The FReeper Foxhole Revisits Battle of Fair Oaks (Seven Pines) (5/31 - 6/1/1862) - May 27th, 2005

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The FReeper Foxhole Revisits

The Battle of Fair Oaks, Virginia
May 31, 1862 - June 1, 1862

Fair Oaks was a small station on the Richmond & York River railroad, about 6 miles east of Richmond. Three miles farther east was Savage Station, and a mile southeast, on the Williamsburg stage road, about half-way between Richmond and Bottom's bridge over the Chickahominy river, was Seven Pines. North of the railroad and nearly parallel with it ran the New Bridge road, which at Old Tavern was intersected by another highway called the Nine-mile road. From Old Tavern this road ran southeast, crossing the railroad at Fair Oaks and forming a junction with the Williamsburg road at Seven Pines. Three miles from Richmond the Charles City road left the Williamsburg road to the right and ran southeast toward White Oak swamp.

After the reconnaissance of Gen. Naglee to Seven Pines (q. v.) on the 24th the 4th Corps, under command of Brig.-Gen. E. D. Keyes, was ordered to fortify a position there. A strong line of rifle-pits, protected in front by an abatis was constructed a little east of the junction of the Nine mile and Williamsburg roads. Fronting the Williamsburg road were two houses, exactly alike, called the "Twin Houses," near which a small pentangular redoubt was thrown up and manned by a battery of 6 guns. The 3rd Corps, Brig.- Gen. S. P. Heintzelman commanding, was ordered to cross the Chickahominy at Bottom's bridge and take position near White Oak swamp to guard the left and rear of the army.

On the 30th the troops on the south side of the Chickahominy were stationed as follows: Casey's division of the 4th Corps on the right of the Williamsburg road at right angles to it, the center being at Fair Oaks; Couch's division of the same Corps at Seven Pines; Kearny's division of the 3rd Corps along the railroad from Savage Station to the Chickahominy, and Hooker's division of the 3rd Corps at White Oak Swamp. The Corps of Porter, Franklin and Sumner had not yet crossed the Chickahominy. On the morning of May 30, Gen. D. H. Hill (Confederate) sent Garland's brigade out on a reconnaissance on the Williamsburg road and the rifle-pits of the 4th Corps at Seven Pines were discovered. About noon on the same day Hill reported to. Gen. J. E. Johnston, commanding the Confederate forces about Richmond, that the Federals were in force on the south side of the Chickahominy.



Johnston had already learned that McDowell's Corps, some 40,000 strong, was on the way to join the Army of the Potomac, and now determined to strike McClellan before McDowell could come up. In his official report of the engagement of Fair Oaks he gives the following plan of battle, which was explained to his different commanders that afternoon: "Gen. Hill supported by the division of Gen. Longstreet (who had the direction of operations on the right), was to advance by the Williamsburg road to attack the enemy in front. Gen. Huger, with his division, was to move down the Charles City road in order to attack in flank the troops who might be engaged with Hill and Longstreet, unless he found in his front force enough to occupy his division. Gen. Smith was to march to the junction of the New Bridge road and Nine mile road to be in readiness either to fall on Keyes' right flank or to cover Longstreet's left. They were to move at daybreak."

The attack was expected by the Federals, as the cars had been heard running nearly all night, indicating a movement of troops to the front, and their suspicions were strengthened by the capture of one of Johnston's aides near the Union lines on the morning of the 31st. The Union generals had therefore exercised increased vigilance to prevent anything like a surprise. Keyes formed his men in two lines of battle, Casey's division moving to the left and taking a position in front of the abatis, Palmer's brigade on the left, Wessells' in the center and Naglee's on the right, with two regiments north of the railroad. Couch's division constituted the second line which was formed across the Williamsburg road and along the Nine mile road, Peck's brigade on the left, Deven's in the center and Abercrombie's on the right, two regiments of his brigade and Brady's battery being beyond the railroad at Fair Oaks.

Casey's pickets were about 1,000 yards in advance of the first line. Owing to a severe storm on the night of the 30th, with some confusion in moving the troops to their positions the next morning, the Confederates did not begin the attack until 1 p.m. About noon a mounted vedette rode back to Casey's headquarters with the report that the enemy was approaching in force on the Williamsburg road. Casey ordered the 103rd and 104th Pennsylvania to move forward to the support of the pickets and the regiment was hardly in position when two shells were thrown into the Union lines.


