The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1881-11-05
MECHANICSVILLE.
BEGINNING OF THE "SEVEN DAYS"
BY J. :. SLATER.

The "Seven Days fight in reality began June
%, 1862, and ended with Malvern on July !;
but, according to the popular and generally-ac-
cepted belief it commenced with Mechanicsville
and terminated with the arrival of the Union
army at Harrison's Landing on the James, July
Q. In order to fully understand what is to fol-
low, it becomes necessary, however, to go fur
ther back and take brief glance at the situation
as it existed a month earlier.
On the Doth Of May the Army of the Potomac
consisted Of five Corps, viz, the Second, Sum-
ners, divisions of Richardson and Sedgwick;
Third, Heintzelman's, divisions of Hooker and
Kearney; Fourth, keyeS's, divisions of Couch
and Casey; Fifth, Porter's divisions of Morell
and Sykes; and Sixth, Franklin's, divisions of
SlOcum and Smith.
Casey's division on the date last above men
toned, crossed the Chickahominy at or near
Bottoms Bridge, TO the south of the river,
COUGHS division remaining upon the north bank,
with Heintzelmans Corps within supporting
distance to the rear. Summers Corps was along
the railroad some three OF more miles from the
Chickahominy; Franklin's Corps further to the
right and about three miles from New Bridge,
with POrters Corps in his rear as support in case
of need On the Dist of May Stoneman, who
was in advance of Franklin, was about mile
from New Bridge On the oath Mechanicsville
was occupied by Davidson's brigade of Smiths
division and the rebels driven across the Chicka-
hominy, and on the same day Casey's division,
advancing from the direction of Bottoms Bridge
took up position at Seven Pines six or seven
miles from Richmond.
On the Doth Of the month, or, rather, quite
early in the morning of the 9th, General Nc
ClelIan dispatched General Fitz John Porter
from Gaines's, on the north side of the Chicka-
hominy, with a portion of the Fifth Corps to
take possession of Hanover Courthouse, some
fourteen miles to the westward, the occupation
of which was an essential part of the plan for
the reduction Of the confederate stronghold
The strategic Importance of the movement, if
successfully carried out, may be best appre-
ciated from statement showing the location
Of the objective point and the then condition Of
affairs as respected the opposing forces. Han
over Courthouse is upon the Virginia Central
Railroad, not far from its junction with the
line from Fredericksburg and twenty miles
north Of Richmond. Approached from this direc-
ton the confederate capital was at that time
wholly unprotected. The country was open,
there was not a single fertilization worthy of
the name 10 bar the way. Along the line Of
the ChickahOminy, to the eastward where the
Union forces lay, and from whence it was ex-
pected their attack would be delivered, the case
was different. There the approaches were
strongly defended by earthworks constructed
after the most approved fashion by skilful
engineers, who well knew how best to give them
the greatest possible amount of defensive strength
Behind these (which were well supplied with
guns, some of them of heavy calibre) lay by far
the largest and most efficient force that the con-
federacy was at any time during the war able
to muster under one commander, and estimated
at all the way from $4,000 to 100000 men. In
front of them was the Union army, and which,
prior to the battle of Fair Oaks may have num-
bered 10000 men, exclusive of the troops at
Fortress Monroe and the various detachments
at White House. West Point, and other localities
in the rear guarding the line of communication
and supply. At Bowling Green, on the Rich
mOnd and Fredericksburg road, fifteen miles
north of Hanover, lay the advance of General Nc
DOwell's army of 10000 the bulk of which was
at Fredericksburg, within easy supporting dis
lance by rail. As the plan was conceived, it
was intended that this latter force should unite
with that of Porter at Hanover COurt-H House.
and march directly upon Richmond striking
the city upon its unprotected side, taking its
defenders in flank and rear. To repel such an
attack the cOnfederates would have been COM
PEELED to detach at least an equal number of
men (McDowells and POrter's united force would