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About Medford mail tribune. (Medford, Or.) 1909-1989 | View Entire Issue (June 25, 1962)
o MEPFORD MAIL TRI1UNE, MEDFORD. OREGON MONDAY. JUNE 35. 1962 THE SEVEN DAYS The Union Army of the Potomic md the newly-named Confed erate Army of Northern Virginia fought for even days in the heat and swampi of the Peninsula in front of Richmond from June 23 through July 1, 1862. When at last the guns fell silent, the names of 36,464 Ameri cana were added to the Civil War casualty lists. The results: Gen. R. E. Lee, directing hit first big battle, had driven the Union Army back from the gates of Richmond; Gen. George McClellan, also directing hit first big battle, lost the Peninsula campaign, but had saved his army from what appeared to be certain disaster,, to fight another day. Above, from the Library of Congress collec tion, is an Alfred Waud drawing of the Battle of Gaines' Hill, one of the battles fought during the Seven Days. (UPI) The Battle of Seven Days M that they could march into Richmond with ease. But to their astonishment they received orders to re- Bf MERTON T. AKERS UPI Correspondent The Union Army of the Po tomac and the newly named Confederate Army of North ern Virginia fought for seven days in the heat and the swampi of the Peninsula in front of Richmond - from June 25 through July 1, 1882. When the .last gun fell si lent after this memorable Seven Days' battle, the names of 36,464 Americans were added to the Civil War casual ty lists. And for what? Gen. Robert E. Lee, direct ing his first big battle, was successful in that he drove back the Army of the Poto mac from the gates of Rich mond, the Confederate capi tal. Maj, Gen. George B. Mc Clellan, also directing his first big battle, had saved his Union army from what ap peared to be certain disaster tu fight another day but he lost the Peninsula campaign, ; the brainchild on which he had pinned his h 0 p e s for fume. Faint Herald The first day's fighting -June 25 - was only a faint . herald of what was to come. The fighting was inconclus ive. What McClellan did not 'know was that Lee had pick ed the next day - June 26 for Ws offensive. Lee's carefully planned drive was north of the Chick ahominy where McClellan had left one corps command ed by Maj. Gen. Fitz-John f Porter. Especially for this offensive Lee had brought Maj. Gen. Thomas J. (Stonewall) Jack son's army from the Shenan doah valley. This was Lee's "secret weapon" and design ed to be the crusher. Jack ion's part in the battle was to be a strike at dawn in the rear of Porter's corps. But Jackson, brilliant in the Valley, lost his touch this week. Lee with 47,000 troops waited to hit Porter's right flank when Jackson's artil lery opened fire. He waited all morning - no Jackson. At 3 p.m. Lee ordered the assault anyway. Maj. Gen. A. P. Hill flung his division gainst Porter's entrenched lines and splintered them just before dark. That night Porter with drew three miles to a position near Gaine's Mill. The next day, June 27, Lee sent 63,000 men - more than twice as many as Porter had - into the fight. Porter's line crumbled, almost collapsed, but with fresh troops from the main Federal army south of the Chickahominy, he was able to withdraw across the river in fairly good order. 'Shew' by Magrudtr South of the river, mean time, "Prince John" Magru der was staging another one of his "shows." With much bugle blowing and marching and counter-marching, Magru der bemused the four Union corps in front of him all through the 26th and the J7th. As Lee had hoped, Magni fier's theatricals had convinc ed McClellan that the main at tack was coming south of the river - that the fighting north of the river merely was a demonstration. But by the evening of the 57th, two Union generals on Magruder's front began to see Don't Ntgltct Slipping FALSE TEETH Oo ttlM Mth drop. Hip or wobol tirn iou tl. ml. Iui h or mmi! Don't b innoytd tnd tmbarrmiMd b urh hnaicj. PASTIETH, M alkaline men-teU' odr to iortn tie on jour plt. p tjath mor firmly Mt Oltm eonndrnt fl Ins o eurtiy ind idfled comfort. No rwnm. SOOC7. rtMty ttu or tl Inf. On rASTIETH odT t Unit eounwt vtJTwhtra. through the bluff. Brig. Gen. Phil Kearny and Maj. Gen. Joseph