SOUTH CAROLINIANS IN VIRGINIA--BATTLE OF WILLIAMSBURG--ELTHAM'S
LANDING--SEVEN PINES AND FAIR OAKS--NINE-MILE ROAD--GAINES'
MILL--SAVAGE STATION--FRAYSER'S FARM--MALVERN HILL.
In Virginia, Gen. George B. McClellan had been placed in command of the
great army which he had fully organized, and his headquarters had been
established at Fort Monroe early in April, preparatory to his advance
upon Richmond by way of the James river and the peninsula. Gen. Joseph
E. Johnston commanded the Confederate army for the defense of Richmond,
with headquarters at Yorktown, April 17th. Holding Yorktown and the
line which ran across the peninsula to the Warwick, until the 4th of
May, Johnston retired from Williamsburg. His army, about 53,000 strong,
was opposed by McClellan's splendidly equipped and organized army,
estimated by General Johnston at 133,000. It was Johnston's intention
to fall back slowly on the defenses of Richmond, and then, being joined
by the division of Huger from Norfolk, and other reinforcements which
he expected the Confederate government would order to his army, to give
McClellan battle in front of those defenses on more equal terms.
Johnston's army at that time was composed of the divisions of Magruder
(commanded by D. R. Jones), Longstreet, D. H. Hill and G. W. Smith.
Magruder and Smith had passed beyond Williamsburg on the march to
Richmond, and Hill, encumbered with the trains and baggage, was
also moving beyond that point, on the afternoon of the 4th, when
Longstreet's rear guard was attacked, in front of Williamsburg, by the
Federal advance. This attack was met and checked by two brigades under
Brigadier-General McLaws (Semmes' and Kershaw's), with Manly's battery.
In this brief history, the writer is confined, by the plan of the work,
to the part taken in each action by the troops of South Carolina. The
grateful task of speaking of troops from other States is resigned with
the understanding that ample justice will be done them by writers who
have been selected to record the history of their courage, skill and
devotion as soldiers of the Confederacy.
In this affair of the afternoon of the 4th of May, Kershaw's brigade,
the Second, Third, Seventh and Eighth South Carolina, bore a part,
and though but little blood was spilled, the gallant conduct of the
brigade received the notice and commendation of General McLaws, who, in
reporting the action, said: "I call attention to the promptness with
which General Kershaw placed his men in the various positions assigned
him, and the readiness with which he seized on the advantage offered
by the ground as he advanced to the front.... His command obeyed
his orders with an alacrity and skill creditable to the gallant and
obedient soldiers composing it." The result of the combat was, that
McLaws checked the Federal advance, captured several prisoners, one
piece of artillery, three caissons, and disabled a battery, and lost
not exceeding 15 men killed, wounded and missing. A part of Stuart's
cavalry was also engaged, and that officer complimented the conduct
of the Hampton legion cavalry in high terms, for "a brilliant dash
upon the enemy's cavalry in front of Fort Magruder.... Disinterested
officers, spectators, speak in the most glowing terms of that portion
of my brigade."
It was evident to General Johnston that the safety of his trains
required that a more decided opposition be offered to the Federal
advance, and Longstreet's division was put in position to meet it on
the following morning. The battle which followed, accordingly, on the
5th, fulfilled the general's expectations, and was a bloody engagement,
continuing at intervals from early morning until near dark, the two
divisions (Longstreet's under Anderson and D. H. Hill's) repelling
the assaults of thirty-three regiments of infantry, six batteries of
artillery, and three regiments of cavalry.
The battle in front of Williamsburg was fought in terrible weather,
the whole country flooded by the rains, the roads almost impassable
for artillery, and the troops "wading in mud and slush," as General
Hill expressed it. On the morning of the 5th, Longstreet held the forts
and line in front of Williamsburg. Anderson's South Carolina brigade,
commanded by Col. Micah Jenkins, was stationed in Fort Magruder, and in
the redoubts and breastworks to the right and left of the fort. This
brigade was composed of the Palmetto sharpshooters, Lieut.-Col. Joseph
Walker; Fourth battalion, Maj. C. S. Mattison; Fifth, Col. John R.
Giles, and Sixth, Col. John Bratton, Lieut.-Col. J. M. Steedman.
The position at Fort Magruder was the center of Longstreet's line
and was the point at which the battle opened at 6 o'clock in the
morning. Major Mattison, commanding the pickets in front of Fort
Magruder, was sharply engaged, and being reinforced by a battalion of
the sharpshooters, had quite a picket battle before retiring to the
fort. The attack on Fort Magruder and on the redoubts and breastworks
to the right and left of it, was at once opened with artillery and
infantry, and the superiority of the Federal artillery and small-arms
put Jenkins' command at great disadvantage. But the artillery in
the fort and the redoubts was so well directed, the gallant gunners
stood so heroically to their guns, and were so firmly supported by
the Carolina infantry, that the Federal columns could not assault the
line, and were driven back and compelled by noon to change the point
of attack further to the Confederate left. Meanwhile, Longstreet was
assailing the Federal left, and gaining ground with the remainder of
his division, supported by reinforcements from Hill's, called back from
their march beyond Williamsburg. In the afternoon, General Hill brought
his whole division on the field, and reinforcing the center, commanded
by Anderson, and leading the left in person, a final advance was made
which ended the fighting by sunset, the Confederates occupying the
field, the Federals being repulsed from right to left.
In the defense of the center and left, Anderson's brigade, under
Jenkins, bore a conspicuous part. In Fort Magruder, the Richmond
howitzers and the Fayette artillery lost so many men by the fire of
the enemy, that details were made by Colonel Jenkins from the infantry
to relieve the men at the guns. By concentrating the artillery fire
on particular batteries in succession, and by volley firing at the
gunners, Jenkins compelled his assailants to shift their positions,
while the regiments of Bratton, Giles, Walker and Mattison poured their
well-directed fire into the threatening columns of Federal infantry.
At an important period of the battle on the right, when the Federal
left had been driven back and was exposed to the full fire of Fort
Magruder, every gun was turned upon it. In the afternoon, and just
before D. H. Hill's attack on his right, the Federal commander had
gained a position almost turning the Confederate left. At this critical
juncture, the Fourth, Fifth and Sixth South Carolina regiments,
with the Fourteenth Alabama, Major Royston, splendidly supported by
Dearing's and Stribling's batteries, and three guns under Lieutenant
Fortier, met the movement with firmness, and, aided by the fire from
Fort Magruder, checked and repulsed the Federal right, and held the
Confederate left intact.
General McClellan claimed a great victory at Williamsburg, basing his
claim upon the occupation of the town the next day, the capture of
300 prisoners and 1,000 wounded, and five guns. But the fact is, that
the battle was fought by General Johnston with two divisions of his
army, for no other purpose than to secure his trains and make good his
retreat upon Richmond, and this he accomplished. The divisions that
fought the battle slept on the field, and left their positions without
molestation on the morning of the 6th. Johnston marched only 12 miles
on the 6th, and was not pursued. Four hundred wounded were left at
Williamsburg because he had no ambulances, and the wagons were out of
reach on the march toward Richmond. Four hundred prisoners, several
stand of colors, and cannon were taken, and the Confederate loss, 1,560
killed and wounded, was only two-thirds that of the Federals.[A] With
these facts before us, Williamsburg cannot be considered a victory for
General McClellan.
