National Republican., 1885-03-04
THE BATTLE OF FAIR OAKS.
GEN. CAsErs DIVISION yINDICATED ny
AN Ex.COyFEDERATE OFFICER.
Testimony OF = Participant That They Fought
Well at tho Opening Of the Engagement, at
Leost-Interesting Incidents or the Day In
the Rebel Ranks.

nnu belonged 10 den. CasoyB ulVlblon OF
the union army which breasted the first
onslaught Of the confederate forces at tho
battle Of Fair Oaks, OF Seven Pines as we
call IL, May 81, 1862, and with which
division the brigade to which tho writer
belonged was for time opposed in that
fight. Casey's division was soundly
berated by the federal historians for their
conduct on that field, but the mon Of the
division have always contended that
they fought we'll until overpowered by
superior numbers, and then only was
their retreat disorderly. These men feel
sore over the charges mado against them
oven to this day, aud they have requested
me TO write my recollections OF the fight,
and especially as to the conduct of their
division on the first assault. Now, do
not know that l can throw any additional
light on the subject, but am willing to
tell
WHAT REcoLLEcT OF THE AFFAIR.
After the long and harassing siege of
Yorktown and the wearisome march up
the peninsula to Richmond. tho brigade
(Gen. James l.. Kemper's) to which the
writer's regiment (17th Virginia infantry
was attached had been enjoying much
needed rest, even company drills having
been for the time discontinued. On the
evening OF May 80, 1862. we were camped
in tents on the Richmond fair grounds,
which 10 level plain of considerable
extent. When we lay down TO sleep that
night the weather was clear though very
sultry. Soon afterward thunder storm
came sweeDing along aud we were sub
jected TO regular cloud-burst. The rain
came down for hours, not in drops or
sheets, but literally by the bucketful, and
soon the entire camp was ahoat. All we
could do was to hastily pack up our blankets
and traps and stand in half n foot of water
and wait patiently for the waters to sub.
side. Not long after midnight the adju-
tant came around with the order to pack
our knapsacks (which we had done al
ready aud pile them, leave tents stand
ing, and be ready to move at moments
warning
IN LIGHT MARCHING ORDER.
We know very well what this order
meant, for the sudden rise Of the Chick
nhominy after big rain was we'll known
TO us, and we knew also that the army
of Gen. Mcclellan was divided by the
treacheTous stream. Under the circum-
stances we were glad of our thorough
soaking. By dsybreak we we're on our
way down the Williamsburg road In the
direction of the enemy. The front line
of Gen. McClellan's left wing was only
some six or seven miles from Richmond,
and we could have gotten over this dis
tance In two hours with ease, In spite of
the fact that the road was covered with
pools of water, but we wore halted at
every mile or so with O long wait, and H.
was nearly noon before we got within
view of the enemy's pickets. You may
be sure there was much comment OK
cited by the unaccountable slowness of
the movement-the American soldier was
very apt to criticise the strategy of his
generals. Growls went along the line
Tho Chickahominy will go down as fast
as it has risen, and they can ford it even
If tho bridges are swept away. What in
the hi are we waiting for" &c. Gen.
ID. II. Hills division was ahead of us on
the road, and it was sometime after IL IN
before his skirmishers began to exchange
shots with the hostile pickets. have
never been able to understand why the
onset was not made ut o or 10 o'clock at
the latest, for on our side the battle wal
MAINLY FOUGHT ny THE INFANTRY,
so that the difficulty of bringing up the
artillery could not have been the cause Of
the delay. 1t is true that Gen. Hugel
did not get up with his division until
late In the evening, although he did moi
have to march much further than we did,
but then we had sufficient force for the
Job then apparently on hand without
him.
When, however, Hill had once begun
TO fight he did not let the grass grow un
der his feet, as it were. His onset wa.
impetuous ana determined, and the
tremendous crashes of musketry, the
charging yells, and the booming OF
Casey's cannon showed to us in the rear
that hot work was in progress in front
After the battle was begun Kemper's
brigade was drawn up In line of battle In
reserve OH the extreme right of the right
wing-the brigade having suffered heavily
at the stifiiy fought battle of Williams
burg some weeks previously. We stacked
arms, and listened to the continuous roal
of the battle until about an hour before
sundown. That was tho brigade's frs
experience in the rear of battle, aud II
was very unpleasant one.
STREAMS OF WOUNDED MEN,
in ambulances. on stretchers, or bloody
dirty and grimy, painfully hobbling along
came constantly pouring back from the
front, and the sight was douse Of colo
water, SO to speak, thrown upon our en-.
thusiasm. Moreover, think old soldiers
will agree with me, that tho suspense
, when expecting overy moment to bt
\ called into battle is more wearing upor
the nerves than to be in the midst of th,
combat At last one of Longstreets aid
came galloping toward us. aud our colonel
remarked, Now comes our turn" and al
once called us to attention. The brigad,
was at onco put In columns of fours and
headed down the Williamsburg road a
the double quick, for we were told tha
the enemy had been heavily REINFORCED
.t.,ss Lnal
was perfect loblolly and knee deep, and
doubie-quicking was hard work. When
the brigade emerged from tho woods init
the large open field in front of the re
doubt and rifle pits thrown up by Geu
Casey. the head of the column was assallet
by storm Of shot, shell, and bullets from
the federal lines, which were established
in a belt of woods about 200 yards beyont
the redoubt. Kemper led the regiment
on in column of fours until we got righ
up to the redoubt before he gave tn,
order to throw us into line of battle
AVERY CURIOUS MANEUvER.
Now, fifty yards beyond tho redoub
was house to the right short distauc,
barn, and to tho left huge pile o
wood ten feet high and fifty yards long
Beyond these were the little dog tent
pitched helter skelter by Casey's division
Up to this time we had had no help from
our artillery, the Fauquier battery, whicl
accompanied US, being stuck in the mut
with half its horses killed, aud the mer
unable to bring the guns to bear. Whel
the head of the column reached the re
doubt, and we had serious losses Will,
crossing the field from the raking shots
the order was at last given to forward
into line and charge, but this was easier
said than done, especially as far al
tho 18th regiment was concerned
We were rushed into line as wei
as the obstacles above referred
to, which were in our immediate
front would permit and then dashed il