General Davidson, in his report of the affair, said:
“The Thirty-third N. Y. Volunteers, Colonel Taylor, of my Brigade, then on picket, in conjunction with the Forty-ninth Pa. (two companies), Colonel Irwin, had the honor of repulsing the enemy most handsomely. The conduct of the Thirty-third N. Y., Forty-ninth Pa., and Seventh Maine, under this terrible, concentrated fire, which took us completely by surprise, was all that could be desired.”
CHAPTER XIV.
The Retreat Commenced.—The Thirty-third one of the last Regiments to Leave.—Savage’s Station.—Destruction of Property.—General Davidson Sun-struck.
Our army was now in full retreat, the right wing following the left, and both sweeping away to the James. The rebel capital beleagured, pressed, girt round about by a living wall, and just within our grasp, once more breathes freely. The siege is raised, the tide of war rolled back from her gates, and the black flag of rebellion waves in triumph.
It was a sad and humiliating day for our brave boys, when gathering up effects and shouldering muskets, they turned their backs on the city. For weeks they had regarded it as their prize. Their young Chief had told them it should be theirs, and in him they firmly placed their trust. Bitter were the anathemas heaped upon the Washington authorities, through whose mismanagement they believed victory was being turned into defeat. Whatever may have been the truth of the case, they and they alone were held responsible that we were now marching away from instead of towards Richmond. The route of the right wing lay along the west bank of the Chickahominy to Savage’s Station, White Oak Swamp, and thence to Harrison’s Bar. General Smith’s command did not begin to move until the troops, crossed from the other side of the river, had passed by.
Saturday night, June 28th, the right wing of the Thirty-third was again detailed for picket duty, the third night the men had been without sleep. In obedience to orders from Gen. Davidson, Captain McNair, taking a squad of men, destroyed the camp equipage of the entire Brigade. Before morning the destruction of everything of value was completed. Cos. C, D and I remained on picket until 1 o’clock A. M., when they were relieved by A and F. The line stretched away to the left for half a mile, connecting on with General Gorman’s. The reader can imagine what were the feelings of these men, who were left to deceive and hold in check the enemy while the remainder of the troops withdrew. Regiment after Regiment disappeared in the distance, until they alone remained. Moments lengthened into hours, but their eyes were greeted with no signal to retire. Through the gray mist of the early morn, the rebel pickets could be seen, their line advanced already to within speaking distance, and their forces in the rear preparing to throw themselves headlong on our retreating columns; still no orders for withdrawal came.
It is a brave and noble thing when a soldier, burning with love of country and cheered on by the presence and sympathy of comrades in arms, rushes into the conflict, and at the cannon’s mouth breasts the storm of death; but braver and nobler far, when the picket guard, knowing that each moment lengthens the distance between him and friends, and makes more certain his slaughter or capture by an insolent and cruel foe, stands calmly waiting his fate, rather than betray his trust and compromise the safety of an army. Gen. Smith had said to them before going out, “It is the duty of the few to sacrifice themselves for the safety of the many,” and they murmured not at the decision which had made them the victims.