to the advance of General Jackson, and owing also to the alteration made in General M'Clellan's plan of operations, the Federal troops were withdrawn during the night to a position about two miles lower down the Chickahominy, from whence they could more effectually cover the bridges, and where also they would be in closer communication with the main body of the army. During the same night the stores, teams, waggons and cattle belonging to Porter's corps, together with some of the heavier artillery, were brought over the several bridges, and were concentrated in the large fields adjoining the Chickahominy, and directly below the head-quarters camp. It was a striking scene which the army presented on the morning of the 27th. Everyone was astir. Slocum's division of Franklin's corps was marching towards Sumner's Upper Bridge to reinforce General Porter; the entrenchments facing Richmond were lined with troops expecting an immediate attack, and the supports and reserves were under arms. Every spot of open ground unoccupied by troops was covered with waggons, and their attendant horses and mules, whilst large droves of oxen sought pasturage

amidst the young corn. Overlooking this animated

and extraordinary scene were the white tents of the head-quarters camp, shaded by two conspicuous trees, and decorated with bowers erected to afford shelter from the sun.

In the meantime Colonel Ingalls had not been idle at the White House, the gunboats were ready for action, the trees in the vicinity of the depôt were cleared away to afford range for their artillery, the transports and other ships were laden with stores, and bales of hay were piled round the buildings, from which the contents had not yet been removed, in order that they

should burn well should they be set on fire. Frequent telegram from head-quarters proved that the line had not as yet been cut, but the anxiety was very great, and every preparation for an immediate and rapid retreat down the Pamunkey was made. Fortunately an able man was in command at the White House, and Colonel Ingalls fully justified the trust reposed in him.

General M'Clellan, who had returned to head-quarters during the night, was himself uncertain from which quarter the attack would be made; whether a direct advance against his lines would be attempted from Richmond, or whether his right wing would have to bear the brunt of the engagement. He supposed that not only had Jackson joined Lee, but that a portion of Beauregard's forces, under that general in person, had also entered Richmond. He therefore estimated the whole force which could be brought against him at 200,000 men, whilst in reality not more than half that number was really opposed to him. As at York Town, so on the Chickahominy, did he over-estimate the numbers of his opponent, and consequently based his plans on false data.

Before describing the battle of the 27th, and the subsequent events, it will be well to recapitulate the exact position of the Federal army. On the extreme left, guarding the approaches from the White Oaks Swamp, was Keyes's corps. Continuing the semicircle on the Williamsburg Road and Railway was Heintzelman; to his right, opposite the old tavern, was Sumner; and on the right of the semicircle, on the right bank of the Chickahominy, was the corps of General Franklin. Connecting his right with Porter's left, and commanded by his guns, was Woodbury's Bridge, lower down Sumner's Upper Bridge, then

Sumner's Lower Bridge, below that the Railway Bridge, and still farther down Long Bridge.

Such was the position of the main body of the army on the left bank. On the right, General Porter occupied a smaller arc of a circle, of which the curve may be said to have extended from a strip of woods on the hills which sloped towards the Chickahominy, on the left of the small stream of Gaines' Mill, about a mile south of Dr. Gaines' house, to the open ground in rear of Coal Harbour. The left and left centre of the line was held by General Morell's division of three brigades, the right and right centre by General Sykes' division, also of three brigades. Each brigade was supported by two of its own regiments.* A second line was formed of General M'Call's division, with one brigade in reserve. Thus Porter's corps consisted of nine brigades, with the proper complement of artillery belonging to the divisions, in addition to four squadrons and a half of regular cavalry and three of volunteer lancers, under General St. G. Cooke, and two batteries of horse artillery from the artillery reserve. The main body of the cavalry under General Stoneman had received. orders from General Porter, after the action of the 26th, to retreat to the White House, and to rejoin the main army as they best could, as he feared lest they should be cut off. On the early morning of the 27th, as the rear of General Porter's corps was withdrawing from the position it occupied on the 26th, it was closely pressed by General Longstreet, whilst the division of General D. H. Hill advanced along the Coal Harbour Road to effect a junction with General Jackson. It was not until about noon that the several Confederate

* General M'Clellan's official report.

divisions were in their proper positions. As the Federals may be said to have occupied the convex of the curve, so did the Confederates occupy the concave, embracing in their attack the country lying between the Chickahominy and the fields adjoining the road leading from Coal Harbour to Bottom's Bridge. The right of the line was formed of Longstreet's division, which had advanced along the slopes of the hills overlooking the Chickahominy. On his left was the division of A. P. Hill, which had crossed at Mechanicsville Bridge; then Whiting's and Ewell's divisions under General Jackson's command; and on the left of the whole line the division of D. H. Hill, which had effected a junction with Jackson in the morning, and, crossing his line of march, had moved to the extreme left.

The action commenced soon after twelve o'clock noon, by an artillery engagement on the left of the Confederate line, intended to divert attention from General Longstreet's attack. The Federal artillery were more powerful than that of their opponents, and succeeded in silencing General D. H. Hill's batteries. In the meantime Longstreet advanced, supported by the division on his left. Leaving the shelter of the woods in the vicinity of Dr. Gaines' house, the advancing brigades entered on an open undulating country, sloping downwards on their right towards the Chickahominy, and in front towards the little stream of Gaines' Mill, along the opposite side of which, and covered by a belt of woods, was the Federal army. Terrible was the loss of the attacking force as they marched over this open ground, exposed to the fire of the powerful and numerous Federal artillery, an arm which had attained greater excellence in General M'Clellan's army

than either the infantry or cavalry. Men and officers fell by hundreds; the mounted officers soon lost their horses, and the generals led their men on foot.* The undulations of the ground afforded a partial cover from the fire; the loss was notwithstanding very great, and the Federal batteries from the opposite side of the Chickahominy-where Smith's division of Franklin's corps was posted-poured in shell at long range. General Porter, seeing that the enemy was advancing against him in force, applied for assistance, and about 2.30 P.M. Slocum's division, which had been detained when the real point of attack seemed doubtful, was sent over the bridges to his support. It arrived on the ground at a critical time; the second line had been engaged and was hardly pressed, and General Porter divided General Slocum's division, and sent it by separate regiments to reinforce the weaker points. The total number under Porter's command amounted now to 35,000, and he was probably opposed to about 54,000, under General Lee in person; he had, however, the advantage of position, and of an artillery stronger than his adversary, and, if properly posted, sufficient to sweep the approaches to his lines.

During the whole afternoon the combat raged along the strip of woods near Gaines' Mill Creek. The greater portion of the Federal artillery was in rear of their line of infantry and fired over their heads, receiving but little reply from the Confederate guns. As the right of the Confederate line was struggling in vain to overcome the opposition offered to their advance at the strip of woods, Generals Jackson and D. H. Hill pressed forward on the left, and succeeded in driving

* The Seven Days' Battles in front of Richmond, published at Richmond.