Civil War >The Seven Days Battle

Battle Summary:McCllelan's forces advanced to within 15 miles of Richmond. On June 26th, Lee's forces attacked Union forces at Mechanicsville. The Union forces were victorious, but McClellan ordered a withdrawal to Gaines' Mill. There, Confederate forces broke Union lines the next day. McClellan then ordered a general withdrawal. Three more battles were fought, including one at Malvern Hill, in which Confederate troops were slaughtered, in an ill advised attempt to scale it. In the end however, McClellan withdrew all of his troops to Harrison Landing.

Documents on the Battle

More Info on the Battle
Early's View of the Battle
Seven Pines
Lee General Order
Lee's Report
Davis Report
Hanover Court and Gaines Mill
Stuart's Ride
AP Hill on Lee's Attack
Davis on Lee's Attack
The Battle of Malvern Hill

McClellans Reports

Photos

Battle of Fraser's Farm
Battle in the Swamps
Fair Oaks
Fighting in the Swamps
Savage Station
Searching for the Dead

More Info: McClellan Army finally advanced on Richmond. His army reached within 15 miles of the city. His forces were divided between the North and South sides of Chickahominy River. On May 31 the Confederate forces under the command of Joseph Johnston attacked the divided Union forces, at Fair Oaks or Seven Pines as it was known. The plan was simple, but the execution failed totally. The confederate forces attacked piecemeal, instead of in one group. The results was that no significant ground was gained. 6134 confederates were killed or wounded, as against 5031 Union troops. One Confederate casualty was more important then others. On the evening of May 31 confederate commander Joseph Johnston was severely wounded. Robert E Lee was appointed as the new confederate commander.

One of Lee's first action was to order James Ewell Brown Stuart to scout out union positions. Stuart led his 1200 cavalry troopers on a three day ride around Union lines. In his spectacular ride he completely circled Union forces.

Lee knew that he had to attack before McClellan could begin a siege of Richmond. On June 26th he attacked at Mechanicsville, the far flank of the Union line. The brunt of the attack was made by the forces of AP Hill. It was a lopsided fight. The Confederates sustained 1500 casualties, while the Union sustained only 400. McClellan however, felt that with overwhelming confederate forces liable to attack he should withdraw the forces to a more defensible position at Gaines Mill.

The next day Lee attacked again. The battle went on for the whole day, by the end of the day Confederate forces succeeded in breaking through Union lines at Turkey Hill. When the results of the battle became known McClellan made the decision to give up his base of supply at the White House and move it to Harrison's landing. He gave orders for all his forces to retreat to the James River. McClellan, even though his losses had been lower then the Confederate losses to date, was convinced he had lost.

He wrote: "If we have lost the day we have yet preserved our honor & no one need blush for the Army of the Potomac. I have lost this battle because my force was too small. I again repeat that I am not responsible for this & I say it with the earnestness of a General who feels in his heart the loss of every brave man who has been needlessly sacrificed today. I still hope to retrieve our fortunes, but to do this the Govt. must view the matter in the same earnest light that I do you must send me very large reinforcements, & send them at once.
I shall draw back to this side of the Chickahominy & think I can withdraw all our material. Please understand that in this battle we have lost nothing but men & those the best we have.
In addition to what I have already said I only wish to say to the Presdent that I think he is wrong, in regarding me as ungenerous when I said that my force was too weak. I merely reiterated a truth which today has been too plainly proved. I should have gained this battle with (10,000) ten thousand fresh men. If at this instant I could dispose of (10,000) ten thousand fresh men I could gain the victory tomorrow.
I know that a few thousand men more would have changed this battle from a defeat to a victory as it is the Govt must not & cannot hold me responsible for the result."

McClellan had over 60,000 troops that were not engaged during this battle.

As the Army of the Potomac withdrew across the Peninsular, Lee attempted to destroy it at Savage Station on June 29th and Glendale on June 30. Lee made a final effort at Malvern Hill to destroy the Union army. The Hill was well defended, and 5590 confederates died while trying to scale it. The union lost only a third as many. So the Seven Days campaign came to an end. The confederates who had started out with less men then the union, lost more in the campaign. However, when the battle opened Union forces threatened Richmond. When it ended McClellan's army of the Potomac was bottled up in Harrison Landing.