Hooker reported the front was lightly held and treat. Unable to believe It, they rode into McClellan's headquarters to protest. McClellan listened, but re fused to be convinced. Ob sessed by the idea that he was being attacked by an over whelming force, McClellan al ready had telegraphed Secre tary of War Edwin M. Stanton that he must retreat to save the army. Unique Telegram His telegram to Stanton was unique in American mil itary history. Dated at 12:20 a.m. June 28 it read in part: ... I have lost the bat tle because my force was too small. I again repeat that I am not responsible for this . You must send me very large reinforcements, and send them at once ... I know that a few thousand more men would have changed this battle from a defeat to a vic tory. As it is, the government must and cannot hold mt re sponsible for the result. "If I save this army now, I tell you plainly that I owe no thanks to you or to any other person in Washington. "You have done your best to sacrifice this army." McClellan seemed deter mined to be defeated. Of the seven days of fight ing, June 28 was the quietest. Long trains of Union wag ons moved south toward the James, transferring the huge piles of stores from the Pam unkey across White . Oak Swamp. It was a race now to see if McClellan could protect his trains. All day the 28th and the 29th the wagons rolled over makeshift bridges and through the mire of White Oak Swamp. Learned of Retreat On June 29, Lee learned of the retreat and the change of. base. He immediately or dered his army across the Chickahominy and Magruder to attack from the west. Magruder struck at Brig. Gen. E. V. Sumner's corps near Savage's Station but was repeatedly repulsed. Jackson was supposed to strike Sum ner from the right but was stopped by destroyed bridges Having fought off Magruder, Sumner withdrew. Early on June 30 the Un ion army and its trains had made their way across White Oak Swamp. Lee attacked all day and into the night around Fray, ser's farm and Glendale, again failing to break the Union lines of retreat. Again Jackson took only a small part in the fighting, shoot ing at Sumner across the swamp with his artillery. The trains now were safe and establishing a new base at Harrison's Landing on the James. Again the Union army with drew overnight, this time to Malvern Hill on the James above Harrison's Landing. McClellan massed his artil lery in a semi-circle and post ed his troops in strong sup porting positions. To reach the Union posi tion the Confederates had to advance over cleared fields into the teeth of artillery and musket fire. This they did late In the afternoon of July 1 without IMPERIAL '400' MOTELS, INC. CORDIALLY INVITES YOU TO INSPECT THE FACILITIES OF THE LATEST ADDITION TO OUR CHAIN, THE IMPERIAL 400 MOTEL 345 SOUTH CENTRAL AVENUE MEDFORD, OREGON OPEN HOUSE: 1.00 P.M. TO 4:00 P.M. , JUNI 27th to 29th LIGHT REFRESHMENTS WILL BE SERVED ThemafP. ni Clair latent Yowr Ca-Owner Haiti PHemi 773-7727 much artillery support. The Confederates attacked vigorously but the Union (ire was too heavy and after two hours they withdrew. That two hours cost Lee 3,000 men. Attack Described Porter, who directed the bat tle - McClellan having gone to inspect his new base - des cribed the attack: "... As if moved by reck less disregard of life, with a determination to capture our army or destroy it by driv ing us into the river, regiment after regiment, brigade after brigade, rushed at our bat teries, but the artillery mow ed them down with shrapnel, grape and canister, while our Infantry, withholding their fire until the enemy were within short range, scattered the remnants of their col umns." Confederate Gen. D. H. Hill summed up: "It was not war - it was murder." A 7 RtM 772-4514 confidentially We LOVE tn Loan! LOW BANK RATES LOANS TO $2,500 UP TO 24 MONTHS TO PAY If a dark cloud inters your life, give it a silver lining with a low-cost personal loan through U. S. National. Friendly, confidential service. the ONrreo states national iani of poitiand tan .Steak In ip least Tender aged steer beef. Nice lean cots with wonderful flavor. Bene in cuts ef tender aged steer beef. Well trimmed. Swift's Premium 12-ox. pkg. 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