Page:Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography (1900, volume 4).djvu/104

82 Fair Oaks toward Richmond, and after an action at Oak Grove had held his ground, and it seemed that there might yet be a rapid march upon Rich- mond ; but the news of " Stonewall " Jackson's re- turn had caused McClellan to decide at once, and Hooker was recalled. On 26 June Gen. D. H. Hill attacked Fitz-John Porter at Mechanicsville. Por- ter fought valiantly as he fell back, and, from want of concert on the part of the enemy, he re- pelled every attack with enormous loss to them. On the 27th was fought the severe battle of Gaines's Mills, to cover the National right, in which Porter was confronted by Jackson and D. H. Hill, while the bridges were threatened by A. P. Hill and Longstreet. Trains and parts of heavy guns had been taken across the river, and the troops clus- tered around the bridges on the north side, waiting to cross. This passage in presence of the enemy was a delicate and dangerous task. Falling back from Mechanicsville, they had reached Gaines's Mills opposite the New bridge. The troops were to defend the approaches during the day and to cross in the evening, destroying the bridges behind them. Porter's force formed an are of an extend- ed circle on an elevated plateau. He was first at- tacked about noon by A. P. Hill, whom he repelled ; but the enemy returned with such vigor to the at- tack that Porter used all his reserves and asked urgently for re-enforcements. Slocum's division came and made a diversion in his favor, but was soon overpowered and outflanked by Jackson and Ewell. The defeat would have been a fatal rout but for the timely appearance of new re-enforce- ments under French and Meagher, and the Con- federates were arrested while on the verge of a great victory. Porter crossed that night and de- stroyed the ijridges behind him. The National loss was about 9,000 men. At the close of this battle McClellan, in an assembly of his generals, pro- posed, even at that moment, to make a rush upon Richmond ; but this was opposed by his lieuten- ants and abandoned. The Confederates, now sure that McClellan was cut off from his base, expected to destroy and capture his whole army. It was only at this juncture that their eyes were fully opened ; but they soon found that White House had been evacuated and a new base secured, which was already defended by the National flotilla. In announcing the results thus far, on 28 June, to the secretary of war, McClellan asserted that, if the government had sustained him, he could, with 10,000 additional troops, have captured Richmond the next day, and he closed the despatch to See. Stanton with the bold assertion : " If I save this army now, 1 tell you plainly that I owe no thanks to you, or to any other persons in Washington. You have done your best to sacrifice this army."

On the third day, Saturday, 28 June, the move- ment was conducted rapidly but in good order. Immediately after the battle of Gaines's Mills, McClellan had been inclined to cross the Chieka- hominy and persevere in his efforts to hold his po- sition ; but, after a consultation with his corps commanders, he decided upon the change of base, and proceeded promptly to its execution. The grand retrogi'ade movement was now to be made through the swamp formed by the White Oak creek, a branch of the Chickahominy, and then by the Quaker road principally to Malvern Hill, the point beyond which they would be secure from at- tack, both by the strength of the position and the flank fire of the fieet. Diverging from Richmond and running to intersect at different intervals, the route of McClellan were, counting from the north, the Williamsburg turnpike, the Charles City road. the Derby or Central road, and the New Market road, from which the Varina road diverges to the south. Along these roads, upon the flank of the National army, the columns of Lee were launched — Magruder on the Williamsburg road, Huger on the Charles City, A. P. Hill on the Central, while Jack- son, crossing the Grapevine bridge, moved upon their reai The situation was grave in the extreme ; but a bold rear-guard checked Jackson from time to time, while strong detachments protected the right flank, fought the battles, and proved the mettle of the excellent but exhausted troops. On the morning of 29 June was fought the bat- tle of Savage's Station, in which the fighting was severe. Magruder, marching upon Fair Oaks and finding it abandoned, had hurried on to the station, which was held by Sumner and Heintzelman. who were to hold it till nightfall. Unfortunately Heintzelman, through a misimderstanding, retired too soon, and the brunt of Magruder's attack by the Williamsburg road fell upon Sumner, who held his post so well that he was able to retire at night- fall, though leaving his wounded behind him. The fifth day of battle was 30 June, and the fighting was at Frazier's farm, where the Central road joins the Quaker road. Longstreet and A. P. Hill, who had crossed the Chickahominy at New bridge, marched to and then followed the Central road. McClellan's line was now eight miles long — Jack- son upon its rear, Magruder, who had made a de- tour, moving parallel by the New Market road, and Longstreet and Hill advancing upon Frazier's farm. The destruction of the National army seemed sure. The Confederate attack was vigor- ous, but Magruder and Huger did not come up as expected ; the troops from Fort Darling were driven back by shells from the National gun-boats ; Jackson, who had been delayed by the destruction of the White Oak bridge, found himself obliged to reconstruct it. and was further checked by Frank- lin. McClellan's army fell back after dai'k to Malvern Hill, where the last of the trains and all the reserve artillery had arrived in the afternoon, and where the last great battle of the peninsula was to be fought. Malvern is an elevated plain, in some degree fortified by ravines radiating to- ward the front and on the northwest. It is about a mile and a half long by three fourths of a mile deep, and not far behind it, defended by the gun- boats from Turkey Point to Haxall's and Harri- son's Landing, is James river. In front it is envel- oped by a small stream and thick underwood. Both flanks "of the National army touched the river here during the night. Sykes, with the regulars, guarded the road from Richmond to Haxall's, then came the rest of Porter's corps, Heintzelman in the center, then Sumner, Franklin, and Keyes. The approaches were defended by heavy guns, while the lighter batteries were disposed for use accord- ing to circumstances. The only roads by which the Confederates could approach were that from Richmond to Haxall's and the Quaker road. Their first movement was upon the National left. The position seemed impregnable ; the outer line bris- tled with guns, and, could that be taken, there re- mained the inner and still more difficult defences, but Gen. Lee ordered an attack along the whole line. Under the best circumstances, success seemed impossible. The movement was dependent upon a signal, which was mistaken, and this gave rise to some confusion. The Confederates attacked furi- ously, and, being hurled back, returned again and again. At a signal the final attack was made by Magruder and D. H. Hill, whose troops melted away before the National fire, and the defeat of