. Gen. Thomas J. On the farm and orchards owned by a Mr. Allen, about 2 miles (3.2 km) west of Savage's Station, Sears, pp. The Union army continued to retreat abandoning 2500 wounded in Savage’s Station. While the Battle of Savage’s Station was a successful — albeit relatively obscure — holding action in the Union’s well-executed tactical retreat, the Seven Days Battles were a great morale-lifting victory for the Confederates. Pursuing McClellan, Lee sought to engage and defeat the Union forces at Savage's Station. Grant, lost nearly half of its men, 209 of 428. Due to this, he did not cross the river to attack from the north. Brooks' Vermont Brigade sought to protect the Union flank and charged forward. [7], Initial contact between the armies occurred at 9 a.m. on June 29. The battle was a bloody stalemate, with about 1500 casualties. The regiment fought again at the Battle of Savage's Station on June 29 in order to protect Union supplies and wounded near the railroad station. It was at this time that an irate Sumner discovered that III Corps had departed. In the wake of the battle, Lee reprimanded Magruder for not attacking more forcefully stating that the "pursuit should be most vigorous." [11], Magruder's attack was accompanied by the first armored railroad battery to be used in combat. This proved fortunate for Lee as he had moved the bulk of his army north of the Chickahominy River with the goal of crushing Brigadier General Fitz John Porter's isolated V Corps. Gen. John Sedgwick were on a reconnaissance to the west of Savage's Station when they saw Kershaw's brigade approaching. This was the first indication of Heintzelman's unannounced departure and Sumner, for one, was particularly outraged, refusing to speak to Heintzelman the following day. The Seven Days continued with the much larger Battle of Glendale and the Battle of White Oak Swamp on June 30.[16]. Savage Station, Va., June 29, 1862 - While the battle was in progress Magruder made a number of feints against various portions of the Union line south of the river, but the only serious result produced by his demonstrations was to prevent reinforcements being sent to Porter. He hesitated until 5 p.m., when he sent only two and a half brigades forward.
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