[Footnote A: The loss of Jenkins' brigade was 10 killed and 75 wounded
(including Lieut. W. J. Campbell, mortally).]
Regarding the morale of the Confederate army at this period,
a distinguished commander of one of its divisions wrote: "Our
revolutionary sires did not suffer more at Valley Forge than did our
army at Yorktown, and in the retreat from it. Notwithstanding the
rain, cold, mud, hunger, watching and fatigue, I never heard a murmur,
nor witnessed a single act of insubordination. The want of discipline
manifested itself only in straggling, which is the curse of our army."
The security of General Johnston's march toward Richmond was seriously
threatened on the second day after the battle at Williamsburg, May 7th.
The menace came from the direction of Eltham's landing, at the head
of the York, where General McClellan was disembarking several of the
divisions of his army. Franklin's division had landed, and was in line
of battle well in front and covering the disembarkation of the other
divisions. In this position, Franklin's advance was within 3 miles of
Johnston's line of march, and his trains and artillery were in danger.
Gen. G. W. Smith's division, under Whiting, was halted at Barhamsville
(West Point) until the rest of the army had passed, and had been kept
fully apprised of the Federal position between Barhamsville and the
river. To keep the enemy back until the army had passed this point,
General Smith ordered Whiting's division to move out toward the river
and attack and drive back the Federal line. The attack was made by
Hood's Texas brigade and two commands of Hampton's brigade, with S. D.
Lee's artillery. The troops engaged on the Federal side composed the
division of Franklin.
It was a spirited affair, the Hampton legion infantry, commanded by
Lieut.-Col. J. B. Griffin and Maj. James Conner, and the Nineteenth
Georgia, Lieutenant-Colonel Johnson, vying with Hood's gallant Texans
in the steady advance. The Federals were driven back to the river line
and held their position firmly, and the guns of the fleet being opened
on the Confederates, Hood and Hampton withdrew their supports and
resumed the march that night toward New Kent Court House. Hood lost 8
killed and 28 wounded, and Hampton, 12 wounded. Forty-six prisoners
were taken. The reported loss of General Franklin was, killed 48,
wounded 110, captured 28; total 186.
After the affair, General Franklin reported it a success for his
division, and concluded by congratulating himself that he had
maintained his position. Hampton, in his report, complimented the
officers and men of the legion, and of the Nineteenth Georgia, and
mentioned particularly Lieutenant-Colonel Griffin, commanding his
infantry battalion, Major Conner, in command of skirmishers, and
Maj. Stephen D. Lee, commanding his artillery. In this affair the
Confederates had five regiments and a battery actually engaged, and
a brigade in support (but not engaged) on each flank. The return of
casualties by the Federal record shows losses in six regiments, and a
battery. The affair occurred for the most part in the woods east and
west of the road leading from Barhamsville to Eltham's landing, and
within range of the guns of the vessels in York river.
Arriving before the defenses of Richmond, General Johnston encamped
his army north and east of the city, with grand guards well out on the
roads leading from Richmond to the crossing of the Chickahominy, and in
the direction of the landings on the James. His cavalry, under Stuart,
was immediately in observation of the troops of Franklin at Eltham,
and of General McClellan's main advance from Williamsburg. The Federal
army moved up the peninsula by the roads leading to White House, on the
Pamunkey, and thence, on the north side of the Chickahominy, as far
as Mechanicsville. All the bridges, including the York river railroad
bridge crossing the Chickahominy, had been destroyed, and Johnston's
army was south of that stream. By the 20th of May, McClellan had
seized the crossings of the Chickahominy from Bottom's bridge up to
Meadow bridge, the latter point being immediately north of Richmond,
and within 5 miles of the defenses of the city. His left, at Bottom's
bridge, was about 12 miles in a direct line from the city's limits. The
general direction of the Chickahominy is from northwest to southeast,
between these points. By the 26th of May, the Third and Fourth corps
of the Federal army, under Generals Heintzelman and Keyes, had crossed
at Bottom's bridge, and by the 30th, the latter corps had intrenched
itself on the Richmond side of Seven Pines and Fair Oaks station, with
its right refused toward the Chickahominy swamp. The other corps of the
Federal army were north of the Chickahominy, opposite bridges which had
been constructed for their convenience in crossing. Heintzelman's corps
was in the vicinity of Bottom's bridge. There had been incessant rains,
and the whole country was flooded with water and the roads almost
impassable for artillery.
On the 30th of May, General Johnston determined to attack Keyes
on the 31st at Seven Pines, and crush his corps before it could be
reinforced from the north of the Chickahominy or to any extent by
Heintzelman from Bottom's bridge. To understand his plan of attack,
it will be necessary to explain the situation more minutely. Seven
Pines and Fair Oaks are about a mile apart, and distant from Richmond
about 7½ and 7 miles. Fair Oaks is on the railroad, and Seven Pines
on the Williamsburg road. Two roads which figure in this account, and
the railroad, run east from Richmond practically parallel for 5 miles,
the Nine-mile road to the north, below it the railroad, and further
south the Williamsburg road. At Old Tavern, 5 miles from Richmond, the
Nine-mile road turns southeast, crosses the railroad at Fair Oaks,
and joins the Williamsburg road at Seven Pines. About 2 miles from
Richmond, on the Williamsburg road, the Charles City road turns off
to the southeast. White Oak swamp lies between Seven Pines and the
Charles City road. To strike the corps at Seven Pines, the direct road
would be the Williamsburg road, with the Charles City road running to
the Federal left. To strike him at Fair Oaks, the direct road would be
the railroad, with the Nine-mile road coming to the same point (Fair
Oaks) from Old Tavern, and affording good points from which to turn the
Federal right.
Johnston's plan of attack was admirably considered. D. H. Hill's
division was to attack at Seven Pines by the Williamsburg road;
Brig.-Gen. Benjamin Huger's division was to attack the left flank by
the Charles City road; Longstreet's division was to attack at Fair
Oaks by the Nine-mile road, and W. H. C. Whiting's division was to
support the whole by guarding the Confederate left and watching against
reinforcements coming from the north side of the Chickahominy. The
plan was perfect, but it was not executed, except in one particular;
the attack assigned to D. H. Hill was a splendid achievement, and won
the main success of the day, May 31st. In securing that success, the
brigade of R. H. Anderson bore a most conspicuous part, and to describe
its operations is now the writer's duty.
The battle, which had been ordered to begin at an early hour in the
morning, was not opened until Hill led his splendid division to the
attack at 1 p. m. The four brigades of the division, Rodes and Rains
on the south of the road, and Garland and G. B. Anderson on the north
side, with Bondurant's and Carter's batteries, had beaten Casey's
Federal divisions with its supports, driven them back on the Federal
second line, at Seven Pines, captured eight guns, and was now attacking
the Federal line intrenched right and left across the Williamsburg
road, at Seven Pines, running toward Fair Oaks. Pressing his attack
on this position in front, and on the Federal left, Hill sent back
for another brigade to co-operate in the attack, by moving along the
railroad on his left and striking at the Federal right and rear. "In
a few moments," says General Hill, "the magnificent brigade of R. H.
