Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1862-07-28
NEWS
Battle of the Seven Pines
UENERAL JoaNsroNs Orrrcr.,

"sa. o Go9'er, Adj'tand Inspector na
SnH before the 30th May / had .scasta;n.
60 ircn trasty scouts that Keves, oS.es nns
chcampeo on this side of the G~b;cLahpm;n
near une Williamsburg road. On thot d.n
Maler General D. Fl. Hill renorted a strons
Dody Immediately inhis front. On receivine
tnis report 1 determined to attack them neTf
mornang--heping to be able to defeat Keves'
corps completely in its more advanced nos;.
ZION DeIore9t could be reinforced. Written
orders were dispatched to Major General Hill
uehs' nuger and G.. w. Longstreet. beino
near my headquarters, received verbal ino
strucuons. The receipt of the orders was
sckncwesdged. Gen. Hill, supported by the
oylsicR OF Gen. Longstreet (who had the d.
rectson OF operations on the right was to-
advance by the Williamsburg road to attack
enc enemy in front; Gen. Huger, with his
oAvlsion, was to move down the Charles City
road, IN ORDER to attack in Hank the troops
VINO might De engaged with Hill and Long
street. unless he found in his front force
enough to occupy his division. Gen Smith
was to march to the junction of the New
Bridge road and the Nine Mile road to he IN
readiness either to fall on Keyes' RIGHT Aank
or to cover Longstreet's left. They were to
move at daybreak. Heavy and protracted
rains during the afternoon and night Inv
swelling the stream of the Chickahominy
increased the probability of our having to
zeal with no other troops than those of Keyes'
The same cause prevented the prompt and
punctaal movement of the troops. Those Of.
Smith, Hill and Longstreet were in position
early enough, however, to onero-
tons by eight o'clock, A. M.
Maj. Gen. Longstreet, unwilling to make
a partial attack instead of the combined
movement which had been planned. waited
from hour to hour for Gen. Huger's division
At length, at 2 o'clock, p. NJ, he determined
to attack without those troops. He accor-
dinghy commenced his advance at that hour
opening TIE engagement with artillery and
skirmishers. BY 3 o'clock it became close
and heavy.
In the meantime / had placed myself on
the left of the force employed in the attack,
with the division of General Smith, that, /
might be on the part of the field where |
could observe and be ready to meet anv
counter movements which the enemy's gen
eral might make against our centre or left.
Owing to some peculiar condition of the at
mosphere the sound of the musketriy did not
reach him. | consequently deferred giving
the signal for General Smiths advance till
about a o'clock, at which time Major Jasper
" aHSAhS1 VI NOi oAilLu . SLdu, WnOm L mad
sent to learn the state of affairs with Gen.
eral Longstreet's column, returned. REPORTING
that it was pressing on with vigour. Smiths
troops were at once moved forward.
The principal attack was made by Major
General Longstreet, with his own and Major
General d. II. Hills division-the latter
mostly in advance. Hills brave troops, adj
- u1rahly- eopamanded aap& ost- .gallaaly lea.
forced their way through the abattis which
formed the enemy's external defences and
stormed their entertainments by a determined
and irresistible rush. Such was the manner
in which the enemy's first line was carried.
The operation was repeated with the same gal
lantry and success as our troops pursued their
victorious career through the enemy's sue
cessive camps and entertainments. At each
new position they encountered fresh troops
belonging to it, and reinforcements brought
on from the rear. Thus they had to repel
repeated efforts to retake works which they
had carried. But their advance was never
successfully resisted.
Their onward movement was only stayed
by the coming of night. By nightfall they
had forced their way to the "Seven Pines"
having driven the enemy back more than two
miles, through their own camps, and from a
series of entertainments, and repealed every
attempt to recapture them with great slaugh-
ter. The skill, vigour and decision with
which these operations were conducted by
General Longstreet are worthy of the highest
praise. He was worthily seconded by Ma
jor-General Hill, of whose conduct and cour-
age he spoke in the highest terms.
Major General Smiths division moved for
ward at four o'clock-Whiting's three brig
AIDES leading. Their progress was imped,d by
the enemy's skirmishers, which, with..their sup!
ports, were driven back to the railroad. At
this point, Writings W and Pettigrew's
brigade engaged a superior force of the ene-
my. Hoods, by my order, moved on to CO.
operate with Longstreet. General Smith was
desired to hasten up with all the troops with
in reach. He brought up Hampton's and
Hatton's brigades in a few minutes.
The strength of the enemy's position, how
ever, enabled him to hold it until dark.
About sunset, being struck from my horse,
severely wounded by a fragment of a shell, |
was carried from the field, and Major Gener-
al G. w. Smith succeed to the command.
He was prevented from resuming his at
tack on the enemy's position next morning by
the discovery of q strong entrenchment notsce
on the previous evering. His division BIZ
vouacked, on the night of the thirty-fi
within musket shot of the entertainments
which thew were attacking when darkness
STAYED the conflict. The skill, energy and
resolution with which Major-General Smith
directed the attack would have secured sue.
cess if it could have been made an hour ear
lier.
The troops of Longstrcet and Hill passed
the night of the thirty-frst on the ground
which they had won. The enemy were
strongly reinforced from the north side OF the
Chickahominy on the evening and night OF