Page:Confederate Military History - 1899 - Volume 5.djvu/78

66 ward Savage Station. The enemy had retreated, and when found again were in position on the Williamsburg road, occupying the rifle-pits and intrenchments made, doubtless, in McClellan’s advance prior to the battle of Seven Pines. The Second and Third were thrown forward toward the left and formed to charge the position, while Kemper’s battery opened a rapid fire that drove back the enemy without the aid of the infantry, and Kershaw moved on to fight his battle at Savage’s farm.

His line ran from the railroad to near the Williamsburg road. The battle began in earnest at 5:30 p. m. by the opening of Sumner’s artillery on Kershaw’s skirmishers under Gaillard and Rutherford, and lasted into the night. Kemper took position in the Williamsburg road, the Eighth on his right, in support, and the Second, Third, and Seventh on his left. Kershaw ordered his left regiments to charge, and they dashed into the wood, driving through to the open beyond. In this charge a heavy loss was inflicted upon the opposing force, which was thrown into much disorder, and many prisoners taken. But Kershaw could not maintain his position. Kemper and the Eighth were attacked and his right flank turned. To meet this emergency, he ordered his line back to the original position from which he had charged the wood, and at the critical moment Semmes brigade attacked the force that had turned his right. Semmes, supported by Kemper’s fire and the Eighth, drove back the flanking column, and Kershaw repelled the assault on his front. Night had come and Kershaw’s battle was over. Major-General McLaws says: &quot;The South Carolina brigade carried into action 1,496 men and lost in killed 47, wounded 234, missing 9; total 290. Semmes had only two regiments engaged and lost 64, and the loss in other commands of Magruder’s force was only 36 in killed and wounded, which shows that Magruder’s battle to beat McClellan’s rear was fought by the brigades of Kershaw and Semmes, —