Under cover of night, following the 27th, General Porter made good his retreat by the bridges he had built across the Chickahominy, passing in rear of McClellan's fortified line on the south side, and destroying his bridges behind him. His defense was beyond criticism. Reinforced from the south side by Slocum's division, he saved the army of McClellan by inflicting a heavy blow on the victorious columns of Lee, and by his able retreat at night. The timely arrival of two brigades, coming up just as Porter's line was carried, covered his retreat and successfully checked the disordered pursuit of the victorious Confederates.
General McClellan does not estimate his loss in this battle separately from those which immediately followed, but acknowledges the loss of twenty-two pieces of artillery. Over 5,000 prisoners were taken by the Confederates, and thousands of arms gathered from the fields and the short line of Porter's retreat to the river.
McClellan's rear guard, Sumner's corps, and Smith's division of Franklin's corps, made a stand on the 29th at Savage Station, covering the crossing of White Oak swamp against Magruder's corps. The South Carolina troops with Magruder were the brigade of General Kershaw and Capt. James F. Hart's Washington artillery. Hart's battery was with D. R. Jones' division. The Second, Col. John D. Kennedy; Third, Col. James D. Nance; Seventh, Col. D. Wyatt Aiken, and the Eighth, Col. John W. Henagan, with Kemper's battery, composed Kershaw's brigade of McLaws' division.
Early in the morning of the 29th (Sunday), Kershaw was ordered to advance on the Nine-mile road and develop the Federal position. Kennedy, covered by a line of skirmishers under Maj. F. Gaillard, made the advance and found the enemy beyond Fair Oaks, at Allen's farm. The skirmishing became general and the enemy opened an artillery fire. Having been repeatedly cautioned to avoid a collision with General Jackson's forces, Kershaw restrained the fire of his men, and sent a battle-flag to be waved on the railroad. He was then ordered back till Magruder's other troops should take position.
At 3 p. m. Kershaw advanced along the railroad toward 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,[C] 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: "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, and only two regiments of the latter at that. The brunt fell on the gallant command of Kershaw and his splendid battery. Hart's battery, which operated with Jones' division on Kershaw's left, lost 5 men wounded, 2 mortally. Hart engaged the enemy from D. R. Jones' right, "compelling the retreat out of view of the enemy's infantry."
Jones put his division in admirable position on Kershaw's left for attack, but he reports: "Scarcely had this disposition been made when I received orders from General Magruder to fall back to the railroad bridge with my whole command to support the right of his line." This unfortunate order was inspired by Magruder's overrating the movement which turned Kershaw's right, and which Semmes checked, at little cost. But for Jones' withdrawal at the moment he was about to attack, Savage Station might have been a harder blow to General McClellan. McLaws compliments his brigade commanders in high terms. Of Kershaw he says: "I beg leave to call attention to the gallantry, cool, yet daring courage and skill in the management of his gallant command exhibited by Brigadier-General Kershaw." Kershaw praises the gallantry, self-possession and efficiency of his regimental commanders, and the conduct of the men and officers. Lieut.-Col. B. C. Garlington, of the Third, was killed, sword in hand, at the head of his regiment. Lieut.-Col. A. D. Goodwyn, of the Second, and Lieut.-Col. Elbert Bland, of the Seventh, were severely wounded and honorably mentioned by Kershaw. Gaillard was distinguished in command of the skirmishers. Kemper added to the laurels he won at Vienna, Bull Run and Manassas. Captain Holmes and Lieutenants Doby and W. M. Dwight, of the staff, were active and gallant in dispatching the orders of their chief. The Second lost Captain Bartlett, "one of the most gallant and conscientious officers belonging to it;" and Lieutenant Perry, Company H, was severely wounded. The Third, besides its gallant lieutenant-colonel, 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, "supported and reinforced by two lines in reserve, and finally by the Sixty-ninth New York (Irish) regiment." He also speaks of Brooks' brigade "holding a wood on the left," "doing excellent service," and though wounded, "keeping his command until the close of the battle." He says the action was "continued with great obstinacy until some time after dark, when we drove the enemy from the field." It is evident that Kershaw attacked Generals Burns and Brooks, the Sixty-ninth New York, and "two lines in reserve." The reader may determine whether Kershaw and Semmes were "driven from the field" 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 and effectually preventing his taking any part in the battle of that day. While Jackson was thundering at Franklin with his artillery, and Franklin was preventing his passage of White Oak, McClellan was posting the divisions of Hooker, McCall, Sedgwick, Kearny and Slocum in line of battle across the Long Bridge road, confronting the expected advance of Lee down the Charles City and Darbytown roads.
The troops of Lee that had won the bloody battle of the 27th, north of the Chickahominy, did not cross that river in pursuit of McClellan until the morning of the 29th, at which time General Lee became assured that his able antagonist was retreating upon the James. His orders, as in the case of the first assault on the 26th, were faultless. Jackson was to cross at Grapevine bridge and press the rear of the retreat; Magruder was to attack the flank on the Williamsburg road; Huger to move down the Charles City road, and Longstreet and A. P. Hill down the Darbytown to the Long Bridge road; and Holmes to cross from the south side of the James and march down the New Market road. A glance at a good map will show that this plan was perfect in its conception. But McClellan was fully equal to this great emergency, and put White Oak swamp on his right, guarded by Franklin, and his five divisions in his center to meet the advance upon him down the Charles City and Darbytown roads, and selected a veritable Gibraltar for his left, crowned by artillery and defended by a fleet of gunboats and Porter's and Keyes' corps.