Thomas Vineyard - Battles of the Civil War

McClellan became convinced that Jackson was really approaching with a large force, and decided to change his base to the James River, leaving Porter with the Fifth corps on the banks of the Chickahominy, to prevent Jackson from interrupting this gigantic movement. It involved marching an army of 100,000 men, with a train of 5,000 heavily loaded wagons, and many siege-guns, together with 3,000 cattle to be driven across the marshy peninsula.

On the night of the 26th, McCall's division was directed to fall back to the bridges across the Chickahominy near Gaines' Mill, and there make a stand, for the purpose of holding back the Confederates. Just before daylight the operations of moving the troops began.

The Confederates were equally alert, and opened a heavy fire upon the retreating columns. The Union force under McCall, by being skillfully handled, succeeded in reaching their new position on the Chickahominy heights, and on the morning of the new day made ready for action. The selection of this ground had been well made; they occupied a series of heights fronted on the west by a cycle shaped stream. The land beyond was an open country, through which a creek meandered sluggishly, and beyond this a densely tangled undergrowth. Around the Union position also were many patches of woods, affording cover for the reserves.

To protect the Federals, trees had been felled along their front, out of which barriers, protected by rails and knapsacks, were erected.

Jackson's forces had united with those of Longstreet and the two Hills, and were advancing with grim determination of victory.

It was two o'clock, on June 28th, when General A. P. Hill swung his division into line for the attack. He was unsupported by the other divisions, which had not yet arrived on the field. His columns moved rapidly toward the Union front, and was met by a hailstorm of lead from Porter's artillery, which sent messages of death to the approaching lines of gray.

The Confederate front recoiled from the incessant outpour of grape, canister and shell. The repulse threw the Confederates into great confusion. Many left the field in disorder. Others threw themselves on the ground to escape the withering fire, while some held their places.

The Federals were reënforced by General Slocum's division of Franklin's corps.

Lee ordered a general attack upon the entire Union front. Reënforcements were brought up to take the place of the shattered regiments. The troops moved forward in the face of a heavy fire and pressed up the hillside against the Union line at fearful sacrifice. It was a death grapple for the mastery of the field.

At this time General Lee observed Hood of Jackson's corps coming down the road bringing his brigade into the fight. Riding forward to meet him, Lee directed that he should try to break the Union line. Hood, in addressing his troops, said that no man should fire until ordered, then started for the Union breastwork 800 yards away. They moved rapidly across the open under a shower of shot and shell. At every step the ranks grew thinner and thinner. They quickened their pace as they passed down the slope and across the creek. Not a shot had they fired. With the wing of death hovering over all, they fixed bayonets and, dashing up the hill into the Federals' line, with a shout they plunged through the felled timber and over the breastworks. The Union line had been pierced and was giving way, and the retreat was threatening to develop into a general rout. But the Federals at this moment were reënforced by the brigades of French and Meagher of Sumner's corps. This stopped the pursuit and, as night was at hand, the Southern soldiers withdrew. The battle of Gaines' Mill was then over.

General Lee believed that McClellan would retreat down the Peninsula, but on June 29th, this being the next day after the battle of Gaines' Mill, he became convinced that the Federals were moving towards the James River. Longstreet and A. P. Hill were again ordered to take up the pursuit of the Federals.

McClellan had left Sumner to guard his retreating columns. Sumner followed up in the rear of the Federals and brought his men to a halt at what is known as the "Peach Orchard," near Savage's Station, and successfully resisted the spirited fire of musketry and artillery of the Confederates. On this same Sunday evening he was attacked by General Magruder with a large force, who was following close on the heels of the Army of the Potomac. Magruder brought his artillery into action, but failed to dislodge the Federals. He then charged the Union breastworks and was met with a vigorous fire, and the battle raged over the entire field. Both sides stood their ground until darkness closed the contest. The battle of Savage's Station was now over. Before midnight Sumner had withdrawn his forces and was following after the wagon trains of McClellan.

The Confederates were pursuing McClellan in two columns, one led by Jackson and the other by Longstreet. The division under Longstreet came upon the Federals at Glendale, where they were guarding the right flank of the retreat. The Federals were attacked by a part of Longstreet's division led by General McCall, but was repulsed with great loss. Longstreet ordered a general attack. One Alabama brigade charged across the field in the face of the Union batteries. The men had to go a distance of 600 yards. The batteries let loose grape and canister, while volley after volley of musketry sent its death-dealing messages among the Southerners. But nothing except grim death itself could check their impetuous charge. Pausing for an instant, they delivered a volley of musketry and attempted to seize the guns. Bayonets were crossed and men engaged in a hand-to-hand struggle. Darkness closed on the fearful scene, yet the fighting continued. The Federals finally withdrew from the field to follow up their retreating columns.

There fell into the hands of the Confederates a field hospital, filled with the wounded, gathered from the fields of Gaines' Mill, Savage's Station and Glendale. These wounded were taken charge of as prisoners, along with their attending physicians. This proved to be a great burden to the Confederates, as they were taxed to their utmost caring for their own wounded.

By this series of engagements McClellan was enabled to reach Malvern Hill, on the James River, with his army intact. By noon on July 1st his last division had reached its position. The Confederates, led by Longstreet, were close on his trail, and were soon brought up to the Union outposts.

Malvern Hill, a plateau a mile and a half long and half a mile wide, with its top bare of woods, commanded a view of the country over which the Confederates must approach. Around the summit of this hill McClellan had placed tier after tier of batteries, arranged like an amphitheater. On the top were placed several heavy siege guns, his left flank being protected by the gunboats in the river. The morning and early afternoon were occupied by several Confederate attacks, sometimes formidable in their nature, but Lee planned for no general move until he could bring up a force which he thought sufficient to attack the strong position of the Federals. The Confederates had orders to advance, when a signal shout was given by the men of Armistead's brigade. The attack was made late in the afternoon by General D. H. Hill, and was gallantly done, but no army could have withstood the fire from the batteries of McClellan as they were massed upon Malvern Hill. All during the evening brigade after brigade tried to force the Union lines. They were forced to breast one of the most devastating storms of lead and canister to which an assaulting army has ever been subjected. The round shot and grape cut through the branches of the trees. Column after column of Southern soldiers rushed upon the death dealing cannon, only to be mowed down. Their thin lines rallied again and again to the charge, but to no avail. McClellan's batteries still hurled their missiles of death. The field below was covered with the dead, as mute pleaders in the cause of peace. The heavy shells from the gunboats on the river shrieked through the timber and great limbs were torn from the trees as they hurtled by. Darkness was falling over the combatants. It was nine o'clock before the guns ceased firing, and only an occasional shot rang out over the gory field of Malvern Hill.