Griffin’s battery, which now came thundering in, commenced throwing shell and shrapnell, on the instant after taking position.
The fresh regiments pressed forward. On the enemy’s left, the Sixty-second was doing such execution as forced the rebels to fall back before its destructive fire. The whole advancing columns came on with a steady rush; the enemy was thrown into confusion, and under cover of the forest, beat a disordered and precipitate retreat.
The victory was won, hardly, bravely, and nobly won; and the results were more than the victors had hoped for.
The spoils were over six hundred men; a large number of guns; and a railway train, captured by General Stoneman.
It is worthy of remark that in this engagement the flag of the Forty-fourth New York was pierced by forty-four bullets. The regiment behaved nobly—as did every one engaged. Too much praise cannot be awarded to both officers and men. The following is from a newspaper account of the day.
“General McClellan came up the next morning and was most enthusiastically received by the men. He grasped General Porter by the hand most cordially and congratulated him. Turning to General Butterfield, who was near, he put one hand on his shoulder and said some words that we on the outside could not hear. That they were well merited compliments for brave and gallant deeds, the faces of both showed most plainly. Our brigade was satisfied and confident that under fire, as well as elsewhere, we have the right man in the right place.”
The result of this fight was the firm establishment in position of the right wring of McClellan’s army, which took position without waiting the cooperation of McDowell, and entered upon that scene of bloody days which ended in the retreat to Harrison’s Landing.
BATTLE OF FAIR OAKS, VA.
May 31 and June 1.
On the 29th and 30th of May the National pickets were many times fiercely attacked by detachments of the rebels, endeavoring to ascertain the precise situation of the Federal troops. They were repulsed with considerable loss. There were indications that the enemy was approaching in great force, for the cars coming out from Richmond had been running all the previous night. On the morning of the 30th, General Keyes, stationed at Seven Pines, was informed of the threatening aspect of affairs; and together with Gen. Casey, at once made every possible preparation to repel all sudden attacks, well knowing that the enemy could assail with double or treble the numbers of the Union forces.
General Keyes in his official report, says: “The camp I selected, and which was the next day approved by Major-Gen. McClellan, stretches across the Williamsburgh road between Bottom’s Bridge and Seven Pines, and is distant about a mile from the latter. I caused that camp to be fortified with rifle-pits and breastworks extending to the left about eight hundred yards, and terminating in a crotchet to the rear. Similar works, about three hundred yards further in advance, were constructed on the right, extending towards the Richmond and West Point Railroad.