The battle of oak grove, also known as the battle of frenchs field or kings school house, took place on june 25, 1862, in henrico county, virginia, the first of the seven days battles peninsula campaign of the american civil war. The wilmington daily journal of 28 june 1862 included this report, received by telegraph, of military action around richmond, virginia. What was the significance of the seven days battles and. The accompanying tables contain the lists of our casualties in the series of engagements. Why did the confederates win the battle of seven days. Apr 18, 2006 battle of beaver dam creek june 26, 1862 beaver dam creek, or mechanicsville, was the first major battle of the seven days.
His losses in battle exceeded our own, as attested by the thousands of dead and wounded left on every field, while his subsequent inaction shows in what condition the survivors reached the protection to which they fled. Hardy, johnathan reynolds smith, seven days battles, virginia comments off on 2 july 1862. Okeefe takes us on a heartpounding journey at the sharp end of combat during the. Heavy fighting began on june 26 at the battle of mechanicsville and continued for the next five days.
Second, the reversal of fortune in the seven days battles has. It was the start of general mcclellans offensive attack which threatened the confederate capital of richmond. This campaign title is significantly different from the earlier volume in several respects. The irish brigade 2d brigade, 1st division, 2d corps at sevendays battles peninsular campaign. Even though this was a win for the confederates, neither side came out victorious. Seven days battles 1862 engagement of the american civil war that ended the peninsular campaign. The best books on the seven days and the peninsula tocwoc. A week of sharp skirmishing preceded the seven days campaign.
Zeller is another fine book on a vermont unit by this same author, all of which have been published by mcfarland. The seven days battle or seven days campaign took place from june 25 to july 1, 1862 and featured six different battles along the virginia peninsula east of richmond. The irish brigade 2d brigade, 1st division, 2d corps at seven days battles peninsular campaign. Jul 03, 2017 in the seven days battles, the confederates sustained a horrific 20,204 casualties 3,494 killed, 15,758 wounded, and 952 missing, or nearly 25 percent of the armys total. Lees defense of richmond konstam, angus osprey publishing ltd. Its all here, in addition to the authors theory of how the seven days represented a kind of microcosm of the whole war to come, as well as what could have been had the battles concluded differently. Angus konstam, a very prolific and efficient osprey author, follows up his campaign title fair oaks 1862 with its sequel, seven days battles 1862. Union casualties from the 34,214 engaged were 6,837 894 killed, 3,107 wounded, and 2,836 captured or missing. The author also provides a detailed order of battle and bibliography. Seven days battles 1862 campaign 3 konstam, angus, walsh, stephen on. This was the regiments first real battle, and it suffered significant casualties. Mcclellan, away from richmond and into a retreat down the virginia peninsula.
Sep 06, 2012 mechanicsville the battle of beaver dam creek, also known as the battle of mechanicsville, took place on june 26, 1862 as the second major battle of the seven days battles during the peninsula campaign of the american civil war. Lee and the confederate army attempted to capture the union army under general george b. The seven days battles, which concluded the peninsula campaign, was the bloody sequence of battles around richmond, virginia, that began on june 25, 1862, and lasted for a week. The weapons used during the civil war were far more accurate than previous weapons and old strategies would lead to countless casualties as generals slowly and painfully learned new ways of fighting in a world of industrial warfare and civil war weapons. Mcclellans peninsular campaign in spring 1862, after brief engagements at yorktown and williamsburg, confederate gen. The article was published on the fourth day of the seven days battles. What mini battles made up the seven days battle during the. As the battle ended, mcclellans army of the potomac was bottled up in harrison landing. Mcclellan advanced his lines with the objective of bringing richmond within range of his siege guns. The following is a list of the casualties count in battles in world history.
Lee, was vastly outnumbered, but still managed to harass and fight off the more conservative union army, led by. After the battle of seven pines the federal army, under general mcclellan, preparatory to an advance upon richmond, proceeded to fortify its position on the chickahominy and to perfect the communications with its. Mechanicsville, gaines mill, savage station, frayerss farm, and malvern hill. The 20th indiana volunteer infantry regiment was assigned to the third corps, which led the union attack on june 25. Seven days battles june 25july 1, 1862, series of american civil war battles in which a confederate army under general robert e. The list includes both sieges not technically battles but usually yielding similar combatrelated deaths and civilian casualties during the battles. Second, the reversal of fortune in the seven days battles has been identified as the first great turning point in the war. The irish brigade at sevendays battles peninsular campaign. The seven days battles, fought june 25july 1, 1862, were the decisive engagements of the peninsula campaign during the american civil war 18611865. Peter shall be as well cared for as if the general were alive. Mcclellans union forces and thwarted the northern attempt to capture the confederate capital of richmond, virginia. See more ideas about war, american civil war and civil war photos. The seven days ended with mcclellans army in relative safety next to the james river, having suffered almost 16,000 casualties during the retreat.
