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individual achievements which will never be recorded on the historic page, in which the actors exhibited as much heroism as could be displayed on the most extensive and renowned battle-field. Our space permits us here to allude to but one of these. General McClellan having formed the determination to open communication with the Federal gunboats on the James river, then fifteen miles distant from his camp, ordered Lieutenant Frank C. Davis, of the third Pennsylvania cavalry, to perform the task with an escort of ten picked men. It was a service of considerable difficulty and danger, from the fact that the intervening country was filled with the pickets of the enemy. The danger of capture or of death was imminent. A rare combination of prudence, tact and boldness was necessary to accomplish the feat. On the morning of Sunday, the 25th of May, the lieutenant started from the Federal camp. Scarcely had he traveled four miles when he encountered the pickets of the enemy posted in a wood. He avoided these by a sudden detour and pursued his journey. The same incident occurred several times when his escape from the impending peril was marvelous. At length he came within view of the James river, three miles distant, and beheld the Union gunboats riding at anchor upon its tranquil bosom. He hid his men in the woods and rode forward alone. Reaching the banks of the river, he obtained a small boat, and hired two negroes to row him to the Galena. He was met when half way by a cutter from the ship. The message with which he had been entrusted, though a very important one, had not been committed to writing, in order to avoid the possibility of its becoming known to the enemy by the capture of the messenger. The lieutenant having delivered that message and received his answer, commenced his return. He then encountered the same perils, and evaded them with the same success. He traveled with his escort during the whole night, and reached the camp in safety at eleven o'clock on Monday morning. General McClellan directed his chief of staff to express to Lieutenant Davis his ap. probation of the prompt, discreet and satisfactory manner in which he and his men had performed the duty assigned them, in communicating with Captain Rodgers, the commander of the fleet of Federal gunboats in James river.

CHAPTER XXIII.

APPROACH OF THE FEDERAL ARMY TO RICHMOND-THE CORPS OF GENERAL KEYES CROSS THE CHICKAHOMINY-THEIR EXPOSED POSITION-HOSTILE PURPOSE OF THE REBEL LEADERS -THE BATTLE OF SEVEN PINES-POSITION OF THE FEDERAL TROOPS-COMMENCEMENT CP THE ATTACK-DISPOSITION OF TROOPS MADE BY GENERAL CASEY-INCIDENTS OF THE BATTLE-ROUT OF CASEY'S DIVISION-GENERAL COUCH'S TROOPS BECOME ENGAGED-DESPERATE FIGHTING-VICTORY OF THE REBELS-THE FEDERALS REINFORCED-THE ENGAGEMENT OF JUNE FIRST, GENERAL HEINTZELMAN IN CHIEF COMMAND-INCIDENTS OF THIS BATTLE-HEROISM OF THE IRISH REGIMENTS AND OF SICKLES' EXCELSIOR BRIGADE-THE VICTORY OF FAIR OAKS-ITS RESULTS-POPULAR IMPATIENCE FOR THE OCCUPATION OF RICHMOND-REBEL FORCES IN THE VALLEY OF THE SHENANDOAH-THEIR BRIEF OCCUPATION OF IT-GENERAL FREMONT ORDERED TO EXPEL THEM-THEY ABANDON WINCHESTER -THEIR RETREAT THROUGH STRASBURG AND WOODSTOCK-BATTLE OF CROSS KEYSGALLANTRY OF THE BUCKTAILS-RESULTS OF THE ENGAGEMENT-BATTLE OF PORT REPUBLIC -INCIDENTS OF THIS ENGAGEMENT-ITS RESULTS-RETREAT OF GENERAL JACKSON TOWARD RICHMOND-APPOINTMENT OF GENERAL POPE AS COMMANDER OF THE DEPARTMENT-WITHDRAWAL OF GENERAL FREMONT-HIS MILITARY ACHIEVEMENTS-HIS TRUE RENOWN.

