The Seven Days Battle

Chanmi Oh

Mr. Villeneuve

APUSH p. 3

Seven Days Battle After the Battle of Bull Run, Union General George B. McClellan insisted that his men, the Union Army of the Potomac, be well trained before being returning to fight. By April 1862, Lincoln pressed McClellan to launch a campaign for the siege of the Confederate capital of Richmond. The campaign would be known as the Peninsular Campaign, where McClellan’s failure to seize Richmond would lead to the Seven Days battles. McClellan left behind 40,000 troops in Washington, D.C. to ensure the Northern capital’s protection, and headed to Richmond from the southeast, through the peninsula formed by the York and James Rivers. As he reached the mouth of the Chesapeake, he observed Confederate Major

Confederate A. P. Hill and D. H. Hill’s division crossed the river and attacked Porter’s men despite Jackson’s absence, as he was further delayed. Their division had little effect on Porter’s army, who resisted the Confederacy quite easily. However, Jackson and his army finally arrived on Porter’s flank, and although Jackson was much too late, his arrival managed to intimidate Porter’s forces, which believed the protection of the supply line was priority. McClellan once again hesitated to make an attack on the south of the Chickahominy River, despite outnumbering Lee’s troops. Instead, McClellan ordered for Porter to hold Boatswain’s Swamp, as McClellan would retreat to James River. On June 27th, the Confederates that were positioned to the north of the Chickahominy River were tasked to pursue the retreating Union army. On one hand, Jackson, D. H. Hill, A. P. Hill, and Longstreet, all coordinated together to surround Porter and flank him. On the other hand, Lee was unaware that Porter would stop at Boatswain’s Swamp, which was further toward the east than he had initially expected. A. P. Hill’s men found Boatswain’s Swamp to be completely guarded, and their assaults did little to penetrate the Union lines until Jackson and D. H.

A few of Magruder’s men attempted an attack once again near Garnett’s and Gouldin’s farms, but just like before, were had barely an impact. As McClellan retreated to the river, Lee gave orders to then pursue McClellan in hopes of destroying his army. While Magruder and Huger fixed the Union rear guard in place, Jackson and D. H. Hill would cross the Chickahominy River while following the army, and Longstreet and A. P. Hill would circle and attempt to disturb the Union retreat. The next day, the Confederates initiated their plan to pursue McClellan. Between the Confederate Generals there was a lot of confusion, as Huger received conflicting orders, and then spent most of the day marching back and forth, while Magruder was unsure whether or not the Union army would attack. Despite the initial confusion, Magruder eventually made an attack on the Union rear guard at Savage’s Station, where McClellan had planned to locate as a base. One of the Union generals left behind another in order to retreat, even though their combined forces would have been enough to resist Magruder’s assault. The Confederates succeeded in this battle, while McClellan and his men continued their retreat to James River, followed by the Union rear