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"...General Sumner vacated
his works at Fair Oaks on June 29 at daylight, and marched his command to
Orchard Station, halting at Allen's field, between Orchard and Savage
Stations. The divisions of Richardson and Sedgwick
were formed on the right of the railroad, facing
toward Richmond, Richardson holding the right and Sedgwick joining
the right of Heintzelman's corps. The first line of
Richardson's division was held by General French,
General Caldwell supporting in the second. A log building in front of
Richardson's division was held by Colonel Brooke with
one regiment (Fifty-third Pennsylvania Volunteers),
with Hazzard's battery on an elevated piece of ground, a little
in rear of Coonel Brooke's command.
At 9:00 a.m. the enemy commenced
a furious attack on the right of General Sedgwick,
but were repulsed. The left of General Richardson was
next attacked, the enemy attempting to carry
the position of Colonel Brooke. Captain Hazzard's battery, and Pettit's
battery, which afterward replaced it, were served with great effect, while
the Fifty-third Pennsylvania kept up a steady
fire on the advancing enemy, compelling them at
last to retire in disorder. The enemy renewed the attack three times, but
were as often repulsed..."
General George B McClellan on the action of the 53rd
PVI at the Battle of Allen's Farm.
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Report of Brig. Gen. Israel B. Richardson, U.S.
Army, commanding First Division, of engagement
at Peach Orchard, or Allen's Farm, battle of
Savage Station, engagement at White Oak Swamp
Bridge, and battles of Glendale, or Nelson's
Farm (Frazier's Farm), and Malvern Hill.
HEADQUARTERS RICHARDSON'S DIVISION,
July 6, 1862.
Lieutenant KIP, Aide-de-Camp.
DEAR SIR:
In compliance with order
I have the honor to report the following as the
part taken by my division in the several actions
of Allen's Farm, Savage Station, Nelson's Farm, and
Malverton: On Friday,
June 27, while in the intrenchments erected by my division in front of
the station at Fair Oaks,
and late in the afternoon of that day, I received orders from General
Sumner, commanding the
corps, to detach two of my brigades to the assistance
of General Porter, on the opposite side of
the Chickahominy. I was directed to remain
with the remaining one to defend the
intrenchments. The brigades
of Generals French and Meagher were accordingly detached, under command
of the former officer,
and I remained with the brigade of General Caldwell and the batteries of
Captains Hazzard and
Pettit to hold the line at Fair Oaks. The operations of the command of General
French and the stand
that he made against the enemy, who were already pursuing the routed columns
of General Porter, are
fully set forth in the accompanying report of the
former.
His
command returned to the division next
morning, after performing the duty assigned to it.
Saturday, June 28, I was ordered to get my
division ready for a move, and accordingly the tents
were struck, wagons packed and sent off to
Savage Station, and late in the afternoon I was ordered
to detach the brigade of General Meagher to
that station, to report to Major-General McClellan
for duty, which was done. The whole day and
night were consumed in waiting orders to move. About
daylight on Sunday, June 29, I left as a
rear guard to the army with my two remaining
brigades and my two batteries. On arriving at
Allen's farm, distant some 2 miles, I was directed
by General Sumner to form line of battle facing
toward Richmond, and
my left flank in connection with the right of Sedgwick, both of us being
on the right of the railroad. I
formed the line with General French's brigade in the
front line and General Caldwell in second line.
At the suggestion of General French I obtained
permission of General Sumner to occupy a large
house and some log buildings in front of my
position as an advanced redoubt. This was done by Colonel Brooke
with his regiment, the Fifty-third
Pennsylvania. I also placed four pieces
of Hazzard's battery
on an elevated piece of ground a little in rear of Colonel Brooke's advance,
and supported by two
regiments. The two positions taken together I considered as a key to the
whole position.
These arrangements had hardly been effected when the
enemy made his appearance in our front in
force, attacking the right of General Sedgwick's and
the left of my division with great vigor.
Colonel Brooke was soon engaged with the enemy's
infantry and a battery of artillery which he now
brought against us. The battery of Hazzard
was now in full action. Only the limber-boxes had
been retained by him
(by my directions), and his caissons had been sent off to Savage Station.
We soon brought them
back, however, at a gallop before his supplies in the limbers had been exhausted.
I also sent for Pettit's
battery to come back from Savage Station, which it
did about that time. The enemy in the mean time had made great
efforts against the position of Colonel Brooke, but he bravely maintained
himself, assisted
by the battery, and was re-enforced also by a regiment of General
Sedgwick's division, the
Seventy-first Pennsylvania. Soon after the return
of that portion of the artillery which had been
sent for the enemy fell back and disappeared
in the wood. |