Chickahominy Lowlands

The whole division was then ordered under arms and Spratt's battery moved to the front about a quarter of a mile to shell the enemy as soon as the pickets and their supports could be withdrawn. Bates', Regan's and Fitch's batteries were also placed in position, with instructions to open on the enemy as soon as he debouched from the woods. They had not long to wait, for in five minutes the pickets and their supports were forced back by the overwhelming force of the enemy. Gen. Webb says of this part of the action: "The pickets, reinforced by the 103rd and 104th Pennsylvania, soon broke and joined by a large number of sick, camp followers and skulkers, flowed in a steady stream to the rear, thus giving the impression that Casey's division had broken in a panic, and left the field without making any firm or prolonged resistance."

Such, however, was not the case. When the pickets fell back the Confederates advanced and soon the "rebel yell" resounded on all sides. They were met by a steady fire of canister that thinned their ranks, but failed to check their advance. Seeing himself greatly outnumbered, Casey sent back to Keyes for reinforcements. In response to his request the 55th New York, under Lieut.-Col. Thourot, was sent forward into the rifle-pits to support the center; the 23rd and 61st Pennsylvania., commanded by Cols. Neill and Rippey, were ordered to the right; and Gen. Pack, with two regiments of his brigade-the 93rd and 102nd Pennsylvania-was sent to the left. In order to save his artillery Casey ordered a bayonet charge against the center. This charge was made by part of Naglee's brigade and the enemy driven back, giving the batteries an opportunity to withdraw from their exposed positions.

On the right Neill and Rippey repulsed one attack, but the Confederates rallied and, were reinforced, when they again assaulted and the two regiments were forced back, though they brought 35 prisoners with them. In trying to reinforce them the 7th Massachusetts and 62nd New York, commanded by Couch in person, to avoid being cut off, joined Abercrombie at Fair Oaks and fought with his brigade during the remainder of the day. Peck, on the left, held his position for over two hours, when the heavy force massed against him compelled him to retire, which he did in good order. Mill then began moving troops to the right and, left "to take the Yankee works in reverse," and Casey again sent back for reinforcements, but as the second line had already been weakened to support the first, Keyes deemed it inadvisable to send any more troops to the front. Casey then fell back to Couch's line, after having maintained his position for over three hours against a vastly superior force. Here he rallied part of his division, and reinforced by part of Kearny's division which was just then coming up, tried to recapture his works, but the enemy was too strong and the attempt was abandoned.


General Sedgwick's men cross the Chickahominy on the Grapevine Bridge

Up to this time Hill's division had been the only portion of the Confederate forces actively engaged. Johnston, who was with Smith on the left gave the order at 4 p.m. for that wing to move forward. About the same time Longstreet sent in the brigades of Anderson, Wilcox and Kemper on the Williamsburg road, and those of Colston, and Pryor on the right, and with the addition of these fresh troops a general attack was made all along the line. Although Berry's and Jameson's brigades of Kearny's division arrived on the field in time to reinforce the Union troops before this general assault was commenced, the weight of superior numbers was with the enemy and after a stubborn resistance of more than an hour the Federals fell back slowly to a narrow strip of woods across the Williamsburg road. Here Heintzelman succeeded in rallying a sufficient force to hold the enemy in check until a new line of battle could be formed in the rear of the wood. In the formation of this third line Keyes noticed that the key to the position was at the left of the wood, where the ground sloped to the rear, and determined to occupy it.

Concerning this action he says in his report: "I hastened to the 10th Mass. Col. Briggs, which regiment I had myself once before moved, now in the rifle-pits on the right of the Williamsburg road and ordered them to follow me across the field. Col. Briggs led them on in gallant style, moving quickly across an open space of 700 or 800 yards under a scorching fire, and forming his men with perfect regularity. * * * Had the 1Oth Massachusetts been two minutes later they would have been too late to occupy that fine position, and it would have been impossible to have formed the next and last line of battle of the 31st, which stemmed the tide of defeat and turned it toward victory." In forming the new line it was impossible to pay attention to brigade organizations. Regiments and fragments of regiments were thrown into position at the most convenient points, and none too soon, for scarcely had the line been formed when the Confederates bore down upon it, elated with success and confident of again driving the Union forces from their position. But they never entered the wood. When they came within range they were met by a deadly fire that checked their advance. Another volley caused them to fall back in some disorder, and as it was now after 6 o'clock they did not make another attempt to carry the position.


