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The Battle of Oak Grove
General George B. McClellan(Union) made the first move. He sent out 2 groups commanded by Generals Philip Kearny and Joseph Hooker to clear out the Confederates. These groups marched west along Williamsburg Road from Seven Pines. General Robert E. Lee(Confederate) decided to send 25,000 Confederates south of Chickahominy and 65,000 north of the river to attack Porter. Union forces attacked and McClellan’s attack was not strong enough to stop the Confederates. -
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Seven Days Battles
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Battle of Beaver Dam Creek
General Robert E. Lee initiated his offensive against McClellan’s troops north of the Chickahominy River. Ambrose Powell Hill(Confederate) threw his division into a series of assaults against general Fitz John Porter’s V Corps, which was drawn up behind Beaver Dam Creek. Confederate attacks were driven back with heavy casualties. Jackson’s Shenandoah Valley divisions forced Andrew Porter(Union) to withdraw the next morning to a position behind Boatswain Creek just beyond Gaines’ Mill. -
Battle of Gaine's Mill
Fitz John Porter and the Union troops established a shielding line behind the Boatswain’s Swamp, located north of Chickahominy River. Lee sent his maximum force on the lookout. The reinforcements of Porter had held until the coordinated assault of the Confederates finally broke the lines of Porter. The soldiers of Porter were driven back towards the river. The Confederates gained a victory over the Union forces. -
Battle of Garnett's & Goldings Farm
The battle was north of the Chickahominy River at Gaines’ Mill on June 27, Confederate Magruder fought against the Union line south of the river at Garnett’s Farm. To escape the crossfire, the Federal defenders from Gen. Samuel P. Heintzelman’s III Corps refused their line along the river. The Confederates attacked again near Golding’s Farm on the morning of June 28 but were easily repulsed. These actions caused fear in the Union.. -
Battle of Savage's Station
The Union army began a general withdrawal toward the James River. Magruder pursued along the railroad and the Williamsburg Road and struck Sumner’s Corps with three brigades near Savage’s Station. Confederate Gen. Richard Giffith was mortally wounded during the fight. Jackson’s divisions were stalled north of the Chickahominy. Union forces continued to withdraw across White Oak Swamp, abandoning supplies and more than 2,500 wounded soldiers in a field hospital. -
Battle of Glendale
The Confederate Generals Benjamin Huger, James Longstreet, and A.P. Hill approached the retreating Union army in the region of Glendale. Longstreet’s and Hill’s attacks invaded the Union's defense. Union counterattacks by Generals Joseph Hooker and Phillip Kearny saved the Union line of retreat along the Willis Church Road. This battle was Lee's chance to cut off the Union army from the James River. McClellan pulled the Union army to the south and established a strong position on Malvern Hill. -
Battle of Malvern Hill
Gen. McClellan’s men chose Malvern Hill as their position and invited a Confederate attack. Colonel Henry J. Hunt, McClellan's Chief of Artillery, posted 171 guns on the hill facing west, north, and east. McClellan arranged the Fifth Corps on the west side of the hill and the Third and Fourth Corps on the eastern side. The attacks made by Lee were not coordinated properly which led to the Union victory.
