The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1890-10-09
THE SEyEN-PINES BATTLE.
ACCOUNT OF IT BY THE COMTE
DE PARIS.

II
Caus. Him to Change Some Tisures
| and the Estimate of the Result.
| In the "IIistory OF the Civil War in
| America. written by Comic de Paris,
who win arrive on visit TO Richmond to-
day. and translated by Louis +. Tasistro,
and published in 1876, very minute his
tory Is given of the battle OF seven Pines.
In view of the fact that he will revisit the
same the account will be read with interest.
After describing the movements OF the
troops and their concentration, ne says:
ON the 3Oih General Johnston gave The
| necessary instructions for the battle on ihe
morrow Huger, following roai called tne
| Charles CITY road was % pass 10 the right OF
| Mhite-(bak swamp. ana then cross tne liatsn.
| 20 as 10 attack Reyes position ~ ilank on ,he
| " illiamsburg road. whilst Hin, deDOuchihs
by this rOad was to charge them In lrOnt.
| Lopgstreet following in HIS rear, was 10
| sustain his attack. smiths orders were 10
proceed To Old Tavern, In order TO cover me
Jeff wing of the army IN case the federals
| should attempt TO cross the Chickahominy
near New Bridge: otherwise 10 come ana take
| part In the battle by entering Into line 10 Tue
/ left OF Fair Oaks station.
| During the evening tropical storm burst
upon the two armies, ana in the midst ofpro-
| found darkness poured torrents OF IAN upon
| the ground ON which they were 10 Inea suie
their strength, ON me morning OF .he oi ,'
| this claycy soil was half submerged. the pas
/ slge OF a single vehicle was sufficient 10 turn
the roads into inextricable mud-holes; me
| smallest streams were swelling, while the
| Jhickahominy, assuming reddish TINT, was
| beginning 10 overflow ITS banks and TO
spread over the plains adjoining. Far from
| o allowing the obstacles which the condlton
| of the ground was about TO interpose 10 turn
him from his purpose, Johnston only saw IN
| IL an additional motive for giving battle, be-
| ing convinced that the mud and the over
| flow would be more fatal To the federal-,
scattered along a line too extended, than the
army Ghich was cpmpactly gathered around
| him. At break of day that army took up lts
| line OF march IN the presence OF the whole
reputation of Richmond, which hal come
out of the cry To encourage lhosc 10 WhOm lis
defense was entrusted.
RICHMOND RELATIVES.
II would have been difficult TO flud single
inhabitant of the Confederate capital VINO
had not a relative or friend IN the ranks OF
the army. Curious persons and newspaper
correspondents follOwCd II as far as the battle
ii, Id. rhe three divisions OF Hill, Long
street, and smith, after some strenuous
efforts, arrived IN position toward elght
o'clock. They had been Obliged 10 leave iheif
artillery behind-a bold resolve, which the
Federais were not wise enough 10 initiate.
But Hugers troops, which arted at the
same time as the former. ala not make ihelr
appearance IN the positions which had been
assigned 10 them. IL Is probable that the
latter general may have found the fords AZ
White Oak swamp utterly impossible.
BE that a. IL may, he did mol reach the field
of battle during the whole of that day, nor
did he ever notify his chief OF the cause OF his
delay; his absence so iatal TO me success OF
COnfederates, was made the subject OF Ditter
| leproaches on the part Of those whose plans
had been frustrated. Finally, about noon,
Ioncstreet. who had been waiting for him up
to that moment, gave Hill the order 10 at
tack Without sending any skirmlsheis
| Al. f..f FOL. sflff
pletely by surprise. the COnfederates al
yanced. some in lines across the WOODS,
others IN deep columns along the road,
sweeping before them Csseys plckets, TO-
gether with regiment which had been sent
to reinforce them. The foremost works OF
the Federals. which were as yet unfinished.
being SIMPLY aDatis or hreastW0rks, whose
profiIes could be no protection TO soldiers,
were occupied by Naglees brigade. The lat
ter made a vigorous resistance, while the di-
vision artillery under Colonel Bailey, an Old
regular officer, caused great havoc In the
rsnks of the ASSISTANTS.