[The Battle of Fair Oaks, Va. May 31st, 1862]
Lithograph, hand colored.
Published by Currier & Ives, [c1862]

About 2:30 p.m. the sound of firing was heard at McClellan's headquarters on the north side of the Chickahominy, and Sumner was ordered to move his two divisions across the river to the support of Heintzelman and Keyes. The troops were already in marching order, so that no time was lost in getting started. Sedgwick's division moved in advance on the road directly to Fair Oaks, the head of his column coming up just in time to join Couch, as that officer with four regiments and Brady's battery, was holding in check Smith's entire division.

Col. Sully, with the 1st Minnesota, was the first of Sedgwick's command to reach the field, and without waiting for orders he swung his regiment into line on Couch's right, charged across a field and took position with his right resting on a farm house and his left on the edge of the woods. Gorman quickly followed with the rest of his brigade, moving to Couch's left, where Kirby's battery was planted in a position to command the road. It was immediately charged by the enemy in an attempt to capture the guns, but Gorman threw three regiments on their flank and this was followed by a bayonet charge that drove the Confederates from the field. This closed the battle on the Federal right for the day. Richardson's division arrived just as the enemy were retiring, but too late to take part in the engagement.


Federal observation balloon Intrepid being inflated.
Battle of Fair Oaks, Va., May 1862. (NARA 111-B-680)

At 2 o'clock on the morning of June 1, a council of war was held at Sumner's headquarters, at which it was decided to attack the enemy as soon as the different commands could be properly disposed. Richardson's division was posted along the railroad east of Fair Oaks, French's brigade in the first line, Howard's in the second and Meagher's in the third. On the left of Richardson was Birney's brigade of Kearny's division, Berry's and Jameson's brigades being at the cross- roads east of Seven Pines, where the Union forces made their last stand in the first day's battle. Here were also the rest of Keyes' Corps and Hooker's division of Heintzelman's, which had come up from White Oak swamp about dark on the 31st. Gen. Johnston was severely wounded by a shell near the close of the first day's fight, and in the battle of June 1, the movements of the Confederate forces were directed by Gen. G. W. Smith, second in rank.

About 5 a.m. the enemy's skirmishers and a small body of cavalry appeared in front of Richardson, but a few shells from Pettit's battery dispersed them. Soon afterward a large force of Confederates debauched from the woods and opened a heavy musketry fire at short range. French's division returned the fire for some time, when, the enemy being heavily reinforced, Howard was ordered to French's assistance. One regiment of Howard's brigade - the 81st Pennsylvania - had been sent to close a gap in the line between Richardson and Kearny, but with the rest of his command Howard moved promptly forward on French's left, as the enemy was trying to turn that flank, and forced the Confederates back through the woods beyond Casey's old camp at Seven Pines. In this action Howard received a wound that resulted in the loss of his right arm, and turned over the command of the brigade to Col. Cross, of the 5th New Hampshire.



As soon as Hooker heard the firing he advanced with the 5th and 6th New Jersey, of Patterson's brigade, with Sickles' brigade in support, to attack the Confederates in the rear. Skirmishers were thrown forward and the two New Jersey regiments were soon engaged. Sickles had been ordered to the left by Heintzelman, but Birney's brigade, now under command of Col. J. H. Ward, happened to be in a convenient position, and it was ordered to Hooker's support. As the line had to move through a swamp the advance was slow, but Hooker says in his report: "Our lines were well preserved, the fire brisk and unerring, and our troops reliant-all omens of success. After an interchange of musketry of this character for more than an hour directions were given to advance with the bayonet, when the enemy were thrown into wild confusion, throwing away their arms, hats and coats, and broke through the forest in the direction of Richmond. At this moment chivalry and rebellion presented a deplorable picture. Pursuit was hopeless."


A view of the Adams House around which the fighting of May 31, 1862, swirled.

