Tuesday morning July 1/62

My dear Maggie

      I send you two of this morning’s
papers which will give you all the news of the day.–Has
not a great and glorious victory been achieved?  The latest
reports confirm those of the continued panic & flight of the Enemy–
Do you remember McClellan’s grand boast in his address to his
army at Fairfax C.H. last March: how they were invincible &
would victoriously march to glory & conquest?  How greatly fallen
he must be & must fall.–A large part of his army may escape
down the James River; but  thousands will be killed & captured, & all
his stores, arms & outfit lost.–The fighting on a large scale is over
in Va. for many months to come–Our regiment has been in no
engagement since that of Friday evening; and will not be, I
think–They are following up the enemy, capturing straggling
Yankees &c.  They were yesterday about 9 or 10 miles down on
the Charles City road–I reported by telegraph last Saturday
night that my company had none killed, but I am grieved
to say that later accounts show that two were killed, James
Durrett, son of Ricd. Durrett of North Garden, and old Mr. Leake
a substitute–My wounded are well located & doing admirably
Col. McIntosh of Ge: died of his wounds at his boarding house
last night–His family were with him–I am afraid Capt.
Evans, who is here, will also die–Mr. Holcombe & myself
are going to ride to the Army this morning; but will return
as the heat is too intense for me to remain & do active duty
especially as they are not engaged on important duty–Henry
K is well & busy–I hear nothing of the Va. Battery, or of the
Lewis boys.–I close as the mail will leave soon
Love to one & all
Yr Affc. J.L.C.

Miss M.M. Cochran
Charlottesville
Va.

John L. Cochran,  19th Virginia Infantry

MSS 9380

[from the diary of Samuel Johnson, 1st Massachusetts Independent Light Artillery


                        July 1st

Early this morning we arrived at Malvern
Hill, where we halted to rest;  the army
is here to be deployed in line of battle
on a range of very commanding hills;  our left
is protected by the Gun boats.  About 8. A. M.
the advance of the rebs. (which had followed
close upon our rear) began to engage our
picket line.  Our div. being out of ammunition
and the troops completely exhausted, we were
ordered to the rear,  at noon we halted on a
large plantation about seven miles from the
James River.  At five P. M. the 1st N. J. and our
battery were placed in position for the night.
A severe engagement has been in progress all
day at Malvern hill, in which the rebs
have been repulsed with great loss at
every point, and several stands of colors have
been taken.  Pleasant and warm.

[transcript by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

MSS 8493

[from the diary of William M. Blackford, bank officer and former diplomat, with five sons in the Confederate Army]

Tuesday July  1  ool morg–news of ano
ther very sanguinary battle yesterday af-
ternoon.  Hugers & Magruders [?]
taking the most action.  [?] enemy dri
-ven back two miles–22 generals and 600
prisoners taken by our troops–report that
McClellans is mortally wounded. I do
not think I am too sanguine when I pre
dict the capture of the greater portion
of the enemy–when they reach the James
no transports are there, and our men
are in close pursuit–They are terribly
demoralized & have lost, or destroyed, all
their stores–They must be pinched for
food–God grant I may not be too
sanguine–I think such a catastrophe
would finish the war–Charles & sue
and Mr Cazenove dined with us–Lanty
and Charley both intend going to join
the army again Thursday.  I think
neither is well enough.

MSS 4763

      [from the diary of Private Ephraim A. Wood, Co. C., 13th Massachusetts]         

Oxford Miss Jun 29/62

My Dear Sir [General John Hartwell Cocke]
when the yankees took pos-
session of our city I was forced to leave
I had previously placed my children
with a relation 150 miles above the
city & 10 miles back from the river
on a bayou I trust they may be
safe there–of course I cannot hear
from them, as the enemy has pos-
session of the whole country about
there & we can have no mails from
them.  I am up here busy getting up
an independent company to operate
on the miss river I hop to make
the navigation exciting enough to be
pleasant at least
We are all listening with the most
intense eagerness for news from
the armies before Richmond
Let us trust that a merciful God
will defend the right–

[page 2]
I am inclined to think now
that there will be no great and
decisive battle between Halleck
& Beauregards armies, as it is
said that heavy detachments from
each army has been made to
the armies before Richmond
so that the fate of the campaign
will be decided then.  If we gain
the lost ground here will soon be
recovered-if we lose we must
fight them in detail
—fear this continued excitement
will wear upon you seriously
May our merciful Saviour sus-
tain you in any want
Can you not drop me a line
here as I shall be here occasional-
ly

Yours very truly
P.H. Skipwith

MSS 640

[from the war journal of George Hazen Dana as he later compiled it from letters and diary entries]
                                                 
                                                 Alexandria.
                                                 June 30th 1862.
We have just come down from Cloud’s Mills, and embark soon
(I believe) for the position before Richmond, although the
Colonel himself is not sure.          I am writing this on
a box on the wharf – not a very comfortable position –
and my hand is very unsteady after our march in
the heat of the day.

