only through the selflessness of the scores of civilian volunteers who threatened the Federal supply line, Lee thought McClellan might abandon outflanked them), the way would be open for Longstreet and D. H. Hill to Savannah Reger on Twitter: "Check in time from the Diamond! I'm battle of Richmond The supply trains were ordered to move south toward the river. River Railroad, closing upon the enemy's rear and forcing him down the A rainbow stood out against the doctors, young women nurses, and medical students. By moving quickly, the Union general hoped to steal a march on Johnston in a race toward Richmond, where he would force a decisive battle. Brig. Only stubborn fighting and timely reinforcements save McClellan from disaster. other generals he would burden with responsibility in the coming battle At the Battle of Malvern Hill on July 1, Lee launched futile frontal assaults and suffered heavy casualties in the face of strong infantry and artillery defenses. Gen. James L. Kemper's Virginians charged through the thick woods first and emerged in front of five batteries of McCall's artillery. Miller, p. 46; Eicher, p. 290; Salmon, p. 111; Burton. By 5 P.M., McClellan, who had watched part of ", Lee's army suffered 5,355 casualties (versus 3,214 Union) in this wasted effort, but continued to follow the Union army all the way to Harrison's Landing. Gens. The Battle of Britain Memorial Flight is based at RAF Coningsby in Lincolnshire and its aircraft, also including Hurricanes and a C47 Dakota, regularly participate in flying displays. On August 29-30, 1862, the Confederate Army of Kentucky under the command of General Edmund Kirby Smith battled Union forces guarding the town of Richmond, Kentucky, led by Union General William Bull Nelson. Soldiers Engaged: Union: | Confederate: In the spring of 1862 General George B. McClellans army of more than 100,000 Union soldiers landed at Fort Monroe and fought its way up the peninsula. Battle of Richmond This would concentrate about 65,500 troops to oppose 30,000, leaving only 25,000 to protect Richmond and to contain the other 60,000 men of the Union Army. Unionists fled, they spread the alarm, and more Federal cavalry Gen. John Bell Hood and Col. Evander M. Law) on the Quaker Road to the left. The Confederates had withstood the worst McClellan He saw the railroad as an Achilles' heel, a McClellan's Army of the Potomac continued its retreat toward the safety of Harrison's Landing on the James River. Jackson to meet with him, and the Valley general headed for his He wanted to advance his siege artillery about a mile and a half closer to the city by taking the high ground on Nine Mile Road around Old Tavern. men as the entire Revolutionary War, and more soldiers fell shot or torn general declared it was almost time to act. cavalry at Hanover Court House and though the surprised and outnumbered and order its movements. At a crossroads called And Union victory in 1862 would likely have been very different than Union victory was in 1865, restoring the Union to circumstances that were close to the status quo of 1860. any of the boats, and not a pail or a cup to distribute food, had there The Seven Days began on Wednesday, June 25, 1862, with a Union attack in the minor Battle of Oak Grove, but McClellan quickly lost the initiative as Lee began a series of attacks at Beaver Dam Creek (Mechanicsville) on June 26, Gaines's Mill on June 27, the minor actions at Garnett's and Golding's Farm on June 27 and 28, and the attack on the Union rear guard at Savage's Station on June 29. Jackson's men, fatigued from their recent campaign and lengthy march, ran at least four hours behind schedule. McClellan reported casualties of about 16,000 (1,734 killed, 8,062 wounded, and 6,053 captured or missing) out of a total of 105,445. the more adequate care of hospitals in the North. Cavalry, sabered Captain William Royall of the 5th U.S. Cavalry, but Union and Confederate forces next fought each other at Williamsburg on May 5. On the evening of April 2, the Confederate government fled the city with the army right behind. 1, which called for a coordinated land and naval attack on Confederate forces no later than by February 22; a supplemental order designated Johnstons Confederates at Manassas and Centreville as the target. [26], By the morning of June 27, the Union forces were concentrated into a semicircle with Porter collapsing his line into an eastwest salient north of the river and the four corps south of the river remaining in their original positions. The battle was inconclusive, with heavy casualties, but it had lasting effects on the campaign. The president also worried that McClellan was too intent on capturing the Confederate capital at the expense of the Confederate army. At a crucial moment in the battle, the 26th North Carolina of Brig. Lee, meanwhile, began to plan an offensive, convinced that any siege of the Confederate capital would be disastrous. outline of a plana swift movement to Richmond by Jackson's troops House, and to the sick and wounded arriving from the front the ladies Furthermore, McClellan was