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ARMY OPERATIONS. 



of June soon became intolerable. They were 

 then to be seen putting forth all their remain- 

 ing strength, and crawling to seek a little shade. 

 I will always remember a bed of roses, whose 

 sweet-scented flowers I was admiring while 

 conversing with one of my friends, when he 

 drew my attention to one of these unfortunate 

 men, who had just died beneath its bushes. 

 We looked at each other without saying a word, 

 the heart being oppressed with the most pain- 

 ful emotion. Mournful scenes, from which the 

 pen of the writer, like the eye of the speeta- 

 tor, hastened to turn away. 



" Toward midday the fire gradually dimin- 

 ished, then ceased. The enemy retreated ; but 

 the Federals were not in a position to pursue 

 them. No one then knew what a loss the 

 Southerners had just suffered in the person of 

 their commander, Gen. Johnston, who was se- 

 verely wounded. It was to his absence that 

 was owing, in a great measure, the unskilful 

 attacks against the Federal army in the morn- 

 ing. When the firing ceased at midday, the 

 Confederates, tired of the prolonged strife 

 which they had been sustaining, and being no 

 longer commanded, were, it is said (for in the 

 midst of these immense woods one sees nothing, 

 and is compelled to guess everything), in a 

 state of inextricable confusion. Who can say 

 what would have been the result if at this mo- 

 ment the 35,000 fresh troops left on the other 

 side of the Chickahominy had appeared on the 

 flank of this disordered mass after having suc- 

 cessfully crossed the bridges? 



" Such is the history of this singular battle, 

 which, although complicated by incidents su- 

 perior to human will, must not be taken other- 

 wise than as a type of American battles. The 

 conflict was a bloody one, for the North had lost 

 5,000 men, the South at least 8,000 ; but the 

 results were barren on one side as on the other. 

 Although the losses of the enemy were much 

 greater than those of the Federals, the result 

 was especially distressing to the latter. They 

 had lost a rare opportunity of striking a deci- 

 sive blow. These occasions did not return, and 

 therefore, in the circumstances in which they 

 were placed, the result was against them." 



The crossing of Gen. Sumner's corps com- 

 menced about four o'clock in the afternoon. 

 At that time the head of the advance, Gen. 

 Gorman's brigade, turned from the swamps on 

 the left bank of the river to cross by the bridge 

 built by Gen. Sumner, a battery moved next, 

 then Gen. Burns's brigade, then artillery, and 

 finally Gen. Dana's brigade, all of Gen. Sedg- 

 wick's division. In consequence of the mo- 

 rasses, all the batteries except Kirby's were left 

 behind ; but all the troops except the 19th 

 Massachusetts, which was detached to assist 

 the artillery, were moved swiftly onward to 

 the scene of action. Gen. Richardson's division 

 was detained until quite late in the evening by 

 the obstructed causeway. At seven o'clock, 

 it was in the position to which it had been as- 

 signed. It took no part in the battle on Saturday. 



Now was the time to capture the city. The 

 retreat of the army caused great consternation 

 at Richmond. The Confederate force had re- 

 tired in confusion, and if they had been sharply 

 followed up, the gates of the city would have 

 been reached, if friend and foe had not gone in 

 together. It is useless to speculate on possi- 

 bilities. The force with which Gen. McClellan 

 commenced his march had been diminished 

 before Yorktown and Williamsburg, and by 

 constant skirmishing. It garrisoned York- 

 town and Williamsburg, and occupied the 

 White House, and the line of the railroad. It 

 had received no reenforcements up to this time 

 except the division of Franklin. It was also 

 impossible for him to move the corps of Gens. 

 Porter and Franklin over the Chickahominy at 

 the decisive moment, as even the bridge on 

 which Gen. Sumner had crossed had been so 

 far destroyed by the river, which was swollen 

 by the rains of Friday and Saturday, that it 

 was impassable for a single horseman. The 

 three corps which had been engaged in the 

 battles of Saturday and Sunday were too much 

 cut up and wearied, by their conflict with supe- 

 rior numbers, to be able to pursue the retreat- 

 ing Confederates, particularly as they might 

 probably have been met at the outworks of the 

 city by fresh troops, in numbers fully equal to 

 themselves, and a strong artillery in position. 

 He was in no condition to risk anything. He 

 had fought the enemy in equal or superior num- 

 bers, and they had retired in confusion. The 

 corps of Gen. McDowell, if on hand now, might 

 have taken Richmond, but without it the com- 

 manding general was not strong enough to risk 

 its immediate attack. There were other con- 

 siderations to govern his conduct. He was 

 leading an invading army without reserves to 

 fall back upon. A repulse would have ended 

 in serious, if not complete disaster. Such a 

 result to the peninsular campaign would have 

 been fatal to the cause to which the Army of 

 the Potomac was devoted. It would have con- 

 vinced foreign powers that there was such a 

 degree of military strength in the Confederacy 

 as to render the immediate recognition of its 

 independence both safe and politic. But there 

 was probably one consideration which out- 

 weighed all others, and exerted a decisive in- 

 fluence upon the movements. This was the 

 certain and safe reception of sufficient sup- 

 plies. The single line of railroad was not 

 capable of transporting them. The horses 

 were kept on half forage, and if the distance 

 had been increased, the army itself would have 

 suffered. What hope was there of holding 

 Richmond, even if it had been taken, with a 

 line of transportation not capable of bringing 

 forward sufficient to sustain the army, and one 

 which, from the inadequate force to guard it, 

 was liable at any moment to be broken up? 

 Finally, for many days after the battle, the 

 fields and roads were in such condition as to 

 render it impossible to move any amount of ar- 

 tillery over them. To have advanced without 



