Though not on my staff, I should not do right were I not to mention here the chivalrous daring of young Major Haskell, of South Carolina. His personal bearing in a most deadly fire, his example and directions contributed not a little to the enthusiasm of the charge of the Third brigade. I regret to say that the brave young officer received a terrible wound from a shell (losing his right arm), but walked from the field as heroically as he had gone into the fire.
The South Carolina batteries were more fortunate in their losses than the infantry commands. Rhett, whose horse was shot under him, lost 2 wounded at Gaines' Mill; Bachman's battery (German Artillery) and McIntosh's, only a few men each. The nature upon the ground was not favorable to the Confederate artillery, and the batteries engaged under great disadvantage.
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.