Anderson came to my support," and being ordered by Hill immediately
on his extreme left, it began its effective operations. General Hill
ordered Colonel Jenkins, with the Palmetto sharpshooters and the Sixth
South Carolina, Colonel Bratton, to march through the woods beyond his
extreme left to the railroad, move down it toward the Federal right
flank at Seven Pines, and strike at the rear of that position, while
the rest of Anderson's brigade attacked on the immediate left of Hill,
between Casey's captured line and the railroad, Anderson directing
his own and Jenkins' movements. The sequel will show how remarkably
well these battlefield orders were carried out. Jenkins, with his
own and Bratton's regiment, and the Twenty-seventh Georgia, from one
of Hill's left brigades, formed line of attack in the woods, facing
northeast, and gallantly moved against a portion of General Couch's
division posted there. General Anderson, with the Fourth and Fifth
South Carolina, under Major Mattison and Colonel Giles, on the right of
Jenkins and on the immediate left of Hill's attacking troops, formed
his line in the same wood facing with Jenkins' line, but some distance
from it, and, supported by artillery fire from Hill's line, attacked
in his front a portion of General Naglee's troops. Both attacks were
successful and Couch's and Naglee's troops were beaten. Reaching the
railroad, Jenkins halted and dressed his line, the Twenty-seventh
Georgia being now recalled. Meeting General Anderson at the railroad,
Colonel Jenkins was directed by him to move on. The sharpshooters and
the Sixth marched ahead, fighting, and penetrated the Federal line,
cutting off a part of those troops from Seven Pines. Changing front
forward on his right, Colonel Jenkins, with his two regiments, now
facing southwest, attacked the right of the position at Seven Pines
on Hill's extreme left. "At this point," he reports, "the enemy,
heavily reinforced, made a desperate stand and the fighting was within
75 yards." Pushing on, the Federals slowly gave ground, and the two
regiments kept in close support and perfect order. Fighting forward and
to his right, Jenkins reached the Williamsburg road, the Federal forces
in his front falling back and taking position in the woods south of
it, while the two South Carolina regiments formed in line in the road,
facing south. The little brigade was now in a most critical position,
in advance of Hill's line, with the foe in front, and troops coming up
the Williamsburg road to attack his left.
Colonel Jenkins determined, as he says in his report, "to break the
enemy in front before I could be reached by this new advance [coming up
the Williamsburg road on his left], and then by a change of front to
meet them." This was handsomely done, and sending two companies of the
Sharpshooters, Kilpatrick's and Martin's, under Maj. William Anderson,
to attack and check the Federal advance, the two regiments were formed
across the road, facing south, while Jenkins' adjutant, Captain
Seabrook, hurried back for reinforcements. General Anderson, who had
led the Fourth and Fifth forward on Hill's left in the general attack,
sent the Fifth to Jenkins, under Lieut.-Col. A. Jackson, the gallant
Colonel Giles having been killed; and the Twenty-seventh Georgia was
also sent forward to him by General Hill. Before his reinforcements
reached him, the Federal advance was so near that their commands and
cheers could be heard, and the two regiments had been advanced to
within 100 yards of them. The Twenty-seventh Georgia was the first to
come up, and being placed on the right, the Sharpshooters in the center
and the Sixth (Lieutenant-Colonel Steedman commanding, Colonel Bratton
being wounded) on the left, Jenkins boldly advanced to meet his foe.
"The two commands neared each other, to 30 or 40 yards," says Colonel
Jenkins, describing this struggle. "Losing heavily, I pressed on, and
the enemy sullenly and slowly gave way, leaving the ground carpeted
with dead and dying." By this time the Fifth South Carolina volunteers
came up at the double-quick. The Twenty-seventh Georgia (which had been
repulsed) rallied and came forward on the right. Jackson came up on the
right of the Georgians, "sweeping before him the rallied fragments who
had collected and resumed fire from the woods to the right, and thus,
at 7:40 p. m., we closed our busy day." A day of splendid achievement!
In his fighting and maneuvering, Colonel Jenkins had advanced on the
arc of a circle for more than 2 miles, fighting first northeast, then
east, then southeast, then due south, and lastly east. "We passed," he
said, "through two abatis of fallen timber, over four camps, and over
artillery twice, driving the enemy from three pieces. We never fought
twice in the same place, nor five minutes in one place, and, steadily
on the advance, were under fire from 3 p. m. to 7:40 p. m." Gen. G.
W. Smith, in his exhaustive and able book on the battles of Seven
Pines and Fair Oaks, makes the following comment on this remarkable
achievement: "It is believed that the annals of war show few, if any,
instances of more persistent, skillful and effective 'battlefield
fighting,' than was done by the South Carolina regiments, under Colonel
Jenkins, on the afternoon of May 31st." The losses were heavy, as might
be expected, but unhappily there is no official report of them. Colonel
Bratton, after the war, reported to General Smith that the Sixth lost
269 killed and wounded, out of 521 taken into the action. The loss of
the Sharpshooters must have been fully as large. Speaking generally of
his losses, Colonel Jenkins says: "In my two color companies, out of 80
men who entered, 40 were killed and wounded, and out of 11 in the color
guard, 10 were shot down. My colors, pierced by nine balls, passed
through four hands without touching the ground." Capt. J. Q. Carpenter,
commanding the color company, lost 16 out of 28, "and ever in their
front, the fatal ball pierced his heart, when he turned to his company
and said, 'Boys, I am killed, but you press on.'"
While the battle of Seven Pines was in progress, General McClellan at
2 p. m. had ordered General Sumner's corps to cross the Chickahominy
and go to the assistance of the Federal forces now being driven by
Hill's division and R. H. Anderson's brigade. In the first advance
of Jenkins, it will be recalled that he cut through General Couch's
forces, dividing them and leaving a part in rear of his left flank.
This force was composed of four regiments and a battery of artillery,
which retreated beyond (north of) Fair Oaks, and with the brigade of
Abercrombie, stationed at Fair Oaks, took up a defensive line at the
Adams house, facing Fair Oaks. This line was commanded by General Couch
in person. In this position, Couch was on the left flank and rear of
Hill's battle and in place to be reinforced by Sumner, who came to his
support in time to save him from destruction by the attack of that
portion of General Johnston's army, under General Johnston's immediate
direction, whose headquarters were at Old Tavern, about 2 miles from
Fair Oaks. Anxious for the safety of the Confederate left, and fearing
that it might be attacked by forces from the north of the Chickahominy,
General Johnston had ordered the brigades of Whiting, Hood, Pettigrew,
Hatton and Hampton, under Whiting, at about 4 p. m., to march by Fair
Oaks to attack the Federal right and rear. The head of these troops
(Whiting's brigade), reaching Fair Oaks, were fired upon by Couch's
battery at the Adams house, and by his advanced pickets. A halt was
made to take the battery, and to drive the Federal infantry out of
reach of the road, when followed the battle of Fair Oaks, the effort of
which was to keep Sumner and Couch from the field at Seven Pines, and
leave Hill's division and Anderson's brigade masters of the battle in
that quarter. But this was the main effect of the Confederate attack
at Fair Oaks, for the battery was not taken, and Couch, reinforced by
at least a strong division from Sumner's advance, with artillery, held
his position against the assaults of Whiting, Pettigrew, Hatton and
Hampton. The latter commanded the only South Carolinians who were in
the engagement at Fair Oaks, the infantry of his legion.
