orders came from Washington to burn the bridges that had been seized. The principal bridge burnt was that over the South Anna. On the 29th Porter returned to his original camp. Crossing of the The national army, advancing toward Richmond, found that the bridges over the Chickahominy had been destroyed by the Confederates in their retreat. The stream flows through a swampy and wooded country, liable to be overflowed when freshets occur. Keyes's corps crossed it about the 24th of May, having re paired Bottom's Bridge. Casey's division of this corps advanced as far as Fair Oaks Station; Couch's lay at Seven Pines; and Heintzelman's corps, following Keyes's over the river, took up a position in its rear. His left rested on Whiteoak Swamp. The strength of these two corps was about 30,000 men. Sumner's corps was on the other side of the Chickahominy. At this moment McClellan's army was in a most dan Dangerous position gerous position. One of its wings was on the right, the other on the left of the creek of the army. CHAP. LIV.] POSITION OF THE NATIONAL ARMY. 385 -creek it could hardly be called, for it was about to be swollen to the dimensions of a river. The only available connection was at Bottom's Bridge. The position of the army was like the letter V, Bottom's Bridge being at the point. The left wing, in four divisions, lay in echelon along the York River Railroad. It answered to the left branch of the V. The right wing, consisting of five divisions, and the reserves, answered to the other branch. From the extremity of one wing to that of the other, by way of Bottom's Bridge, was a distance of more than twelve miles, though by an air-line they were not very far apart. Through the midst of the V flowed the Chickahominy. The outposts of the left wing were, as just stated, at Fair Oaks Station, on the York River Railroad, and at Seven Pines, on the Williamsburg Road. Under such circumstances, the Confederates could of course assail one of the two wings separately. As we are now to see, they accordingly attacked the left wing, the action being known as the battle of Fair Oaks. A heavy rain, described as being like a tropical deluge, occurred round Richmond on the night of The thunder-storm. May 30th, and, foreseeing that the Chickahominy would rise, and that Keyes's corps, which was on the Richmond side of the stream, would be isolated from the rest of McClellan's army, Johnston, who commanded the Confederates, determined to attempt to destroy it. He seems not to have known that Heintzelman had The Confederate also crossed. He therefore (May 31st) directed Longstreet and D. H. Hill to attack it in front upon the Williamsburg Road, Huger to gain its left flank by passing down the Charles City Road, and Gustavus Smith its right flank by the New Bridge and Nine-mile Roads. He expected to overwhelm the isolated corps-two fifths of the force of his adver attack. Battle of Fair Oaks. As the country was all under water with the rainsin some places a couple of feet deep-Ca sey's division, which was in the front, was altogether unprepared for an attack, except by such indications as the sound of the running of railroad cars all night from Richmond. Casey resisted the Confederate shock, which occurred at about 1 P.M., very resolutely. The day was dark and gloomy, and from an air-balloon it was seen that the entire Confederate army was advancing. Casey was outnumbered and overwhelmed. He was driven back, after a three-hours' struggle, Defeat of Casey. more than a mile; he lost six guns, and his camp was taken. He was compelled to retire upon Couch. Pines. Couch, who had been sending forward regiments to Battle of Seven the support of Casey, fiercely attempted to maintain himself at Seven Pines, Heintzelman coming up to his help. The battle had now been going on from 1 P.M. to 44 P.M., Longstreet not only pressing the line in front, but also on its right and left flanks. Sumner's advance. McClellan, who was ill in bed at New Bridge, on the other side of the Chickahominy, ordered Sumner to send relief across the river to the hard-pressed troops. Sedgwick's division of Sumner's corps crossed the swollen stream over the upper one of two tottering bridges that he had constructed about half way down the V. Tottering as it was, it proved to be the salvation of the national army. Sumner, listening as he went through the woods, guided his march by the roar of the battle. The Confederates, had found that they could not turn CHAP. LIV.] FAIR OAKS AND SEVEN PINES. 387 the left of the national left wing, for it rested on the Whiteoak Swamp. In the most determined manner they were trying to pass down between the right of that wing and the Chickahominy, and force their way to Bottom's Bridge. If this could be done, nothing remained for the entire left wing but to surrender. It had no retreat. Steadily the Confederates forced their way. The evening was coming on dark and gloomy-dark and gloomy was the prospect for Heintzelman and Keyes. He checks the Con Sumner had got Sedgwick's division across the rickety bridge, and with it had dragged over a batfederate advance. tery of twenty-four Napoleon guns, which he had planted in a clearing of the woods. The Confederate column, pressing on victoriously for Bottom's Bridge, must show its flank to this battery. The flanker was outflanked. No man could pass the fire-storm from this battery. The South Carolina troops rushed at it in vain; the march of the Confederate column was checked-it wavered. Volleys of musketry were poured into it. Terror-stricken, and with fearful slaughter, it was hurled back upon Fair Oaks Station. Wounding of About sunset, General Johnston, the Confederate commander, was severely wounded by a frag Johnston. ment of a shell, and General Smith took the command. What now-asks the Prince de Joinville, who was an Mismanagement of eye-witness of the battle-what now would the national troops. have happened if, instead of fifteen thou sand men whom Sumner had brought over, the whole right wing-fifty thousand-had crossed? It was not until seven o'clock that evening that the idea of throwing bridges across the stream and crossing the whole army was entertain The flood in the ed. It was then too late-the water was fast rising; in the course of the night it flooded Sumner's bridges, and by morning filled the entire valley. Repulse of the In the morning the Confederates renewed the attack bravely, but without order. The wounding of Johnston was a serious mischance to them. They were finally repulsed about noon, and recoiled in inextricable confusion. They carried off as trophies the spoils of the camps of Casey and Couch, which they had captured; but McClellan made no attempt to follow them. Importunately and incessantly he had called on the gov ernment for more troops-here, at this critical moment, he had thirty-five thousand men doing nothing. Losses in the battles. It is now known that the fugitives might have been followed into Richmond, so great was the disorganization and dismay following this Confederate repulse. Their loss in the battle had been 4233; the national, 5739, of whom 890 were killed. Advance of Hooker. McClellan recovered shortly after, without resistance, the posts of Fair Oaks and Seven Pines, the two armies resuming substantially their former positions. On the second day after the battle of Fair Oaks General Hooker advanced within four miles of Richmond, but was ordered to withdraw by McClellan, to whom the government dispatched a division from McDowell's corps and whatever re-enforcements they could collect. Still, however, the telegraph brought the staple excuses-the dreadful state of the roads, the weather, the overwhelming number of the ene my in front-still the same cry for re-enforcements. Day after day the great army lay idle and chafing at its lot. It heard with amazement and indignation that the Con federate General J. E. B. Stuart, with 1500 cavalry, had ridden round its right flank (June 12, 13) and gained its rear without resistance, de Stuart rides round the army. |