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had been totally defeated. Two Federaldivisions were at Fair Oaks, and threeand a half at Savage’s, three miles off,and half a one two miles nearer Bot-tom’s Bridge. The Southern troopswere united, and in a position to over-whelm either fraction of the Northernarmy, while holding the other in check.
Officers of the Federal army haveclaimed a victory at Seven Pines. TheConfederates had such evidences ofvictory as cannon, captured intrench-ments, and not only sleeping on thefield, but passing the following daythere, so little disturbed by the Federaltroops as to gather, in woods, thickets,mud, and water, 6700 muskets andrifles. ☆ Besides, the Federal armyhad been advancing steadily until theday of this battle; after it they made not another step forward, but employedthemselves industriously in intrenching.
In a publication of mine [“Johnston’s Narrative”] made in 1874, I at-tempted to show that General Lee did not attack the enemy until June 20th,because he was engaged from June 1st until then in forming a great army,bringing to that which I had commanded 15,000 men from North Carolina under General Holmes, 22,000 from South Carolina and Georgia, and above16,000 in the divisions of Jackson and Ewell. My authority for the 15,000was General Holmes’s statement, May 31st, that he had that number wait-ing the President’s order to join me. When their arrival was announced, Isupposed the number was as stated.
General Ripley, their best-informed and senior officer, was my authorityfor the 22,000 from South Carolina and Georgia. I thought, as a matter ofcourse, that all of these troops had been brought up for the great crisis. Mr.Davis is eager to prove that but 2 of the 4 bodies of them came to Richmondin time. One who, like me, had opportunity to observe that Mr. Davis wasalmost invariably too late in reenforcing threatened from unthreatened points,has no apology for the assumption that this was an exception. General Rip-ley reported officially that he brought 5000 from Charleston , and explainedin writing that, arriving before them, he was assigned to the command of
iS The Union position at Fair Oaks was, in gen- Pines on the 1st, states in his report that “theeral, maintained on both days of the battle. Part fields were strewn with Enfield rifles, markedof the field at Seven Pines was regained on the ‘Tower, 1862,’ and muskets, marked ‘Virginia, ’second day (June 1st) by the troops of General thrown away by the enemy in his hurried retreat.Heintzelman, who reported that “ our troops In the camp occupied by General Casey and Gen-pushed as far forward as the battle-field of the eral Couch on Saturday, before the battle of Sevenprevious day, where they found many of our Pines, we found rebel caissons filled with ammu-wounded and those of the enemy.” General nition, a large number of small-arms and severalDaniel E. Sickles , who led the advance on Seven baggage wagons.”— Editors.
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