There is no report from General Hampton, but the reports of Generals
Johnston and G. W. Smith define his position in the affair on the left
of the Confederate attack. General Smith says, that as the musketry
fire of Whiting, Pettigrew and Hampton rapidly increased, opening the
attack on Couch, he rode into the woods where the troops were engaged,
and learned from Col. S. D. Lee, of the artillery, that "General
Hampton had driven the enemy some distance through the woods, but that
they were being rapidly reinforced [by Sumner], held a strong position,
and extended beyond Hampton's left. The firing indicated that Whiting
and Pettigrew were being fully occupied by the enemy in their immediate
front." Hatton coming up, he was put in immediately between Hampton and
Pettigrew, and Gen. G. W. Smith ordered the line forward to carry the
Federal position. The woods were dense, the undergrowth thick, and the
smoke so great that officers leading their troops could not see "more
than a limited number of their men at any one time." General Smith
continues: "Various attempts were made to charge the enemy, but without
that concert of action necessary to success.... On no part of the line
where I was, did the enemy at any time leave their cover or advance one
single foot. Our troops held their position close to the enemy's line
until it was too dark to distinguish friend from foe." The attack had
been in progress for nearly two hours when darkness put an end to it.
The gallant Hatton was killed, and that noble and accomplished soldier,
Pettigrew, had fallen, badly wounded, so near the Federal line that
he was made prisoner. Brig.-Gen. Wade Hampton was seriously wounded,
but kept his horse, had the ball extracted by Surg. E. S. Gaillard on
the field, and refused to leave his troops. In this affair, Whiting's
brigade (commanded by Col. E. M. Law) lost in killed, wounded and
missing, 356; Pettigrew's, 341; Hampton's, 329; and Hatton's, 244;
total, 1,270. The Hampton legion infantry, General Smith reported,
suffered a greater loss by far in proportion to its numbers than any
other regiment of the division, being 21 killed and 120 wounded out of
350. These numbers were furnished by Surg. John T. Darby, acting chief
surgeon of Whiting's division.
Near the close of the action, General Johnston was unhorsed and
seriously wounded by a fragment of shell, and the command of the
Confederate army devolved upon Maj.-Gen. G. W. Smith, next in rank, who
was succeeded by Gen. R. E. Lee on the following day.
On June 18th a reconnoissance was made on the Nine-mile road by Gen.
J. B. Kershaw, with two regiments of his South Carolina brigade, the
Second, Col. J. D. Kennedy, and the Third, Col. J. D. Nance. With the
Second on the left and the Third on the right of the road, the front
covered by four companies deployed as skirmishers, under Captain
Cuthbert, and two companies under Maj. W. D. Rutherford, Kershaw
advanced. The skirmishers were soon engaged, and those of the Federal
force were driven back on the supports. The two regiments advanced to
within 70 yards of the Federal line, developed his position, forces,
etc., and then Kershaw withdrew to camp. In this affair, Kershaw lost
1 killed and 11 wounded, among the latter Capt. G. B. Cuthbert, of the
Second, and Capt. F. N. Walker, of the Third. Private W. H. Thompson,
Company E, was killed, and "the gallant Sergt. H. D. Hanahan," of the
Second, lost a leg.
The situation of the Federal army at this time (toward the close of
June) determined General Lee to take the aggressive. The center and
left of General McClellan were south of the Chickahominy, strongly
intrenched and covered by the cutting of trees in the dense forests.
The extreme left rested on White Oak swamp, and the right of the center
on the Chickahominy at New bridge. The Federal right, under Fitz John
Porter, was well and strongly posted behind Beaver Dam creek, north
of the Chickahominy, with a grand guard at Mechanicsville in front,
and outposts still beyond, guarding the crossing. General Lee's
determination was to attack this right and separated wing with three of
his divisions, calling Jackson's corps to co-operate. Jackson's march,
from his victorious campaign in the valley, was so directed that he
was expected to be at Ashland, 15 miles north of Richmond, on the 24th
of June. From Ashland a march of 15 miles, toward Cold Harbor, would
place his corps on the right flank and rear of the Federal position at
Beaver Dam, while A. P. Hill, D. H. Hill and Longstreet, with their
divisions, crossing the river at Mechanicsville, should carry that
place and the strong position at Beaver Dam.
The morning of the 26th (Thursday) was fixed by Lee for this concerted
movement against McClellan's right wing. But Jackson did not reach
Ashland until the night of the 25th, his march having been delayed
by obstructions put in his way by the Federal outposts, many bridges
being burned over streams crossing his march. It was after sunrise on
the 26th before Jackson left Ashland. He marched past the right flank
of the Federal position, at Beaver Dam, and went into camp 3 miles
in the rear of that flank, at Hundley's corner, in the evening. In
consequence, the bloody battle fought on the 26th, along Beaver Dam,
by the gallant division of A. P. Hill and Ripley's brigade of D. H.
Hill's division, was fought without Jackson's assistance. The Federal
position behind Beaver Dam was heroically assailed; but it was too
strong to be carried by Hill and Ripley, who suffered heavy losses.
With Ripley was Capt. A. Burnet Rhett's South Carolina battery, who
built a bridge, crossed the creek and, pushing up close to the enemy,
were in action until 10 o'clock at night, losing 11 wounded. They were
particularly complimented by A. P. Hill. With A. P. Hill were the South
Carolina batteries of Capts. W. K. Bachman and D. G. McIntosh, the
latter of which (Pee Dee artillery) probably fired the first gun at
Mechanicsville, and fired 160 rounds from each gun before night stopped
the fight. The brigade of General Gregg did not become actively engaged
on the 26th.
The position of Jackson, on the right and rear, and the divisions of D.
H. Hill and Longstreet in front, all fresh and ready for attack in the
early morning of the 27th, made the position of General Porter behind
Beaver Dam untenable, and he promptly retreated and took up a strong
position 3 miles further down the river.
On Friday morning (27th), A. P. Hill was ordered forward toward
Gaines' mill, the South Carolinians in advance. Gregg formed a line of
battle with the First volunteers, Col. D. H. Hamilton, and the Twelfth,
Col. Dixon Barnes, with skirmishers thrown out under Captains Cordero
and Miller; and the Thirteenth, Col. O. E. Edwards, and First Rifles,
Col. J. Foster Marshall, and Crenshaw's battery in support. They moved
forward across the creek, and through the discarded accouterments and
burning stores of the enemy, until coming out in an open, Cordero's
company was fired upon by artillery in front and Lieutenant Heise was
wounded. This apparently hostile force, according to the report of
General Gregg, proved to be Stonewall Jackson's command, with which
communication was at once opened. After a conference between Hill
and Jackson, Gregg marched on, and presently was stopped by General
Lee, who gave him further instructions. Longstreet, soon afterward,
informed Gregg that he was moving on a parallel road to the right.
