TWO DAYS OF BATTLE AT SEVEN PINES.

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In his “ Narrative,” p. 132, General Johnston says :

“ An hour or two later [than noon, May 30th] orders were given for the concentration of 23of our 27 brigades against McClellan’s left wing.”

The result of that alleged “ concentration ” has been described. McClellan’sleft wing was attacked by five brigades; and General Johnston, who waswounded on another part of the field about sunset that day, says, in hisofficial report:

“ The skill, vigor, and decision with which these operations were conducted by General Long-street are worthy of the highest praise.”

Without discussing here General Johnston’s opinion in regard to themanner in which General Longstreet conducted the operations of the three

1

ALLEN’S FARM-HOUSE NEAR THE WILLIAMSBURGROAD, NOT FAR FROM THE “THIRD LINE OFDEFENSE.” DESERTED IN 1885 WHENTHIS SKETCH WAS MADE.

divisions on the right, reference will now be made to the movements of thedivision on the Nine-mile road, directed by General Johnston in person.

In addition to the action already described, there was a sharp contest northof Fair Oaks Station late in the afternoon, May 31st, between reinforcements,under General Sumner, sent from the north side of the Chickahominy to aidKeyes at Seven Pines, and my division, under General Whiting. It will beborne in mind that when three Confederate regiments, under Colonel Jenkins,crossed the Nine-mile road just south of Fair Oaks, a little after 4 p. m., fourregiments and a battery of Couch ’s division were cut off from the Federals

in the four brigades of D. H. Hill’s division, in-dicate clearly enough that Hill’s division did thegreater part of the fighting; but all honor is duethe brilliant, successful, and bloody work donethat day by the two South Carolina regiments ofLongstreet’s division under Colonel Jenkins.

On the Federal side the losses in the operationsdescribed were: Kearny’s division, less 1 brigade,873; Couch ’s division, less 4 regiments, 1049;Casey’s division, 1426. It is not amiss to givehere the following from General Casey’s officialreport. After stating that 8 of the 13 regimentsthat composed his division were raw troops, and

had suffered from the inclemency of the weather,at times without tents or blankets, and poorly sup-plied with rations and medical stores, he adds:“Notwithstanding all these drawbacks, and thefact that there were not five thousand men in lineof battle, they withstood for three hours the attackof an overwhelming force of the enemy. ... Itis true that the division, after being nearly sur-rounded by the enemy and losing one-third of thenumber actually engaged, retreated to the secondline. They would all have been prisoners of warhad they delayed their retreat a few minuteslonger.”—G. W. S.