One evening, about the 20th of the month, Gen. McClellan, accompanied by Gens. Smith, Gorman and Porter, rode down to the picket line where Captain Warford, with his Company, was stationed. After removing their coats, in order to conceal their rank, and fording a small creek, they ascended to a tree-top to reconnoitre the enemy’s position. Their pickets were only about twenty rods distant, on the opposite side of a wheat field. Descending, the Commander-in-Chief remarked to Gen. Smith, with a smile on his face, “I have got them now,” accompanying the remark with a significant doubling up of his right fist. His army then numbered one hundred and fifteen thousand men fit for duty.
A few brief hours served to dispel the visions of success and glory which had brightened up his countenance. On the evening of the 25th, Gen. McClellan telegraphed to the President: “I incline to think that Jackson will attack my right and rear. The rebel force is stated at two hundred thousand, including Jackson and Beauregard. I shall have to contend against vastly superior odds, if these reports be true, but this army will do all in the power of man to hold their position, and repulse an attack. I regret my inferiority in numbers, but feel that I am in no way responsible for it, as I have not failed to represent repeatedly the necessity of reinforcements; that this was the decisive point, and that all should be concentrated here. I will do all that a General can do, with the splendid army I have the honor to command, and if it is destroyed by overwhelming numbers, can at least die with it and share its fate.... I shall probably be attacked to-morrow, and now go to the other side of the Chickahominy to arrange for the defence on that side.”
The reader will understand that our army was then arranged in the form of a semi-circle, extending across the Chickahominy, the left resting upon Savage’s Station, and the right upon Mechanicsville. In the rear of the right wing was “White House,” on the Pamunkey River, used as a base of supplies for the army, which were brought by way of York River. The plan of Gen. Lee, who had now succeeded Gen. Johnston, was to concentrate his whole force on our right wing, destroy it before the troops on the other side of the river could be brought against him, gain possession of White House, thereby cutting off our supplies as well as way of retreat, and capture the entire army. He had no sooner however, taken the initiatory step in this programme, by calling Jackson to his assistance, than Gen. McClellan, as appears from the above letter to the President, divined his whole strategy.
On the afternoon of Thursday, June 26th, the enemy fell upon Gen. McCall’s Division at Mechanicsville. Reynolds’ and Seymour’s Brigades bore the brunt of the attack. The battle continued until sundown, when the rebels were handsomely repulsed. At midnight the force fell back, in accordance with orders, to “Gaines’ Farm,” where was fought the bloody engagement of Friday, June 27th, resulting in a Federal loss of 9,000 killed, wounded and missing. Smith’s Division, it will be remembered, was now located nearly opposite from Gaines’ Farm, or Mill.
While the battle was progressing, on Thursday, at Mechanicsville, the enemy stationed on the opposite side of the river opened a furious cannonade on Gen. Smith, to divert attention. The tents of the Thirty-third were considerably damaged with shot and shell, and the horses of the Major and Quartermaster killed, in addition to several other animals. Very fortunately the men had just completed a formidable breastwork directly in front of the encampment, and taking refuge behind this, none of them were killed.
The contrabands, of whom a considerable number now accompanied the Regiment, were terribly frightened, and scampered away rapidly. Two of them sought refuge behind a pile of cracker-boxes, but they had hardly gained this shelter before a bursting shell scattered the boxes and contents in all directions, much to the horror of the fleeing negroes and amusement of the soldiers, who were ensconced away behind the earthworks. Several of them received such a fright that they were never seen afterwards. Of this number was one of the negroes who communicated the information before Yorktown of its evacuation.
On the following day, the 27th, a portion of Gen. Franklin’s Corps was sent back across the river to aid Gen. Porter in holding his position at Gaines’ Farm. Several of our batteries were likewise wheeled about and brought to bear upon the enemy. But these and other reinforcements were not sufficient to turn the tide of battle. The overwhelming numbers of the enemy, estimated by Gen. McClellan at full eighty thousand, precluded any hope of successfully resisting them and maintaining the position. All the troops on the east bank of the river accordingly crossed that night to the opposite side, destroying the bridge after them.
Gen. McClellan immediately summoned several of his Generals, and informed them that there was only one of two things to be done, either to mass all of his troops at that point, near “Golden’s Farm,” and risk a sanguinary battle, or to retire immediately and rapidly to the James River. In the former case, defeat would ensure the destruction of the army, whereas by abandoning the siege of Richmond for the time being, he could retreat in safety to the James, saving most of his men and material. The result of the interview was a determination on the part of the Commanding General to “change his base,” and, under cover of night, preparations were made for the retreat.