The skirmishers became briskly engaged at Gaines' mill, but Gregg
soon ordered them forward at double-quick, and they gallantly drove
the Federal skirmishers before them. The brigade followed and bridged
Powhite creek. Hill reported of the crossing of the Powhite: "His
whole brigade being over, he made the handsomest charge in line I have
seen during the war." Gregg continued his advance, part of the time at
double-quick and with continual skirmish firing, descended the hollow
beyond Cold Harbor, driving out the enemy, and formed in line of battle
on the hillside beyond. He found the enemy above him and desired to
attack, but being refused, lay in position until 4 p. m., the artillery
firing going on overhead.
General Lee thus describes Porter's position, at which the battle of
Gaines' Mill, or Cold Harbor, was fought on the afternoon and evening
of the 27th of June:
He occupied a range of hills resting in the vicinity of the McGehee
house and his left near that of Dr. Gaines, on a wooded bluff,
which rose abruptly from a deep ravine. The ravine was filled with
sharpshooters, to whom its banks gave great protection. A second line
of infantry was stationed on the side of the hill behind a breastwork
of trees above the first; a third occupied the crest, strengthened
with rifle trenches and crowned with artillery. The approach to this
position was over an open plain, about a quarter of a mile wide,
commanded by this triple line of fire and swept by the heavy batteries
south of the Chickahominy. In front of his center and right the ground
was generally open, bounded on the side of our approach by a wood,
with dense and tangled undergrowth and traversed by a sluggish stream
which converted the soil into a deep morass.
Old Cold Harbor was in front of the Federal right, and Gaines' mill in
front of his right center, the length of his line being about 2 miles
and running in a curve from the "wooded bluff" on his left to a swamp
on his right. The attack on this position was made by two roads running
parallel with the Chickahominy, one going to the Federal left, and the
other by Gaines' mill, opposite his right center. Longstreet attacked
on the former, and A. P. Hill on the latter, D. H. Hill and Jackson
attacking from the direction of the Federal front and right. At 4 p.
m. A. P. Hill ordered his whole division forward, and the desperate
struggle began, in which every inch of ground was to be won by a great
sacrifice of life, and to be disputed with heroic firmness. Gregg, who
was first engaged, fought his way through the tangled wood and the
boggy morass to the foot of the main position, when, confronted by a
determined and unfaltering resistance, and his lines torn by artillery
from the crest in front and by a battery on his right flank, he could
make no further progress. Marshall was ordered to take the battery on
the right, and advanced gallantly, Perrin's, Joseph Norton's, Miller's
and Miles Norton's companies in front, under Lieutenant-Colonel
Ledbetter. The battery was withdrawn, but its support in the woods,
composed of a strong body of troops, among them the New York Zouaves,
held the ground in a fierce combat. The Zouaves attacking on the left
flank, Lieutenant Higgins promptly assembled 30 riflemen, and held
them in check. The attack being pressed anew, the regiment, having
lost 81 killed and 234 wounded out of 537, and being unsupported, was
forced to retire to its former position. But Marshall's gallant charge
and contest had driven off the battery, and Gregg ordered the First,
Twelfth and Thirteenth forward again. The struggle for the crest was
renewed with heroic zeal and courage, and met with splendid firmness,
driving Gregg back a second time. A third advance was ordered, and now
the Fourteenth, Col. Samuel McGowan, being by Gregg's request relieved
from outpost duty, was conducted by his aide, Capt. Harry Hammond, to
his right flank. Passing through Crenshaw's guns, McGowan's men moved
right forward, supported by the other shattered regiments of Gregg's
brigade. "Tired as they were," says Gregg, "by two days and nights of
outpost duty, and by a rapid march under a burning sun, they advanced
with a cheer and at a double-quick. Leading his regiment to the right
of the Thirteenth and across the hollow, Colonel McGowan arrived just
in time to repulse the advance of the enemy and prevent them from
establishing a battery on the brow of the hill." With varying success,
backward and forward, Gregg struggled to gain and pierce the Federal
line, but not until the final and united charge of Lee's whole line
was made at 7 o'clock, and when Hood had gained the "wooded bluff" and
turned the Federal left, did the Confederate commands mount the whole
line of defense and drive its heroic defenders from the field.
Gregg lost 829 (estimated) killed and wounded. The severest losses in
the brigade fell on the Rifles, the Fourteenth and the Twelfth. The
Rifles lost 319, the Fourteenth, 291, and the Twelfth, 155. At one
time every one of the color-guards of the First volunteers was shot
down around Colonel Hamilton, who took the colors. The color-bearer,
Sergeant Taylor, fell with the colors in his grasp, as he was planting
them forward of the line, and Corporal Hayne, seeing Colonel Hamilton
take the flag, seized it, and gallantly going forward, fell mortally
wounded. Private Spillman, of Company K, then took the flag and
carried it to the final charge in triumph to victory. He was promoted
color-bearer on the field for gallant conduct. Among the lamented
dead of the First was the gallant and accomplished Lieut.-Col. A. M.
Smith, who left a sick bed to take his place in his country's service.
In the Twelfth, Colonel Barnes was wounded, but did not leave the
field. Lieut. J. W. Delaney, commanding Company B, was killed in the
first assault; Captain Vallandingham lost a leg, and Captains Miller,
McMeekin and Bookter were wounded. In the Thirteenth, which was mainly
in support, the loss was not so heavy, 8 killed and 40 wounded. In the
Fourteenth, Colonel McGowan and Maj. W. J. Carter were wounded, as were
also Captains Brown, Taggart and Edward Croft, and Lieutenants Brunson,
O. W. Allen, Stevens, McCarley, Dorrah and Carter; and the gallant
Lieut. O. C. Plunkett, Company H, was killed on the field. The First
Rifles (known as Orr's Rifles) suffered terribly. Its gallant adjutant,
J. B. Sloan, Captains Hawthorne and Hennegan, Lieutenants Brown and
McFall, and Sergeant-Major McGee died heroically leading in Marshall's
charge. In Gregg's battle, a section of Capt. D. G. Mcintosh's battery
was called into action late in the afternoon, too late to take an
active part in the battle, as the enemy's artillery in front had been
silenced, or had retired. He lost 1 man killed and 2 wounded, and 5
horses killed.
The other South Carolina troops at the battle of Gaines' Mill were with
Hood and Longstreet. The brigades of Hood and Law composed Whiting's
gallant division, which had marched from Ashland as the advance of
Jackson's corps. They went into battle in the late afternoon, after A.
P. Hill had been fighting for two hours.[B] With Hood was the Hampton
legion infantry, under Lieut.-Col. M. W. Gary, and with Longstreet was
R. H. Anderson's South Carolina brigade. These troops had the honor of
taking part in Longstreet's and Whiting's final charge along the front
and flank of the Federal left, and were among the first to gain the
coveted crest and pierce and turn his flank, capture his artillery and
decide the day.
[Footnote B: While waiting for Jackson, Lee ordered Longstreet to make
a feint on the right, which became an assault, Whiting coming up in
time to join on Longstreet's left.]
Hood moved to the final assault with Hampton's legion on his left.
