226

TWO DAYS OF BATTLE AT SEVEN PINES.

to the front to conform at first to that of General Hill. If you find no strong body in yourfront, it will be well to aid General Hill; but then a strong reserve should be retained to coverour right.”

There seem to have been no written instructions given either to GeneralLongstreet or to General D. H. Hill; but, in his official report, General John-ston says the divisions of G. W. Smith, Longstreet, D. H. Hill , and Hugerwere ordered to move at daybreak. At sunrise General Johnston confi-dently expected that Keyes’s corps would be crushed, or routed, before8 a. m. At that season daybreak was at about 4 a. m. Magruder’s commandand A. P. Hill ’s division were not moved.

In order to form a proper conception of Johnston’s plan it will be well toglance at the position of the Federal forces on the morning of May 31st.One division of Keyes’s corps was across the Williamsburg road, a littlemore than half a mile west of Seven Pines; the other division was acrossthat road at Seven Pines. Both lines were strengthened by rifle-pits

extending a short distance on each side of the road, with abatis or felled

timber in front. In the first line there was a small, unfinished pent-angular redoubt; and the abatis of the second line extended in a curve

to the rear, across the Nine-mile road. The left of the position was pro-tected by the almost impracticable White Oak Swamp. But the groundon the right offered no strong features for defense, and was not fortified.About one thousand yards in front of the first line of rifle-pits, and nearlyat right angles to the Williamsburg road, a skirmish-line extended fromthe White Oak Swamp to the Chickahominy River. Two regiments weredetached to support the skirmish-line,—one near the railroad, the otherfarther to the right, on the Nine-mile road; whilst two regiments and abattery were detached and posted near Fair Oaks Station, to guard thedepot of supplies at that place, where there were no artificial defenses.Keyes’s lines were provided with ample artillery. On the morning of the31st the two divisions were in camp just in rear of their earth-works;whilst strong working parties were engaged upon the unfinished trenchesand other artificial defenses.

The “third line of defense,” across the Williamsburg road, two miles inrear of the first line, was unoccupied. Heintzelman’s corps was five milesin rear of Seven Pines; and Sumner’s corps was three or four miles fromKeyes, with the Chickahominy between them. The two other Federalcorps on the north side of that stream were still farther off. In this partof its course the Chickahominy, at ordinary stages of water, is a sluggishstream, from thirty to sixty feet in width, from three to four feet deep, withlow, muddy banks. It is bordered by flat bottom-lands for some distance, tothe foot of rather abrupt bluffs about one hundred feet high. In times offreshet it rises rapidly, extends over the bottom-lands in depth of two orthree feet to the bluffs; and at this stage the stream becomes a very seriousmilitary obstacle.

The ground upon which Keyes’s corps fought that day is level, or veryslightly undulating, and most of it, except the small open spaces at the earth-