The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1880-01-02


The Seven Days Campaign Before Rich
mond.
Gen. A. l.. Long, Military Secretary
of Gen. Lee, commanding the Confed
crate army at Richmond, has written a
newspaper account of the operations of
the "Seven Days Fight" from South
ern standpoint, from which we tran
scribe the following:
When Gen. Mcclellan crossed the
Chickahominy it was thought he would
advance Immediately upon Richmond.
This expectation was disappointed,
however, for instead of advancing he
began to fortify his position. The
right wing rested on the Chickahom-
my, little below New bridge, and the
left extended to the White Oak swamp,
embracing front of about four miles,
nearly par allel with that of the Confed-
crates. The opposing lines were sep
arated by an interval but little exceed
ing mile, but each was obscured from
the others view by the intervening for
est. The picket lines were often with.
In close musket range of each other.
AT first there was good deal of picket
skirmishing, but this was soon discon-
tinued by mutual consent, and a lively
exchange of newspapers, coffee and
tobacco succeeded it. The strength
of the Confederate forces was
always greatly over-estimated by
Gen. Mcclellan, and his frequent
and urgent calls for reinforcements ex-
posed his timidity and want of conf
dence in his own strength. Gen. Lee,
knowing this uneasy, insecure feeling
of his antagonist, and McDowelPs force,
which had always been a thorn in his
side, being about this time withdrawn
from fredericksburg for the support of
Banks and Shields in the valley, pre-
pared to assume the offensive. He con-
ceived the bold plan of crossing the
Chickahominy and attacking the Fed
eral right wing to force it back and to
seize Gen. Mcclellan s line of communi-
cation with his base of operations. This
plan being successfully executed, the
Federal General would be compelled to
save his army as best he could by re-
treat. Preparatory to the execution of
this plan, Gen. j. E. B. Stuart was or.
dered to make a reconnaissance in the
rear of the Federal position. This Of
ficer, with force of about 1000 cavalry,
executed his instructions with great
oboldness and success. He made
the entire circuit of the Fed
eral army and gained much
important information. His design be-
ing confirmed by Stuart's successful re-
connoissance, Gen. Lee proceeded to
, organize a force requisite for the &C
omplishment of his proposed enter
prise. The troops that could be conven-
iently spared from North Carolina,
South Carolina, and Georgia were or
dered to Richmond. BY the Goth of
June, Maj. Gen. Holmes, with 5000
men from North Carolina; Brig. Gen.
Ripley, with 5000 from South Caro-
lima, and Brig. Gen. Lawton, with 5000
from Georgia, had arrived in Rich
.mond. At the same time Gen. Jack
son was ordered to withdraw secretly
sfrom the valley and proceed with such
expedition as would enable him to
reach Hanover Junction by the after
noon of the 25th of June. In order to
mask his designs from the Federals,
Gen. Lee directed Writings division
and Lawton's brigade to proceed to
Staunton, apparently with the view of
reinforcing Gen. Jackson, but really or
dered to return Immediately and join
that General on the 25th at Hanover
Junction. This movement further
strengthened Gen. Mcclellan in the
opinion of the vastly superior force of
Gen. Lee, and completely blinded him
an regard to the real intentions of that
General.
Gen. Lee determined to attack the
Federal right wing on the morning of
the 10Th of June. Gen. jackson was
directed to move to Atlee's Station, on
the Central railroad Gen. A. p. Hill
was directed to cross the Chickahominy
at Meadow bridge, as soon as Jackson
arrived in supporting distance, and
attack the Federals at Mechanicsville.
drive them from that place, so that the
bridge on the Richmond and Mechan-
icsvrllc road might be open for the
advance of the other troops. Generals
Longstreet and d. II. Hill were ordered
to move their divisions as near as prac-
ticable to the MechanicsvilIe bridge
without discovering themselves to the
observation of the Federals, while Ma
.gruder, Huger and Holmes held the
lines that were now completed with
instructions to watch closely the move
ments of the enemy in their front and
act as circumstances might suggest.
The effective force of the Army of
Northern Virginia, including that
brought bye en-. Jackson from the valley,
as shown by the field returns Of June
"a and %, mounted to little over 81
900 men. Thirty thousand of these