On the left of the legion was Law's splendid brigade. Immediately on
Hood's right was Pickett's brigade, and in support of Pickett the
brigades of Wilcox, Pryor and Featherston. Thus, in the decisive
charge, ordered by General Lee all along the battle line, they were
hurled against and around the "wooded bluff" on the Federal left. In
this grand assault, R. H. Anderson's brigade was divided, part of it
supporting Pickett and part Wilcox. The writer regrets that neither
General Anderson nor any one of his regimental commanders has a report
of the battle on file. The same is true of the Hampton legion, Colonel
Gary.
General Hood reports that he ordered the legion "to gain the crest of
the hill in the woods and hold it, which they did." General Longstreet,
reporting the action of his brigade, refers specially to the gallantry
of General Anderson and Colonel Jenkins, these officers commanding the
separated parts of the brigade of Anderson. In the official returns,
the loss of Anderson at Gaines' Mill and Glendale (Frayser's Farm) is
given in total at 787. The losses of the Fourth, Fifth and Palmetto
sharpshooters at Gaines' Mill are reported as 173. The losses of the
Second Rifles and Sixth South Carolina at this battle are not given
separately from Glendale. Hood reports the legion's loss at only 20.
Anderson's and Gary's losses at Gaines' Mill could not have been more
than 350, which was less than a half of Gregg's loss. Anderson and Gary
were only engaged in the last attack, and Gregg was fighting from the
opening of the battle to its close, with a short rest in the afternoon.
Referring to the gallant conduct of officers as well as soldiers,
General Longstreet remarks in his report upon the battle of Gaines'
Mill, that "there was more individual gallantry displayed on this
field than any I have seen." General Whiting, in closing his report,
pays the same tribute to a number of soldiers, and especially remarks
upon the conduct of Maj. John Haskell, of D. R. Jones' staff, who had
volunteered to carry information of the Federal movements to General
Lee, as they were observed from the south side of the Chickahominy,
and acted on General Longstreet's staff, as a volunteer aide. General
Whiting says:
Though not on my staff, I should not do right were I not to mention
here the chivalrous daring of young Major Haskell, of South Carolina.
His personal bearing in a most deadly fire, his example and directions
contributed not a little to the enthusiasm of the charge of the Third
brigade. I regret to say that the brave young officer received a
terrible wound from a shell (losing his right arm), but walked from
the field as heroically as he had gone into the fire.
The South Carolina batteries were more fortunate in their losses than
the infantry commands. Rhett, whose horse was shot under him, lost
2 wounded at Gaines' Mill; Bachman's battery (German Artillery) and
McIntosh's, only a few men each. The nature upon the ground was not
favorable to the Confederate artillery, and the batteries engaged under
great disadvantage.
Under cover of night, following the 27th, General Porter made good his
retreat by the bridges he had built across the Chickahominy, passing in
rear of McClellan's fortified line on the south side, and destroying
his bridges behind him. His defense was beyond criticism. Reinforced
from the south side by Slocum's division, he saved the army of
McClellan by inflicting a heavy blow on the victorious columns of Lee,
and by his able retreat at night. The timely arrival of two brigades,
coming up just as Porter's line was carried, covered his retreat
and successfully checked the disordered pursuit of the victorious
Confederates.
General McClellan does not estimate his loss in this battle separately
from those which immediately followed, but acknowledges the loss of
twenty-two pieces of artillery. Over 5,000 prisoners were taken by the
Confederates, and thousands of arms gathered from the fields and the
short line of Porter's retreat to the river.
McClellan's rear guard, Sumner's corps, and Smith's division of
Franklin's corps, made a stand on the 29th at Savage Station, covering
the crossing of White Oak swamp against Magruder's corps. The South
Carolina troops with Magruder were the brigade of General Kershaw and
Capt. James F. Hart's Washington artillery. Hart's battery was with D.
R. Jones' division. The Second, Col. John D. Kennedy; Third, Col. James
D. Nance; Seventh, Col. D. Wyatt Aiken, and the Eighth, Col. John W.
Henagan, with Kemper's battery, composed Kershaw's brigade of McLaws'
division.
Early in the morning of the 29th (Sunday), Kershaw was ordered to
advance on the Nine-mile road and develop the Federal position.
Kennedy, covered by a line of skirmishers under Maj. F. Gaillard, made
the advance and found the enemy beyond Fair Oaks, at Allen's farm. The
skirmishing became general and the enemy opened an artillery fire.
Having been repeatedly cautioned to avoid a collision with General
Jackson's forces, Kershaw restrained the fire of his men, and sent a
battle-flag to be waved on the railroad. He was then ordered back till
Magruder's other troops should take position.
At 3 p. m. Kershaw advanced along the railroad toward Savage Station.
The enemy had retreated, and when found again were in position on the
Williamsburg road, occupying the rifle-pits and intrenchments made,
doubtless, in McClellan's advance prior to the battle of Seven Pines.
The Second and Third were thrown forward toward the left and formed to
charge the position, while Kemper's battery opened a rapid fire that
drove back the enemy without the aid of the infantry,[C] and Kershaw
moved on to fight his battle at Savage's farm.
[Footnote C: Called by Sumner the battle of Allen's Farm.]
His line ran from the railroad to near the Williamsburg road. The
battle began in earnest at 5:30 p. m. by the opening of Sumner's
artillery on Kershaw's skirmishers under Gaillard and Rutherford,
and lasted into the night. Kemper took position in the Williamsburg
road, the Eighth on his right, in support, and the Second, Third, and
Seventh on his left. Kershaw ordered his left regiments to charge, and
they dashed into the wood, driving through to the open beyond. In this
charge a heavy loss was inflicted upon the opposing force, which was
thrown into much disorder, and many prisoners taken. But Kershaw could
not maintain his position. Kemper and the Eighth were attacked and his
right flank turned. To meet this emergency, he ordered his line back to
the original position from which he had charged the wood, and at the
critical moment Semmes' brigade attacked the force that had turned his
right. Semmes, supported by Kemper's fire and the Eighth, drove back
the flanking column, and Kershaw repelled the assault on his front.
Night had come and Kershaw's battle was over. Major-General McLaws
says: "The South Carolina brigade carried into action 1,496 men and
lost in killed 47, wounded 234, missing 9; total 290." Semmes had only
two regiments engaged and lost 64, and the loss in other commands of
Magruder's force was only 36 in killed and wounded, which shows that
Magruder's battle to beat McClellan's rear was fought by the brigades
of Kershaw and Semmes, and only two regiments of the latter at that.
The brunt fell on the gallant command of Kershaw and his splendid
battery. Hart's battery, which operated with Jones' division on
Kershaw's left, lost 5 men wounded, 2 mortally. Hart engaged the enemy
from D. R. Jones' right, "compelling the retreat out of view of the
enemy's infantry."
Jones put his division in admirable position on Kershaw's left for
attack, but he reports: "Scarcely had this disposition been made
when I received orders from General Magruder to fall back to the
railroad bridge with my whole command to support the right of his
line." This unfortunate order was inspired by Magruder's overrating
the movement which turned Kershaw's right, and which Semmes checked,
at little cost. But for Jones' withdrawal at the moment he was about
to attack, Savage Station might have been a harder blow to General
McClellan. McLaws compliments his brigade commanders in high terms.