THE history of past ages demonstrates that in every great struggle between contending nations, the contest will ultimately culminate in a few particular localities; that there the chief resources of the combatants will be concentrated; that the engagements which take place at these points will be more colossal in their proportions, more obstinate and desperate in their spirit, than those which preceded them, and that they will produce a decisive effect on the issue of the contest one way or the other. This maxim holds true with regard to the war against the Southern Rebellion. It was in the vicinity of Richmond that some of the most terrible battles were destined to occur. There the chief military strength of the Rebels had been concentrated. Thither their ablest generals had been summoned. At that place they had evidently resolved, with a heroism not destitute of grandeur and dignity, but sadly perverted to an ignoble end, to conquer or to perish. We have now arrived, in the progress of this history, at the most sanguinary scenes which ever occurred on the American Continent; and we will proceed, in this chapter, to describe a portion of them as they transpired at the spot which every patriot fondly hoped would prove the Arbela, the Pharsalia, the Waterloo, of the Rebel Confederacy.

The corps of General Keyes, which formed a part of the army of General McClellan, comprised the two divisions of Casey and Couch. These troops were about twenty thousand in number. They first crossed the Chickahominy, as the pioneers of the grand army in the Peninsula, passing over by a single bridge; and they were thus placed in the advance in an isolated position. The camp of General Casey, whose troops led

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the van, was pitched in the vicinity of a spot designated by the name of Seven Pines. It was located about eight miles east of Richmond, near the highway which runs between that city and Williamsburg. The first brigade was placed on the right, the second in the centre, the third on the left of the line. A number of breast works had been thrown up immediately after the occupation of the camp; and a line of rifle-pits had been dug. The troops who composed this division, were for the most part new and raw levies, whose discipline was lax, and whose military experience was extremely limited. Many of them, unaccustomed to the hardships and privations of a soldier's life, were sick; and although the men were individually as brave as their comrades, no corps of the entire army was less fitted than they to repulse the first and sudden attack of an infuriated enemy. The division of General Couch consisted of twelve regiments. He had dug two lines of rifle-pits in front of his position, which was located in the interval between the camp of General Casey and Fair Oaks station. His troops were more familiar with the service, and were more numerous than those of General Casey.

The Rebel commanders had conceived the plan of attacking these troops, with an overwhelming superiority of numbers, in their exposed position while cut off from the rest of the Federal army; and having destroyed them, to press on, break through the lines in the rear, and eventually intercept the communication of the army with the depot at White House, through which its supplies of ammunition and subsistence were obtained. On Friday, May 30th, the enemy made a reconnoissance in force for the purpose of ascertaining the precise position and strength of these troops, and the location of their camps. The Federal pickets, who were a mile in advance of the Federal lines, observed on that day, and on the morning of the following, an unusual commotion in the camp of the Rebels, which was within their view; but no apprehension was entertained of the mo mentous events which were about to follow. It was on Saturday, May 31st, that the first battle in the vicinity of Richmond took place. On that day the Rebels, having obtained accurate information respecting the exposed position of Generals Casey and Couch, made the attack. In the rear of the Federal troops the swollen waters of the Chickahominy rolled, effectually preventing their retreat in case they were overpowered. The plans of the Rebels were well laid; their time of action was opportunely chosen; their assault was commenced and continued with energy and determination. At one o'clock in the day they advanced down the Williamsburg road, toward the Federal camp. They fired three shells as a signal to

* The position of the different brigades of General Casey's division before the engagement was as follows: General Naglee's brigade, consisting of the one hundred and fourth Pennsylvania, Colonel W. W. H. Davis; eleventh Maine, Lieutenant-Colonel Palmstead; fifty-sixth New York, Colonel C. H. Van Wyck; fifty-second Pennsylvania, Colonel J. C. Dodge; one hundredth New York, Colonel J. M. Brown, were on

the rest of their forces that all was ready; and they then came upon the Federal pickets suddenly and unexpectedly. The pickets discharged their peces, fell back, and communicated the intelligence that the enemy were advancing in considerable force. The one hundred and third Pennsylvania regiment was immediately ordered forward to support the pickets. So sudden was the attack, and so rapid the approach of the enemy, that before this regiment could load their pieces they received a volley of musketry. That volley was so effective that it disabled the regiment, not only by the loss of a fifth of its number, but also by completely demoralizing the rest; who, overcome and bewildered by the suddenness of the surprise, broke and fled toward the rear in complete confusion. They carried with them to their comrades exaggerated reports of the vast numbers and the ferocious spirit of their assailants; and announced the fact that their own regiment had been cut to pieces. This information, in itself so false, had the unfortunate effect of extending the panic to some extent among the remainder of the division, whose duty it now became to march against the exultant foe, and stem their advancing tide.

