92 THE ARMY OF THE POTOMAC. with the dead (for in th is tierce conflict tlie losses on both sides had been considerable) a great number of wounded, too much hurt to be moved, a dozen guns, and a few prisoners, among whom was General Reynolds. The corps of Keyes, which ■was in the advance, fell back also towards James river, and took possession of the passage of a large morass, White Oak Swamp., which is traversed by the road the army was to take as well as by the principal lines of communication which could be used by the enemy to harass us. The 25th and 29th of June were passed in sending forward the train of live thousand wagons, the siege train, a herd of twenty-five hundred oxen, and other impedimenta. The reader may judge what a piece of work this was, when he reflects that it was all to be done upon a single narrow road. The first day we were undisturbed ; the enemy was exhausted by the previous day's battle ; he seemed, moreover, astonished and disconcerted, and did not yet fully understand the object of the federal army. The whole of this army was united on the right bank of the Chickahominy, whilst the bulk of the confederate forces was upon the left bank, and the bridges were down. To recro.-s the river, they would be forced either to build new bridges or to fall back some distance to the Mechanicsville bridge ; either of which opera tions involved time. Mow, time was everything, and the retreating army put it to good use. It was not until the 29th that the southern columns came in sight of the federal rearguard. A battle at once began, at Savage’s Station, but the enemy were vigorously received, and after repulsing them the federals waited till nightfall before recommencing their march, 't he last duty done Ly the telegraph the day befoB Mas to inform us that the confederates were at White House. This ] ont they bad found abandoned. The morning of the 29th ha«l been spent by us in destroying all that could not be carried away from the camps. A complete railway train, loco-
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