When Sickles was withdrawn from Hooker's support his brigade was moved to the left of the Williamsburg road. The ground here was too boggy to permit the use of artillery but Sickles pushed forward the 71st and 73rd New York, under Col. Hail and Maj. Moriarty, supported by the rest of the brigade, and his victory here was no less brilliant than that of his division commander. After firing one or two volleys Hall charged and started the enemy in retreat, when the whole brigade pressed forward to take advantage of the situation, and the Confederates were forced back until Sickles occupied the field of the previous day. Concerning this part of the fight Sickles, report says: "The fields were strewn with Enfield rifles, marked 'Tower, 1862,' and muskets marked 'Virginia,' thrown away by the enemy in his hurried retreat. In the camp occupied by Gen. Casey and Gen. Couch on Saturday, before the battle of Seven Pines were found rebel caissons filled with ammunition, a large number of small arms, and several baggage wagons, besides two barns filled with subsistence and forage."

Thus the Confederate army that had marched out so proudly on the morning of May 31, to drive McClellan's left wing into the Chickahominy and cut the Federal line of supplies, returned to Richmond the next day defeated, panic-stricken and disorganized. The Union losses at the battle of Fair Oaks amounted to 790 killed, 3,594 wounded and 647 missing. The Confederates lost 980 killed, 4,749 wounded and 405 missing.

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ACCOUNTS OF THE BATTLE OF FAIR OAKS, VA.
(FROM LETTERS OF THE 20TH MASS. PARTICIPANTS)

20th Mass. officer Henry Abbott's account:

"In about an hour we let up on the firing along the line, the smoke partially cleared, & we saw the rebels charging from the woods to take Rickets' battery, which, by the way, did admirably. Instantly there went up a tremendous shout along the line & the biggest volley of the battle sent the rebels yelping into the woods. Then our whole line charged, the first halfthe distance in quick time, without cheering, except from old Sumner, who cheered us as we passed, the second half the way taking the double-quick with the loudest cheers we could get up [...]


Map showing the battlefield of May 31, 1862. The California Regiment's first position is shown. Subsequent to this, the men moved to their right into a position in the rear of the 65th New York and 1st Minnesota and to the left of the Courtney house (building depicted to the right of the 1st Minnesota's line).

Over the fence we went...It was now dark. We lay on our arms, on marshy ground; without blankets, officers being obliged to sit up, every body wet through as to his feet and trousers, & we had brought our blankets, but gave them all up to the wounded prisoners, of whom our regiment took a large number....My company took 10 unwounded, & 11 wounded rebels prisoner in the woods. Among the former, 5 of the celebrated Hampton Legion of South Carolina, & one Tennessee, two North Carolinans, a Georgia & a Louisiana Tiger.

Among the wounded, Brig. Gen. Pettigrew of SC & Lt. Col. Bull of the 35th Georgians. Pettigrew had given up all his side arms to some of his people before they ran away, in anticipation of being taken prisoner, & had only his watch, which of course I returned to him. Pettigrew will get well. Bull had his side arms, of which I allowed Corp. Summerhayes, his captor, to keep his pistol, an ordinary affair, while I kept his sword, an ordinary US infantry sword, which I intended to send as a present to you, but the Col., knowing [p.129] his family's address, wants me to send it to them, & as the poor fellow is dead, of course I can't hesitate to do any thing which would comfort his family. His scabbard, however, I found very convenient, as mine got broken in the battle and I threw it away. I am going to send you, instead, a short rifle which I took from a H[ampton's] Legion fellow, who were all around with them & the sword bayonet. The rest of the rifles we of course turned over to the col., as in duty bound, except one revolving Colt's rifle, 5 barrels, worth $60 or $70 apiece...which one of my men took from a dying officer, & which I let him keep as a reward of valor."

---Robert Garth Scott, ed., Fallen Leaves: The Civil War Letters of Major Henry Livermore Abbott (Kent, OH: Kent State University Press, 1991) pp. 128-129.

20th Mass. Corporal John W. Summerhayes' account:


[Fair Oaks, Va. Twin houses on battlefield, with 32-pdr. field howitzer in foreground]

"Lieutenant Abbott ordered me into the woods, with a file of men, to bring out all the wounded, and rebels, that could be found. As I started, seven came out, belonging to the Hampton Legion, SC, the finest brigade in the rebel service. After coming in with them, I advanced into the woods, and hearing a groaning, walked up and there found Lieut. Col. Bull of the 34th Georgia [sic]. I took his sword and revolver, and sent him in. After taking several more, I fell in with one, whom I knew, although his side arms were gone, was of some high rank, and so he proved to be. Although he would not give me any answers, the Colonel was more fortunate, for he found out that it was Brigadier General Pettigrew, of the State of South Carolina."

