THE CHANGE OF BASE.

The weary hours of the sultry night following the battle of Gaines' Mill were heavy laden to the soldiers of the army of the Potomac.While the rear guard was taking positions to beat back the advance of the foe on the next day, the main body of the army continued a retreat which every man felt to be ignominious; and rolled backward, like a mighty stream turned from its source, toward the James river.

On the evening of June 27th General McClellan assembled his corps commanders at his headquarters, and informed them of the proposed change in his base of operations, his reasons, his choice of route and method of execution.

General Keyes was directed to move his corps across White Oak swamp, and to seize strong positions on the opposite side, in order to cover the passage of the troops and trains-a movement which he executed the following morning.

General McClellan spent the day at Savage's Station, directing the withdrawal of the trains and supplies of the army. Orders were given to load the wagons with all the ammunition, provisions, and necessary baggage of officers and men that could be placed on them, and to destroy all property which could not be transported with the army.

A proper number of surgeons and attendants, with a bountiful supply of rations and medical stores were left with the sick and wounded who could not be removed.

A herd of beef cattle numbering twenty-five hundred head was transfered in safety to the James river, by the Chief Commissary, Colonel Clark.

The enemy opened on General Smiths' division from Garnett's Hill, from the valley above, and from Gaines' Hill on the opposite side of the Chickahominy, while General Franklin was in the act of withdrawing his command from Golding's farm. A short time after, a Georgia regiment made an attempt to carry the works about to be vacated, but were instantly repulsed by the Twenty-third New Jersey and Forty-ninth Pennsylvania Volunteers, on picket duty, aided by a section of Mott's battery. General Porter's corps was moved across White Oak swamp, and was so placed as to strengthen General Keyes' right.

McCall's division, on the night of the 28th, was conveyed across the swamp to aid in covering the remaining trains and troops.

During the same night General Sumner withdrew his troops to a point on the railroad near Savage's Station; and Heintzelman and Smith took up positions in his close vicinity. The divisions of Sedgwick and Richardson were already there on the railroad facing Richmond; the first line

of Richardson's division being held by General French, and the second supported by General Caldwell.

General Slocum's division of Franklin's corps was ordered to Savage's Station, to be held in reserve.

BATTLES OF ALLEN'S FARM AND SAVAGE'S STATION.

Early on the morning of Sunday, June 29, it was observed by the keen and watchful eye of General Franklin that the enemy had re-constructed the bridges across the Chickahominy, and were advancing in large force on Savage's Station. He instantly communicated the fact to General Sumner.

At 9 A. M. the enemy furiously attacked General Sedgwick's right, but was signally repulsed. They next attacked General Richardson on the left, attempting to carry the position of Colonel Brooks. Hazzard's battery, afterwards replaced by Pettit's, was served with disastrous effect on the enemy. The Fifty-third Pennyslvania poured in a steady fire on the enemy, compelling them to retreat in disorder. Three times the enemy renewed the attack, and three times they were completely repulsed.

At half past 12 A. M., General Sumner, having united his forces with those of General Franklin, assumed command.

It was about eleven o'clock when the rebels first made their appearance, and commenced their attack by throwing shells into General Sumner's lines. Orders had been given to Generals Sumner, Franklin, and Heintzelman to hold their position until dark: the latter was ordered to hold himself in readiness to retreat as soon as night fell. Sumner's and Franklin's commands were drawn up in line of battle in a large open field to the left of the railroad. General Brooks with his brigade held the wood to the left of the field, bearing himself with true soldierly heroism, and though wounded he retained his command. At 4 P. M., the rebels attacked on the Williamsburg road, but were gallantly met by the brigade of the brave General Burns, supported and reinforced by two lines in reserve and by the New York Sixty-ninth, Hazzard's and Pettit's batteries again doing most valuable service. The conflict continued to rage with unabated fury till eight o'clock at night. The enemy deeming their force irresistible, came dashing down now upon this portion of the line, and then upon that, but were invariably repulsed at every point, often with severe slaughter. When night closed upon the combatants the Union soldiers remained unshaken at their posts, and the rebels were driven from the field, with broken, disordered lines, from their unsuccessfui conflict.

