| Gaines' Mill, Va., June 27, 1862 - At the time McCall
took his position at Mechanicsville on the 19th, all the army except
Porter's corps was moved to the south side of the Chickahominy. The
affair at Oak Grove on the 25th developed the enemy's position and
Franklin, supported by Sumner and Heintzelman, was to attack the
Confederate force at Old Tavern, about two miles northwest of Fair
Oaks, on the 26th. Before that order could be carried out McClellan
learned, late on the afternoon of the 25th, that Jackson was moving to
join Lee and would probably attack Porter the next day. This
anticipation was realized in the battle of Mechanicsville and caused
McClellan to hurry forward his plan of changing his base to the James
river. During the night of the 26th Porter's wagon trains and heavy
ordnance were taken to the south side of the Chickahominy and he was
ordered to fall back nearer the bridges to hold in check the
Confederates on the north side of the river until the preparations for
the removal could be completed. Porter's new position was similar to
that of McCall at Mechanicsville. His line of battle was semi-circular
in form. Morell's division was on the left, behind a small stream,
with Butterfield's brigade on the left, Martindale's in the center and
Griffin's on the right. Sykes' division was on the right, Warren's
brigade connecting with Griffin's right near the road to New Cold
Harbor, Lovell's in the center and Buchanan's on the right near the
McGehee house, east of the Old Cold Harbor road. Reynolds' brigade of
McCall's division was sent to Barker's mill, further down the river,
to guard the road leading to the Grapevine bridge, while Meade's and
Seymour's brigades were held in reserve. Between Morell's left and the
river was an almost impassable morass known as Boatswain's swamp, and
the right of the line was protected to some extent by Elder swamp.
Sykes occupied an elevation known as Turkey hill, the crest of which
was about 60 feet higher than the plain in front, over which the enemy
must advance for about a quarter of a mile after emerging from the
dense woods along the creek. The siege guns that had been taken across
the river were placed in position opposite Morell's left, where,
protected by Smith's division of Sumner's corps, they were used to
enfilade the enemy's lines that moved against Morell.
Jackson's delay on the 26th was occasioned by the destruction of
the bridge over Totopotomy creek, which he was compelled to rebuild
before he could get his artillery across the stream. That night he
bivouacked at Hundley's corner and at daylight the next morning
resumed his march with Ewell's division in the lead. Through a mistake
of the guide Ewell took the road leading to Walnut Grove Church, to
the west of Gaines' mill, instead of the direct road to Old Cold
Harbor. At the church Ewell met A.P. Hill's advance coming up from
Mechanicsville on the road that crossed Beaver Dam creek at Ellison's
mill. Jackson then inclined to the left toward Cold Harbor, but the
confusion in the movement of troops resulted in a delay of several
hours before the attack could be commenced. Longstreet followed A.P.
Hill nearly to Gaines' mill, where he took the road leading to Duane's
bridge over the Chickahominy and formed on the extreme right of the
Confederate line. D.H. Hill marched from Mechanicsville via the
Bethesda road, passed Jackson's rear, and formed on the Confederate
left in front of Buchanan's brigade.
When A.P. Hill reached Powhite creek at Gaines' mill, about a mile
from Porter's main line, he found the 9th Mass, under Col. Thomas
Cass, drawn up to dispute the passage of the stream. For some time
Cass held the Confederates on the west bank, and even after they had
succeeded in crossing he kept up such an obstinate resistance as he
fell back through New Cold Harbor that Hill was compelled to employ a
large part of his division to force back a single regiment. This
affair gave the name of Gaines' mill to the whole battle which
followed. About 2:30 p.m. the Confederate skirmishers began feeling
for the weak point in the Federal position and soon afterward the
entire line moved forward to the attack. Porter's force was
out-numbered three to one, but his men were determined and his small,
compact line withstood the shock. Twenty batteries belched forth their
showers of canister upon the advancing foe, strewing the ground with
dead and wounded. Still on they came until within musket range, when a
deadly fire was opened along the whole Union front that dorve the
enemy back to the cover of the woods. Again they rallied and renewed
the attack, the supporting columns in the rear forcing their way
through the disorder of the front lines as they fell back before that
terrific fire. On the right D.H. Hill was particularly aggressive. As
he advanced on the east of the Old Cold Harbor road one of the Federal
batteries began to enfilade his line. Garland made a desperate charge
with his brigade, captured the battery and held it for 10 minutes,
when he was driven away from the guns with a loss of 70 killed and 202
wounded. At the beginning of the fight Porter sent back to McClellan
for reinforcements. Slocum's division was ordered to cross the
Chickahominy at Alexander's bridge and hasten to Porter' assistance.
He arrived on the field a little after 4 p.m. and his division was
divided, different brigades and even different regiments being sent to
strengthen the weak places along the line. The arrival of these troops
turned the tide of battle for a time in favor of the Federal arms and
the hope was entertained that, if the enemy could not be drive back he
could at least be held in check until nightfall, by which time the
army on the opposite side of the Chickahominy would be safe. For over
four hours the Union line held fast against all attempts to break it,
but the persistent hammering of the enemy, who was constantly bringing
up fresh troops, began to tell on the endurance of Porter's men. About
7 o'clock the Confederates advanced in deployed lines and battalions
closed in mass, one directly behind the other, each line discharging
its fire as soon as it was unmasked by the line in its front. The
center of the attack was directed against Martindale's brigade, at a
point where Porter thought his line was the strongest, as Martindale
was well supported by part of McCall's and Slocum's divisions. Shortly
after sunset the line broke, the Confederates pressed forward into the
breach and two regiments were captured. The confusion was augmented by
a charge of Rush's cavalry and for a moment it looked like an utter
rout. But the regulars and zouaves held their ground and brought up
the rear in good order. Just at this critical moment the brigades of
French and Meagher, of Richardson's division, arrived on the field and
were greeted with cheers. With steady front these two brigades
advanced against the enemy, while behind them the line was reformed to
resist further assaults should any be attempted. The Confederate
generals, under the impression that heavy reinforcements had reached
Porter, withdrew from the field. Had French and Meagher arrived a few
minutes sooner the result might have been different. During the night
all the troops on the north side of the Chickahominy were withdrawn
across the river, the 4th U.S. infantry crossing at Woodbury's bridge
a little after daylight on the morning of the 28th, after which the
bridges were all destroyed. The Union loss in the battle of Gaines'
mill was 894 killed, 3,107 wounded and 2,836 missing. No report of
losses was made by either Longstreet or A.P. Hill. In the remainder of
the Confederate army the casualties amounted to 589 killed, 2,671
wounded and 24 missing, according to the reports of the division
commanders. As A.P. Hill's division was in the severest part of the
fight it is probable that it sustained the heaviest losses, and the
casualties in his and Longstreet's commands would doubtless bring the
aggregate above that of Porter's. This engagement is also known as
Cold Harbor and the Chickahominy.
Source: The Union Army, Volume 5, Cyclopedia of Battles,
1908 |