Today in History:

274 Series I Volume XI-III Serial 14 - Peninsular Campaign Part III

Page 274 THE PENINSULAR CAMPAIGN, VA. Chapter XXIII.

hand. The officers of the staff department were one and all wonderfully zealous and energetic.

RUFUS INGALLS,

Lieutenant Colonel, Aide-de-Camp, and Assistant Quartermaster.

FORT MONROE, June 29, 1862-4.15 p.m.

Honorable E. M. STANTON,

Secretary of War:

I arrived here this morning, the enemy having driven our army from the left to the right bank of the Chickahominy, and having in force cut the railroad at Dispatch Station. The evacuating of White House Station became last evening a military necessity, and agreeably to orders from the Headquarters of the Army of the Potomac I evacuated. Every man was saved, and all public property that could not be saved was destroyed.

SILAS CASEY,

Brigadier-General Volunteers.

FORT MONROE, June 29, 1862-5.15 p.m.

Honorable E. M. STANTON,

Secretary of War:

General Casey has arrived here safety with his small force. We get no details of the operation yesterday, except at West Point and vicinity. General Casey left there at 7 last evening. The property remaining, which was small, had been fired, so that the enemy took nothing. This is the last intelligence from that point.

JOHN A. DIX,

Major-General.

WAR DEPARTMENT,

June 29, 1862-6 p.m.

Honorable WM. H. SEWARD,

Astor House, New York:

Not much more than when you left. Fulton, of Baltimore American, is now with us. He left White House at 11 a.m. yesterday. He conversed fully with a paymaster, who was with Porter's force during the fight of Friday and fell back to nearer McClellan's quarters just a little sooner than Porter did, seeing the whole of it. Staid on the Richmond side of the Chickahominy overnight and left for White House at 5 a.m. Saturday. He says Porter retired in perfect order under protection of guns arranged for the purpose, under orders and not from necessity, and with all other of our forces, except what was left on purpose to go to White House, was safely in pontoons over the Chickahominy before morning, and that there was heavy firing on the Richmond side, begun at 5 and ceased at 7 a.m. Saturday. On the whole I think we have had the better of it up to that point of time. What has happened since we still know not, as we have no communication with General McClellan. A dispatch from Colonel Ingalls shows that he thinks McClellan is fighting with the enemy at Richmond to-day and will be to-morrow. We have no means of knowing upon what Colonel Ingalls


Page 274 THE PENINSULAR CAMPAIGN, VA. Chapter XXIII.