TWO DAYS OF BATTLE AT SENEN PINES.

249

r A

v’X" .-•

4 m*'

i*

SUMNER’S MARCH TO REENFORCE COUCH AT FAIR OAKS STATION.

Lieutenant Edmund Kirby, Battery T, First U. S. Ar- being up to tbcir waists in water. About 4:30 p. m. Itillery, says in bis official report: “The roads were was within three-quarters of a mile of Fair Oaks Station,almost impassable for artillery, and I experienced great with three pieces [twelve-i>ounder Napoleons] and onedifficulty in getting my guns along. I was obliged at caisson, the remainder of the battery being in the rear,times to unlimber and use the prolonge, the cannoneers and coming up as fast as circumstances would permit.”

effectual resistance.” He claims that the battle was “unfinished in conse-quence of the disabling of their commander [Johnston],” and states that afterhe was disabled, the only tinny President Davis “ought to have done, or hadtime to do, was postponed almost twenty hours—the putting General Lee ,who was near, in command of the army.”

General Johnston also states that three Federal corps on the Richmond side“ were completely separated from the two corps of their right beyond theChiekahominy by the swollen stream, which had swept away their bridges.”This, if true, was not known or believed on our side. Anxiety on account ofFederal reenforcements from the north side of the Chiekahominy was felt,on the 1st of June as well as on the 31st of May, by the Confederate com-mander. But General Longstreet seems to have ignored all consideration ofthat subject on both days.

In the official report of the chief engineer of McClellan’s army it is stated:

“ At 8:15 A. M. (.June 1st) the pontoon-bridge at the site of New Bridge was complete and pass-able to infantry, cavalry, and artillery. About noon the upper trestle-bridge was practicablefor infantry. It was not till night that a practicable bridge for infantry was obtained at thelower trestle-bridge.”

The railroad-bridge had been made practicable for all arms, and was notaffected by the freshet.

The specific details given by General Johnston in regard to the positionsoccupied by the divisions of D. H. Hill, Longstreet, and Huger on the morn-

VOL. II. 17