[transcript by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

MSS 1530

  June 30th  9 miles from
                                                Richmond  6 A.M.
My Dear Father:
                       We camped or stayed
here last night in Yankee breast
works, having pursued McSellans’s
retreating forces so far. Should the
thing stop where it is now – we
have in effect & in fact ob-
tained a splendid victory. But
Lee seems to wish to annihilate
the Yankee army & is all around
them – The only difficulty is that
over extended lines may enable
to cut through, tho’ with heavy

[page 2]
loss at some point & escape.
We pursued him slowly, intention-
ally not pushing him until Jack-
son has with Walker fixed him-
self entirely on the other side. They
fought whenever we overtook
them – & there was skirmishing
all the way. Our Brigade was
3d from the front rank. But
just before sundown the infant-
ry portion of it was hotly engaged
with the Yanks for a short time.
The country does not admit
of much use of artillery to
a pursuing force. And the ar-

[page 3]
tiller attached to the front
brigade monopolized that, & a
heavy iron casemated gun on
a car on the R. R. pushed by
an engine. We are just on the R. Rd.
& have kept close by it all the
way. The quantity of
plunder left in our lines un-
destroyed is immense, tho’ the
Doodles burned & blew up
immense stores all the way,
not having time to burn any
that was separate from the
piles of stores   all this scattered
fell into our hands. As for
the soldiers apparel, big coats
oil cloths, knap sacks &c &c
of splendid quality they are

[page 4]
immeasureable. Do not send
me paper. I have plenty of
Yankee paper & envelopes.
This is yankee on wh. I
write.
     All the prisoners I have
seen, save one, including
even officers seem de-
lighted at being cap-
tured & I have seen several
hundred. I only wrote [or ‘write’] to
save you from any un-
easiness. I have not time to
write anything of interest. I
had saved a great many
little trinkets as prizes, had
I had an opportunity to
send them home. Poor
General Griffith! soon

[page 5]                        
after we left camp yes-
terday had a part of his
thigh torn off by the frag-
ment of a Yankee shell.
Thus he was the first to suf-
fer in his iron brigade. I have
not heard from him since yes-
terday – his life was not then
despaired of. How sorry I am.
     The movements of our lines
we can learn only by rumour.
Some one is about leaving
for camp. I must close as
I want this to reach you
as soon as possible. My dear-

[page 6]
est father farewell – may
heaven bless you & all.
         Ever affly. yr. son
              W. H. Perry, Jr.
P. S. Poor Genl. Griffith, he is
dead – I was about to close
when I heard it.
                W. H. P.

William H. Perry, Jr;, of the Richmond Howitzers

[Brig. General Richard  Griffith is wounded at the battle of Savage’s Station, June 29, 1862, and dies the next day.]


[transcript and annotation by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]


MSS 7786-d

                     Richmond,  June 30th 1862
                              Monday Morning
My dear Miss Mary
                         I enclose to you $5. can
you lay it out for me in marketing
to any advantage, & send it down to me
next time the boy comes–this week, if
possible.  the whole city is crowded with
the wounded & the many friends flocking
here to attend to them, & it is almost impos-
sible to get things for the table. Dr Huge has
so much company too–almost every meal
some one.  I try my best to plan & economise,
but find it difficult.  Can you send me
any new potatoes–beets or snap beans–they
would keep a few days—or any eggs–or 3 or
6 chickens. Almost anything you can
buy me will be acceptable.
Mr Huge is rather better than he was but
weak. We are in all the excitement of a
long continued battle.  Yesterday was a day long
to be remembered.  Many houses wore the
drapery of mourning–& the poor wounded
men comiing in at every house.  May God soon
deliver us from our enemies
               Your friend. E. H. Brown

MSS 2689

[from the diary of Daniel D. Logan, younger brother of General Thomas M. Logan, formerly a Sgt, Co. B, 1st Special Battalion (Rightor’s), now with the Hampton Legion]

