now engaged, and a disaster which occurred at this crisis on the left, produced a pernicious effect. There the tenth Massachusetts regiment occupied a post near the rifle-pits, but being ordered further to the left, was accidentally placed in an isolated position. When the enemy advanced the tenth engaged them heroically in front; but during this action a portion of the Rebels succeeded in passing unobserved through the adjacent woods to the rear of that regiment. They then attacked the tenth from that point with great fury. The result was that the men, surrounded by destruction on both sides, broke and fled. They were afterward rallied, and subsequently took an honorable part in the engagement.

The first to retreat was the fifty-seventh and sixty-third Their steady ranks crumbled sustained fire of the enemy. Slowly and reluctantly those

Notwithstanding the heavy losses which the Rebels had already suffered, their endless masses still rushed forward into the conflict. Their batteries also were very effective. Accordingly, after a long and desperate strug gle, the Federal lines began to give way. first Long Island regiment. In vain the Pennsylvania endeavored to stop the flight. like frost-work before the terrific and well Scarcely an officer remained on horseback. heroic troops, which had hurled back the deluge of the Rebel hosts, three times their own number, were compelled to recede toward the Chickahominy, not "unaccountably and discreditably," as was asserted, but simply because human strength and valor, when placed in a desperate and helpless position, could not achieve miracles, or reverse the laws of physical nature.

General Couch now fell back with his shattered column in the direction of the Williamsburg road. Here he again arrayed his men in line of battle. At half past four o'clock, General Sumner arrived on the field with Sedgwick's division. These troops were disposed of as rapidly and judiciously as the occasion permitted; but not too soon to meet the advancing enemy. The thirty-first Pennsylvania, the first Minnesota, and the first chasseurs, were ordered to lie upon their faces, and were thus concealed from their view. As the Rebels emerged from the woods, they delivered a volley at the Anderson Zouaves, who were posted in the rear. Then at the word of command the prostrate troops bounded to their feet and poured a deadly deluge of shot into the serried masses of the foe. Their ranks were mowed down like grain before the scythe of the reaper. The ground where they stood was covered with piles of dead and wounded. That discharge was the virtual end of the battle. Among the Rebel dead was General Davis; among the wounded and prisoners was General Pettigrew. The troops of Sumner aided in stemming the victorious march of the enemy, and in saving the Federal forces engaged from total rout and destruction. Thus closed the battle of the Seven Pines. Both armies, exhausted, yet undismayed, passed the ensuing night upon the gory field, or near it, surrounded by the multitudes of the dying and the

THE ENGAGEMENT OF JUNE FIRST.

261

dead, and anxiously awaited, during its solemn silence, the dawn of the next day for the renewal of the fight and the decision of the struggle. The enemy had captured every thing which belonged to General Casey's camp, except the baggage wagons which had been sent to the rear several days before; and they occupied the ground at the close of the day which had been Casey's position at its commencement.

On Sunday, June 1st, the Federal troops promptly stood to their arms in the dim and misty light of the early dawn. Important reinforcements had arrived during the night. On the right wing, the divisions of Richardson and Sedgwick were posted, their left resting on Hooker's right. These divisions comprised the brigades of Burns, French and Meagher. Hooker's division occupied the centre of the line. The left wing was composed of the remains of the divisions of Generals Casey and Couch, whose futile valor had performed its thankless prodigies on the day before. At six o'clock General Heintzelman, who had received the chief command of the forces engaged, ordered a reconnoissance to be made on the left and on the right, by which it was soon ascertained that the Rebels were posted in great strength in front of the Federal right and left flanks. It was nearly seven o'clock when the firing between the pickets gave evidence that the enemy had begun their advance, and were about to renew the engagement. Heintzelman immediately ordered Hooker to attack the Rebels in front, and drive them back through the woods, from which they were then emerging. Hooker's division comprised the Excelsior brigade of Sickles, with the fifth and sixth New Jersey regiments. These troops advanced gallantly to the attack. They were warmly received by the enemy; but as they approached, they loaded and fired repeatedly with the rapidity and regularity of trained soldiers. After an exchange of shots for some time, General Sickles ordered the second regiment of his brigade to clear the woods at the point of the bayonet. This order was executed with splendid effect. Colonel Hall led the charge in person. The front of the enemy was not a hundred yards distant, and as the Federal troops approached, the Rebels fired a tremendous volley into their ranks; but not a single man faltered. Onward rushed the bristling line of glittering steel. Then the shock came, and soon the foe, shattered and broken, gave way and fled. Among the prisoners taken at this point was Major Herbert, of the eighth Alabama regiment. During the progress of this achievement, the division of General Richardson was gradually coming into action on the right. Here the ground was exceedingly dificult; but the Irish regiments were fortunately in this part of the fight; and their powers of endurance and their pugnacious spirit were well adapted to the emergency. As the brigades of French, Meagher and Howard combatted the foe, the men were sometimes up to their knees in the swampy and boggy soil. This unusual disadvantage would have disgusted or disheartened any other soldiers; but it could not retard the im