Meanwhile the combat extended along the
line Hill had depiOyed all his troops and
brought them into action. His LETT had reach
Ell Fair oaks, where COifcn was making
stand with his division taseys Two other
brigades had FASTENED TO the assistance Of
Naglee, and despite heavy losses they held
out against the COnfederates, whose numbers
were constantly increasing.
LoSGsTREET's DIVISION.
Lnngstreet's division now entered into line,
and was supporting HIPS soldiers, whe were
becoming exhausted. Attacking the Federal
position by the right some OF his regiments
penetrated into the woods which separate
White Oak swamp from the clearing de-
Tended by Casey. The Federal works were
attacked In the rear, and their defenders
decimated by enfiladng fire. These young
soldiers. who had hitherto been sustained 10y
the excitement which springs from danger
and the very exhaustion OF hercc strugglc.no
4 Il. tffe 10 oil
sist this unexpected attack. They were driven
back In disorder upon seven Pines Besides,
the number Of their adVersaries would have
been sufficient 10 crush them. some few.
however. persisted in defending the rodOubts
nut soon disappeared among the ranks of
hillis troops. who, hayiug returned 10 the
charge, hemmed them IN on every Side.
Bailey was killed 10y the side Of the guns he
bad Just spiked and seven pieces fell into
the hands of The assailanis
PECK's BRIGADE.
II was 3 O'Clock. Precise y NJ this moment
Peck's brigade, Of COuch's diyislOn. was AZ
irving from seven Pines. led by Reyes. who
had been Informed somewhat late Of the So
rious character Of the fight. The Lafayette
Guards. which formed a part OF this brigade.
having deployed into line among The debris OF
Casey's division, allowed the fighters 10 pass
without moving. then rallying around them
This Heating mass, among whom the bands OF
discipline hal disappeared, but not personal
courage, they made vigorous aggressive
rcclpture neither OF the rcdOubis nor the los
cannon: but the enemy was checked the
remainder of Caseys artillery saved, and the
Federas hid time 10 rally. Regiments after
regiments from COUGHS division We're sent
10 sustain the night, for II the federals were
losing ground they now contested II foot for
foot. On the right Couch commanded Fair |
oaks in person, where, with the rest OF bis |
division, held ia check the left wing Of Long |
street whose main efforts were SIN |
concentrated upon tine position OF
seven Pines. he struggle lasted four |
hour, and yet, strange 10 say only
two divisions had taken part In IL on either |
side Keyes' corps alone numbering about |
twelve thousand eiicctiyemen, had been en- |
gagged On the Federal side, ana while Long |
streets and HIPS columns were being deci- |
mated by the enemy's artillery, Huger on |
Their right was still lost In the White Oak |
swamp; smith on their left continued mac
tive around Old Tavern. In short, the TWO |
% uqfals-iu-chief were both unconscious OF !
the battle in which their respective soldiers !
were engaged. Mcclellan, who was sick at |
his headquarters, near Gaines mill, had |
heard nothing from llentzelman, 10 whom |
the command of the entire LETT was entfust. |
Ell The telegraph which connected the |
various sections Of the Army was silent |
Hointzeln an himself although posted al /
savage station. only a few kueme tres from
seven Pines. had only heard Of the enemy's !
attack several hours after the nrst musket |
was fired.
WAITING FOR FIRING.
Johnston's ignorance was stlll more unac-
countable, inasmuch as,he was the assailant.
Ielsurely posted at Old Tavern, he still wait
ed for the booming ~ cannon on the VIII
liam sburg road 10 put smith IN motion. But
the storm OF wind end rain which followed
the gale OF the previous day carried the
sound in a different direction. and The Gene
ral-iB-Ch ief, who had ordered the attack 10
be made i'm the morning remaining nntl 1 /
O'Clock listening to the expectation OF
This signal without sending solitary
aide de camp 10 ascertain what was passing
on his right, was separated, however, by less
than four kilometres IN direct liae from tire
Williamsburg road, and a man on horseback
leaving Old Tavern would have had no more
than ten kilometres To ride without leaving
The main road To reach LOngstreet in the
midst of tie soldiers whom he was bringing.
without delay, into the thickness Of the
fight.
TAKES by SURPRISE.
Although taken by surprise the Federals
had not lost quite 50 much time. The boom
Ing of cannon, which Johnston did lot hear.
had reached McClellans tent. The high
wind made IL impossible for the balloon
which had been brought there az great eX-