Thomas Wentworth Higginson, Harvard Memorial Biographies

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[169] the 26th of June, the day before the battle there fought by General Porter, in command of the right wing of our army, after Jackson had rejoined Lee. It was the first of that series of battles which attended the disastrous retreat of the Union Army to the left bank of the river James. In anticipation of this retreat, a force was sent, on the 26th, from General Porter's camp, to co-operate in the work of changing the base of the army from White House to Harrison's Landing. This force consisted of light cavalry and artillery, with two regiments of infantry, and was placed in command of General Stoneman. The Massachusetts Eighteenth was one of the regiments selected for this arduous service and most efficiently did its part. General Stoneman and his command, after reaching White House and accomplishing the object of the expedition, moved down the Peninsula to Old Point Comfort, and embarked for Harrison's Landing. Here they rejoined the shattered army on the 2d of July.

For a little over a month, in the course of which Lieutenant Russell was promoted one grade, his regiment remained with the main body of the army on the James River, making reconnoissances from time to time, and keeping watch of the enemy. The scene of active operations was then transferred to the northern part of Virginia, and the regiment shared the experiences of General Pope's campaign.

On the 30th of August the battle was to be fought which would determine whether the Rebel invasion should roll its tide northward into Maryland, and imperil the national capital, or should be effectually stayed on the first battle-ground of the war. It was the first and only general battle in which Lieutenant Russell was engaged, though on many previous occasions his high qualities as a soldier had been fully tested. During the night of the 29th and the morning of the 30th the troops of Jackson had been so far reinforced by Lee that at noon, notwithstanding the accession of General Porter's corps, General Pope was confronted by a superior force of the enemy. As fresh arrivals from the main body of the Rebels were continually increasing the disparity, General Pope advanced to the