petuous sons of Erin, who rushed forward to the deadly encounter with jocular yells, and with all the mingled glee and furor of a "free fight." The enemy received them with a terrible discharge of musketry. General Howard had two horses shot under him, and was also wounded. A desperate struggle ensued. The superior numbers of the Rebels rendered the issue at one time extremely doubtful. At that moment the fourth and fifth Excelsior regiments of Sickles, who had already gained their share of the victory in another part of the field, were despatched to the support of Richardson's men. The battle now spread around to the New Jersey brigade, who stood manfully to the enemy. At length the Rebels began to recede; yet slowly and steadily. The Federal troops then pushed forward, crowding upon the yielding lines of the foe, as they floundered over the swampy ground. Two hundred of these were captured here. By eleven o'clock the firing ceased; the battle was over, the victory was won. The enemy were driven from every position which they had gained on the preceding day. Their main column rested a mile beyond the point which they held at the commencement of the engagement. Such was the battle, and such the victory of Fair Oaks, by which the misfortune and defeat of the Seven Pines were compensated for by brilliant success. The Rebels were commanded on this occasion by Generals Joseph E. Johnston, Longstreet, Pryor, Cobb and Huger. The guns and ammunition which they had captured on Saturday were not recovered, they having been transported with prudent and thrifty haste to Richmond, immediately after the close of the engagement on that day. On Monday the Federal forces were ordered forward to occupy their first position, from which they had been driven on Saturday. The loss of the Rebel troops was very heavy, as the ground was covered thickly in many places with the slain and the woun ded, whom they were unable to remove. The Federal loss during the battles of Seven Pines and Fair Oaks was eight hundred and ninety killed three thousand six hundred and twenty-seven wounded, twelve hundred and twenty-two missing; making a total who were hors du combat of five thousand seven hundred and thirty-nine.*

After the battle of Fair Oaks, the loyal community of the United States generaly expected that an immediate advance would be made by the Federal army against Richmond; and it is quite probable, that if such a movement had taken place without delay, and no further time had been allowed the enemy to concentrate their troops in colossal masses around the Rebel capital, as they afterward did with extraordinary promptitude and energy, the city might have been captured and occupied with little

* The loss of the Rebels, according to the official report subsequently made by General J. E. Johnston, was six thousand six hundred and ninety-seven, including killed, wounded, and missing. He also claimed to have captured ten pieces of artillery, six thousand stand of arms, five colors, beside a large amount of camp equipage.

POPULAR IMPATIENCE FOR THE CAPTURE OF RICHMOND. 263 difficulty. But such an advance of the Federal army at that moment was probably a physical impossibility. A small proportion of McClellan's troops had as yet crossed the Chickahominy; and these had been greatly weakened by two days' hard fighting. Only two or three bridges had been constructed over the stream, and these were swept away by the violent storm and freshet which ensued the day after the battle of Fair Oaks. The Rebels had fought with heroism-with a desperation and firmness unsurpassed by any troops in modern times-filling up enormous chasms in their columns, when ploughed and shivered to pieces by the Federal guns, with the most wonderful determination and readiness. To attack such troops with sudden and imprudent haste, with inferior numbers, or at a serious disadvantage of position, would have insured the inevitable defeat and destruction of the Federal army. Richmond was defended even then by eight immense fortifications, supported by about fifty thousand effective troops; and the operations intended to vanquish such formidable armaments and such resolute champions, must be executed with great deliberation and skill. Hence it was alleged that the impatience for the immediate capture of the Rebel capital, which at this period prevaded the loyal community, and the censure which followed its disappointment, were based upon an ignorance of the real facts of the case, and were therefore unreasonable and unjust.