Mcclellan, the union commander, inflicted twice as. Hugers orders had not specified a time that the attack was scheduled to start and he was not awakened until he heard a division marching nearby. It was at the battle of seven pines near richmond on may 31, 1862, the first day of the twoday battle during george b. Mcclellan, was over 100,000 men strong yet was steadily driven away from the ultimate goal of. On june 1, lee, having replaced johnston who was wounded on may 31, drove the invading union army of the potomac, commanded by mcclellan, away from richmond and into a retreat down the virginia peninsula. What mini battles made up the seven days battle during. Mcclellan had attempted to march his army of the potomac up the peninsula between the york and james rivers but was stalled first at. The book does not gloss over the momentbymoment unfolding of battles or the viewpoint of the common soldier. Peninsula campaign civil war seven days battles virginia map. Posted in southern historical collection tagged 6th virginia infantry regiment, aristides spyker smith, battle of malvern hill, casualties, death notifications, edward m.
Two hours of heavy fighting between hill and mccalls division resulted. Still, when the battle opened union forces threatened richmond. Jul 01, 2012 books focusing on the peninsula campaign and the seven days. The brigades first general engagement was at elthams landing on may 7, 1862, where it lost 36 men killed and wounded. Seven days battles conclusion in the end both sides suffered from many casualties and significant war expenses. Mcclellan was forced to retreat from a position 4 miles 6 km east of the confederate capital to a new base of operations at harrisons landing on the james river. Why did the confederates win the battle of seven days answers. Its all here, in addition to the authors theory of. Seven days battles around richmond virginia civil war map. Mcclellan, away from richmond and into a retreat down.
Nearly twothirds of the battles casualties occurred on a single daymay 3, which produced more dead and wounded than the entire first battle of bull run first manassas. The confederates who started out with less men than the union, lost more men in the campaign. Determined to hurl the union forces back from the confederate capital, richmond, lee attacked mcclellan again and again at mechanicsville, gaines mill, savages. The battles and their personal aftermath by paul g. The oxford companion to american military history dictionary. Mechanicsville the battle of beaver dam creek, also known as the battle of mechanicsville, took place on june 26, 1862 as the second major battle of the seven days battles during the peninsula campaign of the american civil war. Cullen, the peninsular campaign 1862, bonanza books brian k. The seven days battles was a series of six major battles over the seven days from june 25 to july 1, 1862, near richmond, virginia. Of course, the seven days battles are the heart of the book, and lengthy chapters cover the vermont brigades involvement in the fighting at garnetts hill june 27 and gouldins farm june 28, the battle of savages station june 29, and white oak swamp june 30.
Hill grew impatient and began his attack without orders. It was fought from april 30 to may 6, 1863, in spotsylvania county, virginia, near the village of chancellorsville. The battle of seven pines, also known as the battle of fair oaks or fair oaks station, took place on may 31 and june 1, 1862, in henrico county, virginia, as. It had been the bloodiest week in american history, producing more than 34,000 casualties 19,000 confederate, 15,000 union. Battle of beaver dam creek june 26, 1862 beaver dam creek, or mechanicsville, was the first major battle of the seven days. The battle of antietam is known as the bloodiest battle of the american civil war. Subsequently, however, mcclellan, having suffered heavy casualties, withdrew, leaving the field to the confederates under robert e. Seven days battles date june 25 july 1, 1862 location hanover county and henrico county, virginia victor confederate victory contenders united states union confederate states military leaders george b. What was the significance of the seven days battles and how.
The best books on the seven days and the peninsula. Lee military units in battle army of the potomac army of northern virginia unit strength 104,100 92,000 casualties and deaths total. The division of major general james longstreet lost 40 percent of its strength. Lee launched a series of disjointed assaults on the nearly impregnable union position on malvern hill. In point of fact, the seven days battles were a union victory in. Seven days battle casualties june 26 july 1, 1862 source. Mcclellans union forces and thwarted the northern attempt to capture the.