Under cover of the darkness these indomitable men, after their hard day's fight, from which they had gained only the ability to retreat, fell back, resuming their unsatisfactory march, and crossed the White Oak Swamp in good marching order before the morning's dawn. By the morning of the 30th they had crossed White Oak Bridge and burnt the bridge after them, General French, with his brigade acting as rear-guard. The scene along the line of this precipitate, and apparently unnecessary retreat beggars all description. Nothwithstanding every effort made by General McClellan, and his personal staff, the roads were blocked with wagons, and the greatest difficulty was found in keeping the trains in

motion.

The following is an extract from General McClellan's official report, and gives in few words an accurate description of the state of affairs in his army at this point:

"The engineer officers whom I had sent forward on the twenty-eighth to reconnoitre the roads had neither returned nor sent me any reports or guides. Generals Keyes and Porter had been delayed-one by losing the road, and the other by repairing an old road--and had not been able to send any information. We then knew of but one road for the movement of the troops and our immense trains.

"It was, therefore, necessary to post the troops in advance of this road as well as our limited knowledge of the ground permitted, so as to cover the movement of the trains in the rear.

"I then examined the whole line from the swamp to the left, giving final instructions for the posting of the troops and the obstructions of the roads toward Richmond, and all corps commanders were directed to hold their positions until the trains had passed, after which a more concentrated position was to be taken up near James river.

"Our force was too small to occupy and hold the entire line from the White Oak swamp to the river, exposed as it was to be taken in reverse by a movement across the lower part of the swamp, or across the Chickahominy below the swamp. Moreover, the troops were then greatly exhausted and required rest in a more secure position.

"I extended my examinations of the country as far as Haxall's, looking at all the approaches to Malvern, which position I perceived to be the key to our operations in this quarter, and was thus enabled to expedite very considerably the passage of the trains, and to rectify the positions of the troops.

"Every thing being then quiet, I sent aids to the different corps commanders to inform them what I had done on the left, and to bring me information of the condition of affairs on the right. I returned from Malvern to Haxall's, and having made arrangements for instant communication from Malvern by signals, went on board of Captain Rodgers's gun

boat, lying near, to confer with him in reference to the condition of our supply vessels, and the state of things on the river. It was his opinion that it would be necessary for the army to fall back to a position below City Point, as the channel there was so near the southern shore that it would not be possible to bring up the transports, should the enemy occupy it. Harrison's Landing was, in his opinion, the nearest suitable point. Upon the termination of this interview I returned to Malvern Hill, and remained there until shortly before daylight."

BATTLE OF NELSON'S FARM.

JUNE 30, 1862.

Up to this time the rebels had felt no doubt of their ability utterly to destroy the Army of the Potomac, lying, as they supposed, at their mercy. Greatly to their surprise and disgust they now awoke to the fact that their prey was escaping them, and would soon be marshalled on the banks of the James, safe under the protection of the Federal gunboats. Maddened with rage and disappointment, they pursued hotly, and it soon became evident that another battle was inevitable. On the morning of the 30th, General Heintzelman ordered the bridge at Brackett's Ford to be destroyed, and trees to be felled across that road and the Charles City road. General Sumner had been ordered to take position at a place known as Glendale, and sometimes as "Nelson's Farm." A line of battle was formed, with Meade's brigade on the right; Seymour's on the left, while Reynolds' was held in reserve, commanded by Colonel S. G. Simmons of the Fifth Pennsylvania. Randall's regular battery was placed on the right; Kernis' and Cooper's batteries opposite the centre, and Diedrich's and Kannahan's batteries of the artillery reserve on the left-all in front of the infantry line.

A little before one o'clock the rebels opened a fierce fire upon the divisions of Smith and Richardson and Naglee's brigade at White Oak swamp bridge. Under cover of this fire, which continued throughout the day, they sent an infantry force across the creek. The Federal artillery, under Captain Ayers, was directed with deadly effect, but the Union forces in return suffered great loss, especially Richardson's division. Hazzard's battery was forced to retire, but not till it had lost many gunners, and Captain Hazzard himself was mortally wounded.

At two o'clock a large force of rebels was reported advancing by the Charles City road; and in half an hour afterward the attack was made on General Slocum's left, and the thunder of war heralded the enemy's advance as he pressed boldly on in the face of a heavy fire. The battle