In accordance with the maxims which controlled the conduct of General McClellan, he proceeded immediately after the victory of Fair Oaks, to select his camp, form his lines, and erect his breastworks, for the purpose of making his regular approaches to Richmond. His intrenchments, after his position had been fully taken, presented a front of about fifteen miles, extending from Mechanicsville, on the extreme right, to a position at White Oak Swamp, on the extreme left. Nearly a month was destined to elapse before any further military operations of importance took place near the Rebel capital; during which interval the Federal troops were employed in the completion of their breast works, and the Rebels in concentrating all their available forces in the vicinity. In the meantime events of importance and interest were transpiring in other portions of the Union, to which we will now direct our attention.

The sudden and brilliant expedition of the Rebel General Jackson, by which he expelled General Banks from Virginia, and restored the supremacy of their arms in the valley of the Shenandoah, produced results of a transient and inconsiderable character. The occupation of Front Royal by the victors was very brief. They took possession of it on Saturday, the 24th of May, and on the ensuing 30th they evacuated it. This movement was the commencement of a general desertion of the valley, and of the entire expulsion of the forces of Jackson from the scene of his late remarkable successes.

After the arrival of General Banks at Williamsport, General Fremont

was ordered to descend from his mountain department, and bring his troops to bear upon the enemy. Accordingly he sent forward a brigade, preceded by four companies of the Rhode Island cavalry, commanded by Major Nelson, with instructions to attack the Rebels, who held possession of Front Royal. These forces consisted of the eighth Louisiana, a portion of the twelfth Georgia regiments, and a body of cavalry. A spirited action ensued before the Rebels evacuated the place. The Federal loss was eight killed and six wounded. Eighteen Federal soldiers were retaken, who had been captured by the enemy a week previous, together with two engines, and eight cars, loaded with ammunition. The loss of the Rebels in killed and wounded was severe. Then began the masterly retreat of Jackson, and the well-conducted pursuit of Fremont, through the valley of the Shenandoah. The latter left Franklin with the main body of his troops, and by rapid marches crossed the intervening mountains, toiling over a hundred miles of difficult roads, with very limited means of transportation and subsistence. About the same period, General Jackson withdrew from Winchester. Fremont pressed on toward Strasburg, which the Rebels were approaching in their full strength. Colonel Cluseret, who commanded the advance of Fremont's forces, first encountered the enemy, five miles from Strasburg, on the Winchester road. The Federals were assailed by a spirited cannonading; but when General Fremont proceeded to draw out his troops in line of battle, in anticipation of a general engagement, Jackson declined the challenge, and retreated, in the meantime holding the Federal advance in check. The Rebel general continued his retreat through Strasburg toward Woodstock, losing twenty-five prisoners in the chase which ensued. Strasburg was then occupied by General Fremont without opposition. For the purpose of ascertaining the route and position of the enemy, he ordered Colonel Figzelmesi, with a number of men, to make a reconnoissance at midnight near that town. By this movement it was ascertained that Jackson's rear guard was lying in ambush a few miles beyond Strasburg, waiting for the advance of the Federal forces. They fired upon the Federal scouts as they approached, wounding three of them. The next day the pursuit was continued by the cavalry brigade, under General Bayard. Constant skirmishing took place between the pickets of both armies. The Rebels passed through Woodstock without halting. The town was then occupied by General Fremont, the Rebel army lying three miles beyond it. During this portion of the chase, though no engagement of importance occurred, several hundred Rebel prisoners were captured.

The retreat and the pursuit through the valley of the Shenandoah continued without further incident of importance until the 8th of June. On that day the Rebels reached a position in the vicinity of Harrisonburg called Cross Keys, where an engagement took place. Colonel Wyndham