                        Monday –June 30th  1862
The Enemy are reported in full retreat today
Jackson has crossed the Chickahominy River
& with Magruder Hill & Longstreet pressing
their center & Holmes on our right are
pushing them before us, their rear guard made
a strong stand yesterday – I spent the morning in
the office & after dinner mounted Fanny to
overtake Genl Magruder & staff, taking the Wmsbg
& Charles City road overhauled them abt dusk
near the miles Sweeney’s tavern –  Insmen [?]

had a hard fight abt two miles below &
we rode over the field after the Enemy had
retired & our forces hauled up on the bloody
field for the night resting after a hard days
fight & a desperate fight – Some of the staff
& myself rode to Sweeney’s Tavern & put up our
horses & selves for the night – sleeping in a deser                                                                                                                                                          
-ted parlor containing only a piano & a fine
one too – The firing toward dark was terribly
loud – Our forces captured 18 pcs artillery this

[The following lines are cross-written over the above page.]
Evening spiked & left by the Enemy today – After a ride of abt 18 miles
we slept for the night right soundly –first paying off
those of the staff who were with me for this month – Our
Army & the Enemy’s rear ground are within
two miles of Each other tonight! The occasional
firing of the pickets can be distinctly heard from
our resting place – The slaughter of the Yankees
this Evening was terrible – they had a good
position for their artilery & used it with
some effect – shells were bursting all
round us –

[The Sweeney family operated a famous pottery and a small
hotel/tavern not far from the intersection of the River Road
(modern Route 5) and the Long Bridge Road.  In fact, General Magruder
used one of the Sweeney boys as his guide during the operations
on July 1st. ]

[transcript by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards, commentary by Robert E. Lee Krick]

MSS 6154

[from the diary of Jonathan B. Hager of the 14th U.S. Regulars as copied and annotated by him at a later time]

June 30  Up at 4 o’clock this morning. Our bagage and
             company property was deposited at Savage Station
             on the Richmond & York River Rail Road, as we
             came by this station on Saturday night, we were
             ordered to take from our Comany clerks the
             last Muster-Roll of our respective Companies.
             I also went to my bundle of bedding & took out
             the cape of my overcoat. The rest an immense
             pile of stuff was committed to the flames.  I
             lost a Mattress, Pillow, Overcoat, Cloak, a
             Splendid large woollen shawl a fine bed-quilt
             and all my company books & papers except the
             muster roll.  This was done in order to cut down
             the transportation of the army, which up to
             that time was immense.  We feared to day that
             our valises were also destroyed.  It was very certain
             we had nothing with us & we arose this morning
             feeling very ragged & dirty & no water to wash in–
             At 6 oclock A.M. we started for James River.  It was
             an immense army. about 1 P.M. our rear guard
             was attacked, the firing was very heavy,  at 2 PM.
             the fire still continued very heavy & the attacking
             force was driven back. Thus passed the hours
             until 6 P.M.  At this time the entire army except
             the rear-guard had concentrated upon the
             grand plateau of Malvern Hill.  A host of
             infantry & cavalry.  Hundreds of great guns,
             twenty five to fifty miles of wagons, ambulances
             and all the ten thousand items that go to
             make up the appliances of a great army–
             At this hour the cannonading opened–The
             entire artillery on both sides seemed engaged,
             and for one hour the scene was indescribably
             grand. The deafning noise of hundreds of
             pieces of artillery. The bursting of shells in the
             air; the air was filled almost to suffocation
             with the smoke of gunpowder; the sun looked
             lurid through the dense clouds of smoke.  The
             scene was beyound anything I have heard before
             or since.  It was worth all our trials and
             privations to have been there.  In this
             affair our Gunboats also took part.  They
             were superb.   Amid the hundreds of missiles
             flying through the air, those of the gunboats
             could be distinguished by their noise it
             being much greater & the noise of the bursting
             of the shells being vastly louder than field
             pieces.  The battle continued on our right till
             nearly 10 oclock at night, when it ceased &
             we were permitted to take some rest.
             This was Muster day too—Several times we
             had formed in column for that purpose–in the
             morning, when the rebel shells would commence
             flying in very close proximity to us.  We would
             wheel rapidly into line & prepare for an attack.
             We finally succeeded in finishing our Muster.
             Even though the rebels were determined we should not.

             MSS  9044