Of Kershaw he says: "I beg leave to call attention to the gallantry,
cool, yet daring courage and skill in the management of his gallant
command exhibited by Brigadier-General Kershaw." Kershaw praises
the gallantry, self-possession and efficiency of his regimental
commanders, and the conduct of the men and officers. Lieut.-Col.
B. C. Garlington, of the Third, was killed, sword in hand, at the
head of his regiment. Lieut.-Col. A. D. Goodwyn, of the Second, and
Lieut.-Col. Elbert Bland, of the Seventh, were severely wounded and
honorably mentioned by Kershaw. Gaillard was distinguished in command
of the skirmishers. Kemper added to the laurels he won at Vienna,
Bull Run and Manassas. Captain Holmes and Lieutenants Doby and W. M.
Dwight, of the staff, were active and gallant in dispatching the orders
of their chief. The Second lost Captain Bartlett, "one of the most
gallant and conscientious officers belonging to it;" and Lieutenant
Perry, Company H, was severely wounded. The Third, besides its gallant
lieutenant-colonel, lost Capt. S. M. Lanford and Lieut. J. T. Ray.
Colonel Nance mentioned especially Capt. D. M. H. Langston and Maj. W.
D. Rutherford. The Seventh did not suffer as severely as the Third,
losing 82 killed and wounded. The Eighth, which was mainly in support
of Kemper's battery, lost but 2 killed and 8 wounded.
It appears from General Sumner's report, that three corps, his own,
Franklin's and Heintzelman's, were under his command and put in line
of battle at Savage Station. Heintzelman (15,000) was ordered to hold
the Williamsburg road, but before the attack by Kershaw, General
Heintzelman left the field, and crossed White Oak swamp. Sumner speaks
of the assault by Kershaw and Semmes as being met by Burns' brigade,
"supported and reinforced by two lines in reserve, and finally by the
Sixty-ninth New York (Irish) regiment." He also speaks of Brooks'
brigade "holding a wood on the left," "doing excellent service," and
though wounded, "keeping his command until the close of the battle."
He says the action was "continued with great obstinacy until some time
after dark, when we drove the enemy from the field." It is evident that
Kershaw attacked Generals Burns and Brooks, the Sixty-ninth New York,
and "two lines in reserve." The reader may determine whether Kershaw
and Semmes were "driven from the field" of Savage Station.
Sumner, having successfully guarded the passage of White Oak swamp by
his unequal battle with Kershaw's and Semmes' brigades and Kemper's
battery, followed Heintzelman's retreat at night, and crossing White
Oak marched to Glendale, near the junction of the Charles City and Long
Bridge roads. The passage across White Oak was skillfully broken up
and the roads approaching it obstructed. Franklin, with two divisions
and a brigade, stood on the south side, with batteries well posted, to
dispute the crossing. This he did throughout the whole of the 30th,
keeping Jackson's corps on the north side and effectually preventing
his taking any part in the battle of that day. While Jackson was
thundering at Franklin with his artillery, and Franklin was preventing
his passage of White Oak, McClellan was posting the divisions of
Hooker, McCall, Sedgwick, Kearny and Slocum in line of battle across
the Long Bridge road, confronting the expected advance of Lee down the
Charles City and Darbytown roads.
The troops of Lee that had won the bloody battle of the 27th, north
of the Chickahominy, did not cross that river in pursuit of McClellan
until the morning of the 29th, at which time General Lee became assured
that his able antagonist was retreating upon the James. His orders, as
in the case of the first assault on the 26th, were faultless. Jackson
was to cross at Grapevine bridge and press the rear of the retreat;
Magruder was to attack the flank on the Williamsburg road; Huger to
move down the Charles City road, and Longstreet and A. P. Hill down the
Darbytown to the Long Bridge road; and Holmes to cross from the south
side of the James and march down the New Market road. A glance at a
good map will show that this plan was perfect in its conception. But
McClellan was fully equal to this great emergency, and put White Oak
swamp on his right, guarded by Franklin, and his five divisions in his
center to meet the advance upon him down the Charles City and Darbytown
roads, and selected a veritable Gibraltar for his left, crowned by
artillery and defended by a fleet of gunboats and Porter's and Keyes'
corps.
In carrying out Lee's plan, everything miscarried but the movements
of Longstreet and A. P. Hill. We have seen how Kershaw and Semmes and
Kemper alone carried out Magruder's flank attack on the Williamsburg
road. On the 30th he was ordered to the Darbytown road and reached
it in time to come into effective battle on Longstreet's right, but
Holmes, moving on Malvern hill, saw that he had not force sufficient
to attack, sent for aid, and Magruder was sent to him. Neither of
these divisions was engaged on the 30th. Huger reported his march
obstructed by trees thrown across the road, had an affair with
outposts in his front, and was so badly balked in his march that he
did not reach the field of battle on the 30th. Jackson, whom Franklin
stopped at White Oak, served no other purpose on the 30th than to keep
Franklin's division and his artillery too busily engaged to join the
five divisions at Frayser's farm. All this reflects the highest credit
upon the military genius of McClellan, who directed the details of his
masterly retreat.
Longstreet, in advance, came up with the Federal battle line, as above
described, on the morning of the 30th. A. P. Hill was closed up on his
march. Finding the enemy drawn up across his road, in front of the
point where the Charles City road falls into it (Long Bridge road),
he put his division in line of battle, with A. P. Hill in reserve,
and waited anxiously to hear from Huger on his left, and Magruder and
Holmes on his right. He felt sure that Jackson, crossing White Oak,
would be in time to fall on the Federal right and rear. General Lee
and the President were both at his headquarters when a Federal battery
opened in his immediate front. A shell from this battery exploded so
near the group as to wound one of the couriers and kill several horses.
At this moment (4 p. m.) artillery fire was heard back on the Charles
City road, and Longstreet, taking it for the signal of Huger that he
was near at hand, ordered one of his batteries to reply, and the battle
of Frayser's Farm was opened. The artillery on the Charles City road
was Huger's affair with one of Franklin's outposts. R. H. Anderson, the
senior brigadier, was assigned by Longstreet to the immediate direction
of his front, and Colonel Jenkins commanded the South Carolina brigade,
the first engaged in battle. He was ordered to silence the battery
in front with his sharpshooters, but he preferred to capture it, and
led his brigade forward, charged, drove back McCall's division, and
seized Randol's battery. Longstreet's whole division now engaged, the
troops in his front being those of McCall's and Kearny's divisions. The
battle was forward for a time and McCall and Kearny gave ground, but
Slocum reinforced Kearny against the Confederate left, and Sedgwick
and Hooker against the right, so that Longstreet's right was pushed
back and his left checked and pressed. He was compelled to assume the
defensive, and ordered up A. P. Hill to his immediate support. Gregg's
South Carolina brigade was thrown into the battle on the extreme left.
