236

TWO DAYS OF BATTLE AT SEVEN PINES.

line, after a stubborn resistance, having given way to our attack, ... I executed, under firefrom the right front, a change of front obliquely forward. ... We drove the enemy to thefront and right, passing over their second camp. . . . The enemy, heavily reenforced, made

a desperate stand, and our fighting was within seventy-live yards. . . . Our advance con-tinued, . . . the enemy steadily giving back, ... I halted the lines, dressed them, and

then changed front obliquely forward. . . . Our steady advance was not to be resisted.

. . . The enemy gave back to our left and right across the Williamsburg road, about a mile

or more from General Casey’s headquarters. Following the latter and heavier body, they wereagain reenforced and took position in a wood parallel [to] and about three hundred yards onthe right [south] of the Williamsburg road.”

Iii describing liis progress thus far, Colonel Jenkins speaks repeatedly ofthe obstinate resistance he met with, the terrible slaughter of the enemy,and his own severe losses. Bearing in mind the movement of Kearny’s troopsin the meanwhile against D. H. Hill’s right, and the effect of Kearny’s fireon Rodes’s brigade, the Federals have good cause to regret the conflictingorders that prevented Birney’s brigade, on the railroad, from closely support-ing Keyes’s right. It should be also borne in mind that, whilst Colonel Jen-kins was fighting his way to the Williamsburg road, there were four Federalregiments and a battery at Fair Oaks that had not been in action that day.Two of these regiments were the regular guards of the depot of supplies, andthe other two had been ordered from Seven Pines to support Couch , but,missing their way, reached Fair Oaks just before the two regiments underCouch were cut up. It was very fortunate for the Confederates that Birney’sbrigade and the force at Fair Oaks Station were not thrown against the rearof Colonel Jenkins’s three regiments, that were so gallantly fighting, and wereso determinedly resisted in their brilliant movement to the Williamsburgroad, in rear of the Federal second line of defense, and far in rear of Kearny’ssuccessful advance.

Resuming Colonel Jenkins’s account, it appears that five companies of hisregiment pushed after that portion of the Federals which fell back along theWilliamsburg road. With the rest of his force Colonel Jenkins was preparingto move against the enemy in the woods south of that road, when it wasreported to him that a heavy column of Federals was advancing upon thefive companies. Learning just then that the 5th South Carolina was notfar to the rear, Colonel Jenkins sent for it to come up as soon as possible;ordered the commander of the five companies to advance upon the approach-ing Federal column, and determined to break the enemy south of the roadbefore the column advancing on the road could reach him. He says:

“ Having' to pass across an open field on this advance, I lost heavily, but succeeded in routingand dispersing the enemy in my front, driving them at least a quarter of a mile; then, gather-ing my men promptly, ... I moved by the flank . . . and took up line of battle oblique

to the [Williamsburg] road and to the left, so as to present front at once to the enemy’s advanceby the road and to any rallied party that might recover from my last attack. ... We hadevidence of the near approach of the enemy by hearing their words of command and theircheers. ... I advanced my line toward them. . . . The enemy poured in a heavy Are.

. . . The supporting regiment [27th Georgia], under a terrible fire, gave back. . . .

The enemy, encouraged, redoubled his fire . . . and advanced, and I determined to meethim.In prompt obedience, the two regiments . . . resumed their old, steady advance, firing full