Page:Confederate Military History - 1899 - Volume 5.djvu/80

68 onel, lost Capt. S. M. Lanford and Lieut. J. T. Ray. Colonel Nance mentioned especially Capt. D. M. H. Langston and Maj. W. D. Rutherford. The Seventh did not suffer as severely as the Third, losing 82 killed and wounded. The Eighth, which was mainly in support of Kemper’s battery, lost but 2 killed and 8 wounded.

It appears from General Sumner’s report, that three corps, his own, Franklin’s and Heintzelman’s, were under his command and put in line of battle at Savage Station. Heintzelman (15,000) was ordered to hold the Williamsburg road, but before the attack by Kershaw, General Heintzelman left the field, and crossed White Oak swamp. Sumner speaks of the assault by Kershaw and Semmes as being met by Burns brigade, &quot;supported and reinforced by two lines in reserve, and finally by the Sixty-ninth New York (Irish) regiment. He also speaks of Brooks brigade &quot;holding a wood on the left,&quot; &quot;doing excellent service,&quot; and though wounded, &quot;keeping his command until the close of the battle.&quot; He says the action was &quot;continued with great obstinacy until some time after dark, when we drove the enemy from the field.&quot; It is evident that Kershaw attacked Generals Burns and Brooks, the Sixty-ninth New York, and &quot;two lines in reserve.&quot; The reader may determine whether Kershaw and Semmes were &quot;driven from the field&quot; of Savage Station.

Sumner, having successfully guarded the passage of White Oak swamp by his unequal battle with Kershaw’s and Semmes’ brigades and Kemper’s battery, followed Heintzelman’s retreat at night, and crossing White Oak marched to Glendale, near the junction of the Charles City and Long Bridge roads. The passage across White Oak was skillfully broken up and the roads approaching it obstructed. Franklin, with two divisions and a brigade, stood on the south side, with batteries well posted, to dispute the crossing. This he did throughout the whole of the 30th, keeping Jackson’s corps on the north side