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more solid and with long log approaches, a slow and difficult task, generallycarried on by men working in the water and under fire. The work waspushed as rapidly as possible, and on the 30th of May the corps of Heintzel-man and Keyes were on the right bank of the Chickahominy, the mostadvanced positions being somewhat strengthened by intrenchments; Sum-ner’s corps was on the left bank, some six miles above Bottom’s Bridge;Porter’s and Franklin’s corps were on the left bank opposite the enemy’s left.During the day and night of the 30th torrents of rain fell, inundating thewhole country and threatening the destruction of our bridges.
Well aware of our difficulties, our active enemy, on the 31st of May, made aviolent attack upon Casey’s division, followed by an equally formidable one onCouch , thus commencing the battle of Fair Oaks or Seven Pines. Heintzelmancame up in support, and during the afternoon Sumner crossed the river withgreat difficulty, and rendered such efficient service that the enemy was checked.In the morning his renewed attacks were easily repulsed, and the ground occu-pied at the beginning of the battle was more than recovered; he had failed inthe purpose of the attack. The ground was now so thoroughly soaked by therain, and the bridges were so much injured, that it was impracticable to pur-sue the enemy or to move either Porter or Franklin to the support of theother corps on the south bank. Our efforts were at once concentrated uponthe restoration of the old and the building of new bridges.
On the 1st of June the Department of Virginia, including Fort Monroe, wasplaced under my command. On the 2d the Secretary telegraphed that as soonas Jackson was disposed of in the Shenandoah, another large body of troopswould be at my service; on the 5th, that he intended sending a part of Gen-eral McDowell’s force as soon as it could return from Front Royal (in theShenandoah Valley, near Manassas Gap, and about one hundred and fifteenmiles north-west of Richmond ), probably as many as I wanted; on the 11th,that McCall’s force had embarked to join me on the day preceding, and thatit was intended to send the residue of General McDowell’s force to join meas speedily as possible, and that it was clear that a strong force was operatingwith Jackson for the purpose of preventing the forces there from joining me.
On the 26th the Secretary telegraphed that the forces of McDowell, Banks ,and Fremont would be consolidated as the Army of Virginia, and wouldoperate promptly in my aid by land.
Fortunately for the Army of the Potomac, however, I entertained seriousdoubts of the aid promised by the land route, so that, on the 18th, I ordereda number of transports, with supplies of all kinds, to be sent up the James,under convoy of the gun-boats, so that I might be free to cut loose from thePamunkey and move over to the James, should circumstances enable me orrender it desirable to do so.
The battle of Fair Oaks was followed by storms of great severity, continuinguntil the 20th of June, and adding vastly to the difficulties of our position,greatly retarding the construction of the bridges and of the defensive worksregarded as necessary to cover us in the event of a repulse, and making theground too difficult for the free movements of troops.