BATTLE OF SEVEN PINES, MAY 31, 1862
Position taken in front of Richmond--Reception at
President Davis's--Sketch--Mr. Benjamin, Secretary of
State--Storm-bound--Richmond--General Johnston wounded--Von Borcke,
the German volunteer--His armament.
Our positions were so near Richmond as to permit frequent visits there
during the pleasant month of May.
McClellan was hugging himself in security and reinforcements beyond
the Chickahominy, and the earthwork defenses of Richmond which we were
guarding seemed to us then all-sufficing. Later, we could realize how
little they were worth without men and guns and rifles and a leader in
the field. These defenses had been scientifically constructed by the
engineers headed by General Lee and Maj.-Gen. J. F. Gilmer. The latter
was a distinguished officer not long since resigned from the United
States Army, had married in Savannah in the family of dear friends
of ours, and when the war broke out at once placed his unquestioned
engineering abilities at the service of the government.
On one of my visits to the city I was persuaded by my brother, Dr.
Sorrel, to stay the night and attend, a reception at the President's.
It was interesting and striking. The highest and most brilliant of the
Southland were there; bright, witty, confident, carrying everything
with a high hand. The men generally in full uniform and the women
in finery, that seems somehow always to turn up for them under all
circumstances. After presentation to Mr. and Mrs. Davis I had a good
look at that remarkable man. A most interesting study, calm and
self-contained, gracious with some sternness; his figure was straight,
slim and elegant. A well-poised, ample head was faced with high-bred
features and an expression that could be very winning and agreeable.
His wife, Varina, was a rather large woman, handsome and brilliant, a
bit inclined to be caustic of speech, but withal a good and gracious
help to her husband.
Her devotion when he was a prisoner was later beautifully manifested.
Senators and Congressmen were there in abundance. Our own
representative, Julien Hartridge, characteristically indifferent to
such assemblages, was taking his pleasure elsewhere.
Mr. Benjamin was a most interesting character--a short, squatty Jewish
figure. His silvery speech charmed all hearers with its wit, persiflage
and wisdom. His wonderful legal abilities made him _facile princeps_
in equity law. His after career was extraordinary. When the collapse
of the Confederate Army came he was still in Mr. Davis's Cabinet and
joined his chief in flight. Separating, however, Benjamin escaped
to one of the West India Islands and thence to London. It seems his
nativity had actually been in a British Colony, and this fact and his
great legal acquirements, with some routine attendance at the courts,
quickly permitted his admittance to the bar and he was Q. C. in almost
no time. He immediately took up an immense special practise and made
much money.
I had the pleasure of meeting him in 1872 in Paris, at a breakfast
given by Mr. Francis Corbin in his splendid hotel on the Faubourg St.
Germain. Needless to say, Mr. Benjamin was delightful.
It was on one of these visits to my brother that I nearly came to
trouble. I intended to ride back to camp quite early, but he had visits
for me to make with him and pressed me so affectionately that I was
late in starting back. Then a furious storm of rain and wind nearly
drowned my good horse and myself and I was concerned for the late hour
at which I finally reported to my chief. I found him provoked at my
absence, because much had happened. In the afternoon a council of war
had agreed with the commander-in-chief to attack McClellan the next
morning. The opportunity was a good one because McClellan had posted
his forces so that the Chickahominy cut them in two and they might
be destroyed in detail. I was not too late, however, for the duties,
and both Longstreet and myself were soon in good humor again. Orders
for the dispositions of the troops were quickly gotten out and the
time and line of march given. We had six strong brigades and D. H.
Hill's four were to join us under Longstreet, besides a strong force
of artillery and a body of cavalry on the right. When the day came
(May 31) the movement began, and never was the opening for battle more
unsatisfactory.
The same storm that put McClellan's army in decided peril by destroying
his bridges and cutting communication between his two wings, impeded
our march at every step. Little rivulets were now raging torrents.
Bridges had to be improvised and causeways made by which the column
could be moved. Everything seemingly lost us time, and our attack,
instead of being early in the day, was delayed until 4 p. m. There
shall be no attempt to describe or discuss this battle. G. W. Smith
with a large command was on our left. General Johnston with him and
Major-General Huger with a strong division was expected to support our
right, but for some reason we did not get it. D. H. Hill with his four
brigades and our six, attacked with great fury. Smith's attack on the
left was retarded and unsuccessful. We made quick progress, but with
heavy losses in our ten fine brigades. The enemy could not stand before
them and Casey's division, posted at Seven Points, gave way after heavy
losses and was crushed. Cannon and colors fell into our hands. Darkness
was then coming on and no supports, much to Longstreet's chagrin.
Further attack on our part was deferred until the morning. Meantime,
while Smith was making on the left his abortive attack, our gallant
General Joseph E. Johnston had been struck down by a severe wound and
borne from the field. The second in command was G. W. Smith, but as
operations for the day had ceased there was no occasion for him to make
any change in existing dispositions of the troops, and Gen. Robert E.
Lee was the next day placed in command of the Army of Northern Virginia.
Seven Pines should under all circumstances have been a magnificent
victory for us. It was really far from that, and while encouraging the
soldiers in fighting and the belief in their ability to beat the enemy,
it was waste of life and a great disappointment.
Walton, of Longstreet's staff, was wounded in the head, the bullet
making a long furrow in his bald scalp. Here we saw for the first time
the German Von Borcke, who, attached later to Stuart's cavalry, made
some reputation. He had just arrived and could not speak a word of
English; was splendidly mounted on a powerful sorrel and rode well. He
was an ambulating arsenal. A double-barreled rifle was strapped across
his back, a Winchester carbine hung by his hip, heavy revolvers were
in his belt, right and left side; an enormous straight double-edged
sharp-pointed cuirasseur's saber hung together with sabertasche to
his left thigh, and a short "couteau de chasse" finished up his
right. Besides, his English army saddle bore two large holsters,
one for his field-glasses, the other for still another revolver,
bigger and deadlier than all the others. Von Borcke was a powerful
creature--a tall, blonde, active giant. When I next saw him he had
discarded--taught by experience--all his arsenal except his good saber
and a couple of handy revolvers. He stayed with us to the end and
received an ugly wound in the throat.