| Excerpts of the book "The Battle of Seven Pines" by Gustavus Woodson Smith, Major-General, Confederate Army, Pub. 1891 |
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| As it was written, with the exception of my notes, which are italicized in brackets. NB From the Preface Many of the published accounts of the battle of Seven Pines are about as dark and confusing as were the tangled woods and swamps in which most of the close and bloody fighting took place. [There are] a thousand instances of conflicting opiinions in regard to the principal features of this battle, which seem to call for the publication of an accurate account of the main facts and the proofs. While endeavoring to prepare such an account I have felt constrained, at the risk of being tedious, to comment upon erroneous "assertions" of "high authorities;" and to give, in some detail, important evidence contained in the recently published official reports of regimental, brigade and division commanders, on both sides. G. W. Smith, 1891 From the Preliminary Chapter In the latter part of May, 1862, the Army of Northern Virginia, about 50,000 strong, under General J. E. Johnston, reached the vicinity of Richmond from the defensive lines near Yorktown, and was followed by the Army of the Potomac, nearly 100000 strong, under General G. B. McClellan. There was a collision between the rear of the Confederates and the Federal advanced troops at Williamsburg, and a slight affair near the head of York river. Otherwise the withdrawal was not interfered with. In retiring from Williamsburg, General J. E. Johnston's army was organized in two grand divisions, known as the First and Second Corps. The latter was commanded by Major-General James Longstreet and consisted of his own division and that of Major-General D. H. Hill. I commanded the First Corps, which was composed of the forces that were under Major-General J. B. Magruder, at Yorktown, before Johnston's army arrived there, and five other brigades; three of which, viz, Whiting's, Hood's and Hampton's, constituted a division under Brigadier-General Whiting; and the brigades of Pettigrew and Hatton, each of which reported direct to the headquarters of the First Corps. On the 28th of May, under authority from General Johnston, the following order was issued by my direction: "The division now commanded by Brigadier-General Whiting and the brigades of Brigadier-General Pettigrew and Brigadier-General Hatton will, until further orders, constitute one division under command of Brigadier-General Whiting." On the same day General Magruder was ordered to report direct to the headqarters of the army, and was thus transferred from my command. A. P. Hill's division was placed under my control, and the army was organized in three grand divisions. The "right wing," commanded by General Longstreet, was composed of his own division and that of D. H. Hill. The "centre," commanded by General Magruder, was composed of McLaws's division and that of D. R. Jones; and the "left wing," commanded by General G. W. Smith, was composed of my division, under Whiting, and A. P. Hill's division. Such was the organization of the Confederate Army, near Richmond, when the following letter was written by General Johnston to General Whiting: "Headquarters, Harrison's May 29th, 1862 My Dear General: I have just received the note you wrote in regard to your camp. I will give precise orders not to let it be interfered with. I received a message from Huger to the effect that his troops had not arrived at 6 hours 30 minutes this morning, no cars having been sent for them. The Quartermaster who had charge of the matter reported to me at sunset that the trains were ready and would be off at 9 o'clock. Lee ordered John G. Walker's brigade to Petersburg, and Holmes ordered it back. For any purpose but that contemplated yesterday the preent disposition of our troops is not good, too strong on the extreme left. If nothing is heard of McDowell we must bring you back to a more central place. D. H. Hill reported an hour ago that one of his advanced brigadiers had sent forward 200 skirmishers, who very soon met a grigade of the enemy with davalry and artillery. Who knows but that in the course of the morning Longstreet's scheme may accomplish itself. If we get into a fight here you'll have to hurry to help us. I think it will be best for A. P. H.'s troops to watch the bridges and for yours to be well in this direction, ready to act anywhere. Tell G. W. [G. W. Smith] Yours truly, J. E. Johnston" [On the 24th of May] it was reported to me that the bridges over the Chickahominy, including the Meadow Bridges, were in the hands of the enemy. From the time the Federal advance first crossed the Chickahominy, at Bottom's Bridge, General Johnston, had closely observed their movements, and was only waiting their approach within easy reach of his army, in order to strike them an effective blow. The report received from McLaws on the morning of the 27th gave strong indication that the enemy would soon be near enough, in large force, on either the Nine-miles road or the Williamsburg road, or on both, to bring them within good striking distance of Johnston's army. But, attention was quicky called to McClellan's right flank, north of Richmond, across the Chickahomoiny, in the neighborhood of Mechanicsville. About 1 p.m. that day I received the following note from General Johnston: "Harrison's May 27th, 1862 Gustavus: We must get ready to fight. Anderson reports that his vedettes have informed him that McDowell is advancing 'in force,' his pickets at Guinea's. The army reported six miles this side of Fredericksburg. His main force at Half Sink, three regiments, under Hamilton, at the Junction. We must get ready for this. Yours ever, J. E. Johnston" |