Today in History:

665 Series I Volume XI-II Serial 13 - Peninsular Campaign Part II

Page 665 Chapter XXIII. SEVEN-DAYS' BATTLES.

right flank. General McLaws, finding himself pressed, sent for re-enforcements. I dispatched at once two regiment of Griffith's (now Barksdale's brigade), the Seventeenth Regiment, Colonel W. D. Holder, and the Twenty-first Regiment, Colonel Benj. G. Humphreys. These were gallantly led into action, Major Brent, of my staff, bearing the order. Soon, by their steadiness and excellence of fire, as attested by the number of dead found in their front the next morning, they checked the enemy, who were repulsed by the whole line on the right with great slaughter. The enemy having sent still additional troops to sustain the fight, I directed General Barksdale to move to the support to our right with his remaining force. They were placed in reserve, under cover of a wood, where a few men were wounded from the long-range muskets of the enemy. Night coming on, their services were not required. The battle on the right raged with fury for about two hours, and darkness put an end to the conflict, our men sleeping on their arms and in the advance positions which they had won.

The troops on the left of the road were not engaged, with the exception of two pieces of artillery attached to General Jones' division, which did good service, disorganizing the enemy's line and causing his troops to chance position. When the enemy attempted to turn our right flank I desired to move a portion of General Jones' command to the right to operate on the Williamsburg road, but the position of his troops could not be ascertained until it was too late to do so. In the mean time, desiring to have troops on hand ready to re-enforce still further General McLaws, I left my position for a few moments to confer with General Cobb, on the left, from whose command I detached a regiment and halted it near the railroad bridge. While with General Cobb an aide-de-camp of General Lee, Major Taylor, came up and informed me that General Jackson had orders to co-operate with me, and that there was some mistake about the orders directing him elsewhere. He desired to see General Jackson, but not knowing the way to the Grapevine Bridge, the Rev. L. W. Allen, one of my staff, who knew the country thoroughly, volunteered to deliver any message he might send.

This was done, and General Jackson arrived in person at 3.30 o'clock on Monday morning, to which hour I had been kept up by the duties of the night. He informed me that his troops would be up probably by daylight. I then slept an hour-the first in forty-eight.

Previous to the arrival of General Jackson I considered the situation as by no means satisfactory. Not having heard from Mr. Allen during the night, I was uncertain whether General Jackson had obeyed his orders to go elsewhere or not, and I was satisfied that there was at least a corps d' armee in front, as was proved next morning by our having taken prisoners from three divisions. The proportion of the enemy's force to our own was probably two or three to one. I therefore asked for re-enforcements in case General Jackson did not join me.

Early in the morning on Monday a small party of Texans, of Hood's brigade, ascertained that the enemy had evacuated their position on the night before.

Several hundred prisoners, 2,500 sick and wounded in the hospitals, a large number of stores, and a considerable number of wounded on the field, fell into our hands. Here, also, some of our own prisoners were retaken, among whom was the gallant Colonel Lamar, of Anderson's brigade, captured by the enemy in the battle of Golding's Farm. I sent the prisoners to Richmond in charge of Captain G. P. Turner, of the Marine Corps, and placed Major Wray, of my staff, who had been of


Page 665 Chapter XXIII. SEVEN-DAYS' BATTLES.