On june 29, the main body of the union army began a general withdrawal toward the james river. There were six major battles fought during this time near the city of richmond, virginia. The seven days battles were a series of seven battles over seven days from june 25 to july 1, 1862, near richmond, virginia, during the american civil war. The two most important results culminating from the seven days battles june 25july 1, 1862 around richmond were that 1 general robert e. In the seven days battles, the confederates sustained a horrific 20,204 casualties 3,494 killed, 15,758 wounded, and 952 missing, or nearly 25 percent of the armys total. After the battle of fair oaks the union general george b.
The battle of chancellorsville was a major battle of the american civil war 18611865, and the principal engagement of the chancellorsville campaign. The emergence of lee dowdey, clifford university of nebraska press 0803265948. They leisurely pursued mcclellan along the north bank of the chickahominy river, arriving at the citys outskirts on 17 may 1862. Map seven days battle online exhibit pritzker military. Cullen, the peninsular campaign 1862, bonanza books. The seven days battles was a series of six major battles over seven dayssummary the first battle of the seven days battle was actually the battle of oak grove, which took place on the 25th, and then the battle of beaver dam creek on the 26th. Although the rest of whitings division was heavily engaged with considerable casualties, the texas brigade sat mostly idle during the battle and lost just 10 men killed and. Lee, the fairfax press 1978 gary gallagher, editor, the richmond campaign of 1862, unc press 2000 stephen w.
It becomes my painful duty to inform you of the death of your son john. Civil war casualties casualties numbers and battle death statistics for the american civil war though the number of killed and wounded in the civil war is not known precisely, most sources agree that the total number killed was between 640,000 and 700,000. The confederates suffered more than 5,300 casualties without gaining an inch of ground. In the final, ferocious battle at malvern hill, near richmond, virginia, the union forces of general george mcclellan won a tactical victory. The battle of savages station, fought on june 29, 1862, was the fourth major engagement of the seven days battles during the american civil war 18611865. During the seven days battle in 1862, the confederate army was pushing the union away. Confederates repulsed a strong union reconnaissance against their left on june 25, opening what became known as the seven days battles and setting the stage for lees offensive. Centred around one of canadas most storied regiments, seven days in hell tells the epic story of the men from the black watch during the bloody battle for verrieres ridge, a dramatic saga that unfolded just weeks after one of canadas greatest military triumphs of the second world war.
From seven days to second bull run the editors of timelife books timelife books 0809448041. Seven days battles the seven days battles took place between june 25, 1862 and july 1, 1862. Seven days battles, june 25july 1, 1862, series of american civil war battles in which a confederate army under general robert e. Lee drove the invading union army of the potomac, commanded by maj. Mcclellans army of more than 100,000 union soldiers landed at fort monroe and fought its way up the peninsula. Many of these figures are estimates, and, where possible, a range of estimates is. The 85th pennsylvania had more casualties in this battle than in any other in which they fought. Lees offensive resulted in five corpssize battles fought over a six day period the seven days was a bit of a misnomer, but it stuck. Focusing on the first vermont brigade or old brigade, a bedrock unit of the union sixth corps in the army of the potomac, zeller takes. Days of battle describes a hitherto neglected part of the military history of hungary during world war ii. Posted in southern historical collection tagged battle of seven pines, body servants, casualties, james johnston pettigrew, louis gourdin young, peninsula campaign, peter, pettigrew family, slavery, slaves, virginia, william pettigrew comments off on 2 june 1862. Dr norbert szamveber the presents detailed accounts of four important clashes of germanhungarian and soviet armor north of the river danube, in the southern territory of the historical upper hungary part of hungary between 1938 and 1945, at the present time.
During the battle of seven pines, it was directed to support longstreets command. Seven days battles, in the american civil war 1, the weeklong confederate counteroffensive june 26july 2, 1862 near richmond, va. These battles were at the culmination of the peninsula campaign. Mcclellans peninsula campaignan attack on the confederate capital at richmond from the southeaststalled at. Lee consistently acted as the aggressor but never managed to land a decisive blow. Battle of seven pines the attack got off to a bad start on may 31 when longstreet marched down the charles city road and turned onto the williamsburg road instead of the nine mile road. Large battle casualty counts are almost impossible to calculate precisely. Seven days battles and 5 related entities entities finder. Lees army, which had been on the offensive during the seven days, lost over 20,000. On this, the 150th anniversary of the last day of the seven days at malvern hill, it seemed appropriate to offer up a list of the top books on mcclellans great effort to reach richmond and end the war quickly from marchjuly 1862.
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