Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-09-20

attack but the federals were at last concen-
;rated and fully prepared for them. In the
final operations OF this day, in fact, the fed
erals assumed the offensive, and all the ground
lost Oh the 3lst on the left was fully recovered
by Hooker and some other troops. The con-
federate retreat was 40 rapid that many Of
their wounded were left on the field and the
federal wounded were recovered. Johnston's
report claims the capture OF ten pieces of ar
tIl!cry, but lleintzeinan says that but eight
were lost and one of these was recovered
The Union loss in this battle was {, 03l, viz
100 killed 1854 wounded and 6i7 missing The
confederate loss was greater. G, l3i-9S0 killed,
4,Ij9 wounded and 405 missing. The fighting
lasted about six hours and of the fercest
nature. Smith and other coniederates claimed
that the federals fought behind breastworks.
This was mistake. Some OF the regimental
losses i'll this conflict were terrific Foxs book on
'Regimental Losses" gives the following figures:
Sixth Alabama. 363; fourth North Carolina 1863;
sixth South Carolina, 252; forty-ninth Virginia.
2e2; fifth Alabama. 2l0; twelfth Alabama, 2O8-
total in tho six regiments, 1908 killed and
wounded. nearly one-third of the entiro con-
fedcrate loss. Some of the Yankees we're doing
pretty straight shooting at Fair Oaks. The
six Union regiments sustaining the heaviest
loss in killed and wounded according to the
same authority, were: Sixty-frst Pennsylvania
240 fifth New hampshire, l73: sixty fourth
New York, 173; sixty-seventh New York, 1862;
third Michigan. 154, and one hundred and fifth
Pennsylvania, l53. One of Caseys regime uts,
one hundred and fourth Pehnsylvania, lost 1879
killed and wounded.
Mcclellan impu!sively, but none the less cru
ely, reported to Washington, without fully
knowing the facts that Casey's division had
broken disSraceful!y. Part of his raw troops,
perhaps. did not act as firmly could be de-
sired, but the losses of the division show that
1t must have done hard fighting. In fact,
Lave tsNv. Of
CURED in front Of this division. In this battle,
besides the confederate commander, Gen. Pct
tigrew was wounded and captured, Gen. Hamp-
ton wounded and Gan. Hatton killed. On the
Union side Gems. Howard and Devens only
we're wounded. Howard losing his arm. Col
Guilford D. Bailey, chief OF ar tilery, was killed
Gen. Summer grimly observes in his official re-
port that on the second day, before the battle
closed, Gen. Mcclellan came upon the field
and after looking about expressed himself as
satisfied with my arrangements"
THE MISTAKES OF oENERALa
1t Is the modo in writing about the events
of the war to take it for granted that all the
jealousies, oil the quarrels and all the disas-
trous errors resulting in defeat occurred on
your own side. This is o great mistake. Both
sides averaged about alike in respect Of these
drawbacks. Gen. Joe Johnston in his report
and In his Narrative" claims this battle to have
been q confederate victory; JEFF Davis in his
book on tho war says it was practically fzzle
and q defeat 1 have pointed out what the
records show concerning the mistakes of the
rebel commanders rs we'll as the less excuSable,
because deliberate, blundcr Of Mcclellan, a.
demonstrated by the eyent-that Of posting his
army ON both sides of a swampy. unfordable
stream thus inviting defeat in detail.
But Fair Oaks, in fact, was Union victory.
because the designs OF Gen. Johnston. from
whatever cause, were completely frustrated,
and also because the federals inflicted ON their
enemy the greater loss. Many able critics hold
that Mcclellan lost his great opportunity after
Malvern Hill, and it 10 OF record that some of
his generals vainly urged him to promptly re-
sumo tho offensive after that victory. 1t Is not
probable that Mcclellan was endowed with the
sort OF vigor and nerve to win a great and
striking military success under such circum-
stances, but shink his best opportunity &C.
CURED not at Malvern. but on the LIST of June,
after Fair Oaks, when he had in hand fully
$4,000 fresh troopsto pour upon repulsed and