For this purpose preparations were hastily made by General Casey. Spratt's battery was posted on the right, near the edge of the wood which skirted that extremity of the camp. Regan's battery was placed next to it. These were supported by the one hundredth New York, the eleventh Maine, the one hundred and fourth Pennsylvania, and the ninety-second New York regiments. The first salute the enemy received was from these batteries; but they continued to advance with the steadiness of veterans. As they came within range of the musketry of the Federals, they returned the fire with such effect, and still approached with such rapidity, that they compelled their opponents to retire a short distance. But now their progress was checked by an obstacle, undignified, indeed, and unheroic, but quite unwelcome and considerable under the circumstances. Four hundred yards in front of the spot where the Federal batteries had been posted a rail fence ran, which it was necessary for the Rebels to cross or to remove. As often as they attempted to accomplish this feat, the Federal guns played upon them with grape and canister so destructively, that their progress was arrested, and huge gaps were ploughed through their serried masses. It was not until the ammunition of these the right of the Williamsburg and Richmond stage road, and extended across the rail track for some distance. The second brigade, under command of General Wessels, consisting of the eighty-fiftn Pennsylvania, Colonel T. B. H. Howell; one hundred and first Pennsylvania, Colonel S. H. Wilson; one hundred and third Pennsylvania, Colonel M. H. Lehman; ninety-sixth New York, Colonel J. Fairman, occupied the centre and guarded the turnpike. The third brigade, General J. N. Palmer commanding, consisting of the eighty-first New York, Lieutenant-Colonel De Forest; fifty-fifth New York; Colonel T. S. Belknap; ninety-second New York, Lieutenant-Colonel Anderson; ninety-eighth New York, Lieutenant-Colonel Durkee, were on the left of the road, and connected with the pickets of General Couch's division.

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guns was exhausted, and the wagons being still beyond the Chickahominy, it was impossible to bring forward a fresh supply, that the enemy were able to surmount and overcome the obstruction.

A closer combat then ensued. In vain did General Casey, with the coolness and valor of a veteran, ride along his shattered lines and endeavor to steady them, staggered and wayering as they were, from the fury of the assault made upon them by vastly superior numbers. He ordered a bayonet charge to be made, which was executed with as much force and effect as the strength and spirit of the men permitted. But fresh and heavy masses of Rebels still rolled forward from their rear, to the front, so that the Federal troops were at length overpowered. They then retreated within their first line of defence. Here Bates' battery of six pieces was posted in a redoubt on the left, and Fitch's battery on the right. These guns now opened on the advancing foe. Four Rebel batteries which had been brought forward responded to them, while the firing between the infantry was resumed with intense fury. They soon reached the redoubts and the rifle-pits, where the cannon of Bates and Spratt had been placed. It became impossible to save all of these, and in the end some of them were spiked and abandoned. The Federal troops vainly attempted to resist the immense masses which now swelled forward, and swarmed like a countless host around them. Almost every regiment of Casey's division had by this time been effectually broken and routed. It was now half-past four. For three hours and a half those raw and inexperienced troops had stemmed the tide; eight thousand men had resisted thrice their number; and during all that period not more than half a mile had been yielded to the enemy in retreat. During this period General Casey had exhibited extraordinary courage, coolness and skill; but this brave commander was unable to perform impossibilities. He had lost one fourth of his division, and many of his best officers. He had, however, rendered one essential service, by holding the Rebels in check until the Federal forces in his rear had time to prepare for their onset.

A brief pause intervened between the retreat of Casey's division and the renewed advance of the enemy against the division of General Couch. The troops of the latter were drawn up obliquely toward the foe, so that when they pressed forward, his right wing became first engaged. Here the twenty-third Pennsylvania regiment was posted, commanded by Colonel Neill. They reserved their fire until the enemy were close upon them; a sheet of lurid flame and iron hail then flew into their ranks, and completely staggered them. A bayonet charge by the gallant Pennsylvanians ensued, which added to their repulse, and to the extent of the slaughter which thinned their dense masses. Here a triumph was obtained which, had the Federal success been equal in other portions of the field, might have reversed the fortunes of the day. But soon the heavy fire of the enemy on their flank compelled them to recoil. The whole line was