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Seven Days Battles: the story on HearLore | HearLore
— Ch. 1 · The Peninsula Campaign Prelude —
Seven Days Battles.
~6 min read · Ch. 1 of 7
On the morning of the 25th of June 1862, Union Brigadier General Daniel E. Sickles led his Excelsior Brigade into a dense forest near Oak Grove. The trees were thick with undergrowth and abatis, sharp wooden stakes designed to slow advancing infantry. Sickles's New Yorkers found their progress halted by these obstacles and the muddy creek that bisected the woods. They met stiff resistance from Confederate troops under Major General Benjamin Huger. A synchronized volley from the 26th North Carolina Regiment broke up Sickles's delayed attack. The 71st New York Regiment panicked and retreated in what Sickles later called "disgraceful confusion." This minor battle was McClellan's only tactical offensive action against Richmond during the entire campaign. It gained less than half a mile of ground at a cost of over 1,000 casualties on both sides. Robert E. Lee had already set his own offensive plan in motion before this fighting began.
Lee's Offensive Strategy
Robert E. Lee developed a complex attack plan during a meeting on the 23rd of June 1862. He intended to cross the Chickahominy River with about 65,500 troops to strike the Union north flank. Only two divisions would remain to hold entrenchments against McClellan's superior strength south of the river. This strategy left just 25,000 men to protect Richmond while containing another 60,000 Union soldiers. Lee hoped Stonewall Jackson would attack Fitz John Porter's right flank early on June 26. A.P. Hill's Light Division was supposed to advance from Meadow Bridge when Jackson's guns fired. Longstreet and D.H. Hill were to pass through Mechanicsville and join the battle afterward. Confederate cavalry under J.E.B. Stuart had reconnoitered Porter's flank between June 12 and 15. They found it vulnerable but their circumnavigation of the entire Union Army proved militarily dubious. The plan required expert coordination by all subordinates yet Lee knew he could not win a battle of attrition or siege against the Union Army.
Battlefield Chronology
The Seven Days began on Wednesday, the 25th of June 1862, with the Battle of Oak Grove. Fighting continued at Beaver Dam Creek on June 26 where Confederates suffered significant casualties. Gaines's Mill erupted on June 27 as Lee launched his largest Confederate attack of the war involving about 57,000 men in six divisions. Minor actions occurred at Garnett's Farm and Golding's Farm on June 27 and 28. Savage's Station saw heavy fighting on Sunday, June 29 as Union troops burned supplies while retreating. Glendale and White Oak Swamp became the site of another major engagement on June 30. The series concluded on the 1st of July 1862, with the Battle of Malvern Hill where Lee launched futile frontal assaults. Each day brought new confusion and failed coordination among Confederate commanders. Jackson arrived late to multiple battles including Beaver Dam Creek and Gaines's Mill. His delays allowed Union forces to escape destruction despite being outnumbered.
Command Failures And Coordination
Confederate Brigadier General Robert A. Toombs launched a sharp attack at dusk against Baldy Smith's VI Corps division near Old Tavern on June 27. He was a Georgia politician who held disdain for professional officers yet ordered his fellow brigade commander Colonel George T. Anderson to join the assault. Two of Anderson's regiments lost 156 men during this counterattack. Stonewall Jackson took time to rebuild bridges over the Chickahominy River instead of advancing as Lee had planned. He received a garbled order from Lee's chief of staff that made him believe he should stay north of the river. Magruder hesitated until 5 p.m. on June 29 when attacking Sumner's 26,600 men with only 14,000 troops. He sent just two and a half brigades forward while Union artillery opened fire. Huger's men were slowed by felled trees obstructing the Charles City Road spending hours chopping a new road through thick woods. Magruder marched around aimlessly unable to decide whether to aid Longstreet or Holmes. By 4 p.m., Lee ordered Magruder to join Holmes on the River Road and attack Malvern Hill.
Union Retreat Dynamics
On Sunday, June 29, clouds of black smoke filled the air as Union troops burned anything they could not carry at Savage's Station. Union morale plummeted particularly for wounded soldiers who realized they were not being evacuated with the rest of the Army. McClellan departed for Harrison's Landing without specifying exact routes of withdrawal nor naming a second-in-command. His army was in no condition for a renewed offensive after nearly 16,000 casualties between June 25 and July 1. Survivors were extremely tired after a week of fighting and marching with little food or sleep. Most artillery ammunition had been used up and summer weather took its toll with sick lists growing longer. The supply trains moved south toward the James River while Confederate cavalry reported that Union troops had abandoned their defense of the Richmond and York River Railroad. Large dust clouds south of the Chickahominy River finally convinced Lee that McClellan was heading for the James. Until this time Lee anticipated McClellan would be withdrawing east to protect his supply line to the York River.
Casualty Analysis And Aftermath
Lee's Army of Northern Virginia suffered about 20,000 casualties out of over 90,000 soldiers during the Seven Days including 3,494 killed and 15,758 wounded. McClellan reported casualties of about 16,000 from a total force of 105,445 men comprising 1,734 killed and 8,062 wounded. Despite their victory many Confederates were stunned by the losses. The number of casualties in the Seven Days Battles surpassed the total number of casualties in the Western Theater until that point in the year. Malvern Hill resulted in 5,355 Confederate casualties versus 3,214 Union losses. This wasted effort continued to follow the Union army all the way to Harrison's Landing. Both sides suffered heavy casualties yet Confederate morale skyrocketed while Northern morale was crushed by McClellan's retreat. The equally exhausted Army of Northern Virginia pulled back to Richmond lines to lick its wounds after the fighting ended on the 1st of July 1862.
Strategic Legacy And Reorganization
On August 4, an order came down for McClellan to withdraw from the Peninsula and return to Aquia Creek area at once. General-in-Chief Henry Halleck replied that McClellan's requests for reinforcements were impossible since Confederate forces could easily crush either Union army with overwhelming strength. Mosquito season was coming up in August and September making remaining on the swampy Virginia Peninsula inviting a disastrous malaria and yellow fever epidemic. Robert E. Lee embarked on thorough reorganization of the Army of Northern Virginia by forming it into two corps commanded by James Longstreet and Stonewall Jackson. Lee removed several generals such as John Magruder and Benjamin Huger who had performed poorly during the Seven Days Battles. McClellan's previous position as general-in-chief of all Union armies was filled on the 23rd of July 1862, by Major General Henry W. Halleck though McClellan retained command of the Army of Potomac. Lee was emboldened to continue his aggressive strategy through the Second Battle of Bull Run and the Maryland Campaign despite heavy casualties which the less populated South could ill afford.
The Seven Days Battles occurred from Wednesday, the 25th of June 1862 to the 1st of July 1862. The series began with the Battle of Oak Grove and concluded with the Battle of Malvern Hill.
How many casualties did Robert E. Lee suffer during the Seven Days Battles?
Lee's Army of Northern Virginia suffered about 20,000 casualties out of over 90,000 soldiers during the Seven Days Battles including 3,494 killed and 15,758 wounded. These losses surpassed the total number of casualties in the Western Theater until that point in the year.
Why did McClellan withdraw from the Peninsula on August 4?
An order came down for McClellan to withdraw from the Peninsula and return to Aquia Creek area at once due to incoming mosquito season in August and September. Remaining on the swampy Virginia Peninsula invited a disastrous malaria and yellow fever epidemic.
Which generals did Robert E. Lee remove after the Seven Days Battles?
Robert E. Lee removed several generals such as John Magruder and Benjamin Huger who had performed poorly during the Seven Days Battles. He reorganized the Army of Northern Virginia into two corps commanded by James Longstreet and Stonewall Jackson.