ngaged as the Fifth. Two
hundred of the men of that regiment were killed, wounded or missing.
Fifty of their dead bodies were left on the field. Davidson's and
Hancock's brigades guarded important positions, but were not actively
engaged.

The conflict raged till eight o'clock, when the confederates, repulsed
at every point, beaten and discouraged, left the field, and no more was
seen of them. The whole loss to the confederates in this engagement was
about four hundred.

Before midnight, the rear-guard had turned toward White Oak Swamp,
leaving many hundreds of our brave wounded and sick men lying upon the
green sward, or collected under rude shelters. Here, large groups were
gathered under the shade of some large tree; and there, long lines of
staggering invalids, leaning upon their guns or staffs for support,
tottered after the retreating column, in the hope of being able to reach
with it a place of safety.

Surgeons were left to care for these unfortunate ones who could not get
off; and a small amount out of the abundance of provisions that was
condemned to destruction was saved for them. Of all the sad scenes which
had made the Peninsula swarm with melancholy memories, nothing we had
seen could compare with this most sorrowful of all. Twenty-five hundred
of our sick and wounded were left to fall into the hands of the enemy.

At nine or ten in the evening, we withdrew from our position before
Savage's Station, and marched rapidly toward White Oak Swamp. The road
was completely filled with wagons, ambulances and artillery, mingled
with horsemen and infantry, all crowding forward with utmost speed.
Never had our men experienced so severe a march. They were obliged to
pick their way among the teams, losing all organization, each man bent
upon making his way forward regardless of others.

At length, toward morning, we crossed White Oak creek, ascended a little
elevation on the further side, and lay down upon the grass completely
exhausted and worn out.

The sun was shining brightly when we were roused from our heavy
slumbers. The morning passed in perfect quiet except the rattle of the
trains which had parked here over night, and now were hurrying along the
narrow road, wagons and artillery rushing by with all speed to allow
room for the immense collection to file out. This process continued till
afternoon, and was the only source of excitement to us except the
distant roar of battle on the left, where McCall and