Hill restored the battle to its first aggressive stage, and McCall's
division was forced to retire, and that general fell into Longstreet's
hands. Longstreet and Hill, with their twelve brigades, drove one of
the Federal divisions from the field, and successfully resisted the
attacks of the other four, gaining ground forward and holding in the
end of the struggle all that they gained. Gregg, on the left, and
Jenkins, in the center, bore their full share of the great contest, the
latter capturing the battery of Randol, which, being retaken, was again
captured by Hill's advance.
The battle lasted well into the night, the Federal divisions leaving
the field under the cover of darkness, followed by Franklin from White
Oak, to take their places in McClellan's last line on the James river.
There is no report from either R. H. Anderson, Gregg or Jenkins.
Longstreet specially mentions Anderson, Jenkins and Captain Kilpatrick
of the Palmetto sharpshooters in his report, for distinguished conduct.
A. P. Hill reports that Gregg was sent by General Longstreet's request
to support the brigades of Pryor and Featherston, and pushed their
battle forward. Featherston being wounded and for a time in the
enemy's hands, his brigade was driven back and scattered, "when," says
Hill, "Colonel McGowan, with the Fourteenth South Carolina, retrieved
our ground." Special mention is made by General Hill in his report
of Colonels McGowan, Edwards and Hamilton, and Lieutenant-Colonel
Simpson, of the Fourteenth. Gregg lost 12 killed and 105 wounded, the
heaviest loss falling on the Fourteenth. Jenkins lost over 450, 234
of these from the Sharpshooters, the remainder being nearly equally
divided among the other regiments. Longstreet and Hill took fourteen
pieces of artillery, thousands of arms, several stand of colors and
hundreds of prisoners. The battle that General Lee had planned to be
fought by all the divisions of his army was actually fought by two.
The Federal commanders greatly exaggerate the Confederate strength
in the battle. Before Gaines' Mill, A. P. Hill had 14,000 troops.
He could not have had more than 10,000 in his division at Frayser's
Farm. Nor could Longstreet's division have been larger. Kershaw
carried only 1,496 into the battle of Savage Station, and his was one
of Longstreet's best brigades. In McClellan's five divisions there
were fifteen brigades, which, at 1,500 each, would make his force at
Frayser's Farm greater than Longstreet's and Hill's by at least 2,500.
It must be remembered, too, that A. P. Hill was not put into the fight
until very late, when Longstreet had been engaged alone with the five
divisions. It was a stubborn battle, and well contested on both sides,
but the advantage was clearly with the Confederates.
In the battle of Malvern Hill, which followed the day after Frayser's
Farm, but one of Lee's South Carolina brigades was seriously engaged,
that of Kershaw. McClellan rapidly and skillfully concentrated his army
on the night of the 30th of June and the morning of July 1st. He thus
describes his position and concentration: "The left and center of our
lines rested on Malvern hill, while the right curved backward through a
wooded country toward a point below Haxall's, on James river. Malvern
hill is an elevated plateau about a mile and a half by three-fourths of
a mile in area, well cleared of timber, with several converging roads
running over it." In front of this position there was a good range for
artillery, and on its left (west) the plateau falls off abruptly into
a ravine. Expecting attack from the front and left of his position,
McClellan made those points strongest and massed his artillery there,
sixty pieces of artillery and ten siege guns being "so disposed on the
high ground that a concentrated fire could be brought to bear on any
point in his front or left." Commodore Rodgers placed his flotilla to
command both flanks. The general line faced north and was nearly at
right angles to the line of McClellan's retreat from Frayser's farm and
distant about 3½ miles from that battlefield.
Before this unassailable position General Lee brought up his whole
army. He resolved to attack with Magruder, Holmes and Huger, holding
A. P. Hill and Longstreet in reserve. To Magruder was assigned the
attack on Porter's position--the strongest on Malvern hill--supported
by Holmes, whose small division was in line on Magruder's right, facing
east. The attack was planned by Lee to be general along his whole
line; Holmes, then Magruder, then Huger, then Jackson. In spite of
McClellan's artillery, if this attack could have been made by noon, and
made by the whole line in a grand charge for the batteries, the Federal
army, already so terribly shaken, would have been unable to resist it,
and Lee's antagonist would have been literally driven to his gunboats.
Instead of all this, no attack was made until late in the evening.
Holmes did not attack at all, deeming it "perfect madness;" Magruder
and Huger, from the difficulty of communication with their commands,
and the wooded character of the country, put in their brigades one
after another, to charge across the open and up Malvern hill against
nearly one hundred guns, supported by the Federal army, in full view,
with the field and the woods swept by the gunboat batteries. Jackson
sent D. H. Hill and Whiting forward, in order, and supported them with
brigades from his own and Ewell's division, and they met a bloody
repulse; but they did not make the attack until after Magruder's and
Huger's brigades had been successively repulsed, some of them from the
very crown of the hill.
It was 6 o'clock before Kershaw was ordered forward. His description
of his advance will indicate what doubtless happened to other gallant
brigades. Being in McLaws' line, on the farm adjoining Crew's farm,
he was ordered by one of Magruder's staff to "advance and attack the
enemy's battery." Having no other instructions, in total ignorance
of the country, or the position of the foe, Kershaw marched half a
mile forward in a wood, nearing the sound of battle and moving really
immediately against Porter's front, his artillery sweeping the open
and the woods through which Kershaw was marching. Reaching at last
the open, passing "three lines of troops" who had preceded him in
the attack, he moved up a ravine to the slopes of Malvern hill. The
artillery and infantry fire in front and flank was thinning his ranks,
when his friends in rear (Twenty-sixth Georgia) by mistake opened
fire upon him. At this crisis he ordered the whole brigade to retire
and reform further to the right. While reforming on the Second South
Carolina, General Ewell called him to support immediately a brigade he
was about to lead against "the enemy's battery," and was so urgent,
that without waiting for the rest of his brigade, he led the Second in
support of Ewell's gallant and useless charge, and with this affair,
night having fully come, Kershaw's brigade had done the part assigned
to it at Malvern hill. The long march to this point, after the battle
of Savage Station, with its losses, had reduced the strength of the
brigade. Kershaw took into the advance on Malvern hill 956 men and
lost 164. The attack on Malvern hill failed of its purpose, but one
thing it did accomplish; the repeated assaults were so gallant and
determined, and pressed so near the enemy's guns, and inflicted so
great a loss upon him, and so many brigades rested at night so close
up to his defense, that he lost confidence in his ability to continue
his successful defense on Malvern hill, and gave up the position during
the night, leaving his dead unburied, his wounded in Confederate hands,
and property and stores of great value on the field. His retreat was to
a strong camp at Harrison's landing, immediately under the protection
of Commodore Rodgers' flotilla.
With Malvern Hill, Lee's battles with McClellan in front of Richmond
practically ended. McClellan reported his total losses, from June 26th
to July 1st, inclusive, at 15,249. Lee, for the same time, reported his
total loss at 18,351. In McClellan's report he acknowledges the capture
of 5,958 of his army, under the head of missing; but clearly he is
wide of the mark according to the actual count in Richmond. As General
Lee reported: "More than 10,000 prisoners, including officers of rank,
52 pieces of artillery, and upward of 35,000 stand of small-arms were
captured. The stores and supplies of every description which fell into
our hands were great in amount and value, but small in comparison with
those destroyed by the enemy."