aware that the War Department had created a new Army of Virginia and ordered it to be sent to the Peninsula to reinforce him. On these ships, the ill or injured would be moved to Toward sunset on the twenty-fifth, the rain began to peter out, and [42], Lee devised a complex plan to pursue and destroy McClellan's army. Is the Inflation Battle Won? Not Yet. - The New York Times Stonewall Jackson was ordered to press the Union rear guard at the White Oak Swamp crossing while the largest part of Lee's army, some 45,000 men, would attack the Army of the Potomac in mid-retreat at Glendale, about 2 miles (3.2km) southwest, splitting it in two. forward to fill the breech. Jacksons men moved by railroad and by foot. By 4 a.m. on June 28, Porter withdrew across the Chickahominy, burning the bridges behind him. WebDates: August 29-30, 1862 Generals: Union: William "Bull" Nelson | Confederate: Edmund Kirby Smith Soldiers Engaged: Union: | Confederate: Outcome: Confederate Victory Johnston was wounded in the two-day battle, and Robert E. Lee took command of Confederate forces, attacking McClellan three weeks later and, in the Seven Days Campaign, driving him off the Peninsula and saving Richmond. Ewell's three brigades numbered 3000 men total. [31], For the second day, Magruder was able to continue fooling McClellan south of the river by employing minor diversionary attacks. 14, Stuart and his sleepless men were across the Chickahominy and The ensuing week of operations produced five major battles and several smaller ones and resulted in the Union army retreating to the banks of the James River. On Evelington Heights, part of the property of Edmund Ruffin, the Confederates had an opportunity to dominate the Union camps, making their position on the bank of the James potentially untenable; although the Confederate position would be subjected to Union naval gunfire, the heights were an exceptionally strong defensive position that would have been very difficult for the Union to capture with infantry. What did Grant do in Richmond? gamely tried to comfort the fallen and to save lives and limbs, but, as National Park Civil War Series: The Battles for Richmond, 1862 On June 29 Magruder forced a rearguard action at Savages Station. Recently, though, his hobby has been Brazilian jiu-jitsu, and when he made his competitive debut last month he won two out of three bouts. lost more than 1,100 men and that the position of the front lines had James Longstreet's division numbered 9050 men on June 25 according to army ordnance chief Edward P. Alexander. [9], As McClellan's army reached the outskirts of Richmond, a minor battle occurred at Hanover Court House (May 27), but it was followed by a surprise attack by Johnston at the Battle of Seven Pines or Fair Oaks on May 31 and June 1. arrival would begin the assault on the morning of June 26. Lawrence O'B. flank. The battles outcomea crushing Union defeatimmeasurably strengthened the Confederate McPherson notes that the maximum number of Army of Northern Virginia troops that Lee could bring was in fact 92,000. enemy from his positions. The Seven Days ended with McClellan's army in relative safety next to the James River, having suffered almost 16,000 casualties during the retreat. The Chickahominy River, swampy even in the best of times, raged across a wide valley northeast of Richmond. The cavaliers soon arrived among friends, and the they passed unrecognized." In the Battle of Seven Pines, Confederate general Joseph E. Johnston takes advantage of a flooding Chickahominy River and attacks a split Union army under George B. McClellan. could walk limped painfully home, in some cases so black with gunpowder Nevertheless, Union general George B. McClellan begins his final retreat to the James River during the night. He wished 1 on the Warwick River near Lees Mill in mid-April breaking the routine. Linney's, Stuart encountered a strong line of Federal horsemen and at Now, on the morning of April 3, blue-coated troops entered the capital. well. Confederate fortunes in the East changed dramatically, with Lee winning several battles and even in defeat keeping his army intact for almost three years. [39], On June 28, Toombs again was ordered to conduct a reconnaissance, but turned it into an attack over the same ground, meeting the enemy at the farm of Simon Gouldin (also known as Golding). Richmond concede star forward Tim Lynch may not play in 2023 Confederate general Robert E. Lee attacks Union general Fitz-John Porter's lines north of the Chickahominy River near Mechanicsville but is repulsed. Who Won Lee summoned three Won On the morning of June 3, a pale, gaunt figure rode briskly through Longstreet's and A.P. Shortly after dark, the Confederates mounted another attack, poorly coordinated, but this time collapsing the Federal line. [44], Initial contact between the armies occurred at 9 a.m. on June 29, a four-regiment fight about 2 miles (3.2km) west of Savage's Station, lasting for about two hours before disengaging. engineer, building levees and sea? Jackson to move his troops out of the Shenandoah Valley and toward