---Richard F. Miller and Robert F. Mooney, The Civil War: The Nantucket Experience (Nantucket: Wesco Publishing, 1994) pp. 187.

20th Mass. Lt. Henry Ropes' account:


[Fair Oaks, Va., vicinity. Capt. Rufus D. Pettit's Battery B, 1st New York Light Artillery, in Fort Richardson]

"[...] On Saturday last, May 31st, we had not the slightest idea of danger being near till about noon when very heavy firing broke out from the woods West of us and at one time approached very near. ... At about 4 o'cl. orders came to fall in with one day's rations and we marched from Camp, and crossed the Chickahominy on the log bridge built by the Mich. Regimt. We came out on a low meadow where our Artillery was stuck in the mud. The 19th Mass. was on picket behind us, the Tammany we left here, and the 7th Mich. and we pushed on alone. After passing the meadow we ascended a small hill, and found the country dry and hilly in front. Soon we halted, loaded and primed and then marched on again. In a few minutes we heard guns ahead, and we pushed on rapidly, crossed a stream knee deep and took the double quick, for musketry and artillery were now heard in front, rapidly increasing. We drove forward out of breath and very hot, saw the smoke rising over the trees, and soon the road turned from along the edge of the woods, and we saw at the farther end of a large field our Artillery firing with the greatest rapidity, the Infantry forming, all hid in smoke.

We again took the double quick step and ran through deep mud and pools of water toward the battle. The whole field in the rear of the line of firing was covered with dead; and wounded men were coming in in great numbers, some walking, some limping, some carried on stretchers and blankets, many with shattered limbs exposed and dripping with blood. In a moment we entered the fire. The noise was terrific, the balls whistled by us and the shells exploded over us and by our side; the whole scene dark with smoke and lit up by the streams of fire from our battery and from our Infantry in line on each side. We were carried to the left and formed in line, and then marched by the left flank and advanced to the front and opened fire.

Our men behaved with the greatest steadiness and stood up and fired and did exactly what they were told. The necessary confusion was very great, and it was as much as all the Officers could do to give the commands and see to the men. We changed position 2 or 3 times under a hot fire. Donnelly and Chase of my company fell not 2 feet from me. The shell and balls seemed all round us, and yet few seemed to fall. We kept up this heavy firing for some time, when the enemy came out of the woods in front and made a grand attack on the battery. They were met by grape and canister and a tremendous fire of the Infantry. They faltered and fell back. Some Regiment charged on them; the whole Rebel line was now in front of us, and Genl Sumner ordered our whole line to advance. We rushed on with tremendous cheers, the whole together at a charge. The Rebels did not wait for the bayonets but broke and fled. Our Regiment came over a newly ploughed field and sank to the knee. We drove them to the edge of the woods and opened a tremendous fire for a few moments, and then..



....We fired into the woods and then charged and drove them before us. We were then ordered back, and by the left flank and again charged the Rebels in a field on the left where they had rallied. We drove them and halted in the middle of the field and gave a few final volleys. It was then dark. We staid there that night. Ground covered with their killed and wounded. We took many prisoners.

[...] All Officers well and unhurt. [...] Our total loss 30.

B

My Company suffered most in the battle.

Henry."

--From the Letters of Lt. Henry Ropes, 20th MA (ms, Boston, 1888)
Rare Books and Manuscripts Dept., Boston Public Library
Courtesy of the Trustees of the Boston Public Library

Oliver Wendell Holmes' Account

...May 31st We heard heavy firing from Casey's Div and soon our Div was under arms & marched 4 miles I sh'ld think-the last part through a stream above our knees and then double quick through mud a foot deep on the field of battle [....]


Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr.

Soon we filed round and formed under fire in 2nd posit. left of a N.Y. Regt. (34th New York) and opened fire on the Reb line wh. was visible--Our fire was soon stopped (by order) and we could see in the field (where our 3d position was later) Rebs moving by twos and threes-apparently broken up[....]

When we got to the road the R. Wing entered the woods firing hard and the left wing advancing more slowly to avoid getting fired into by our own men- A Co. of Rebs trying to pass out of the woods was knocked to pieces-and thus we took the final position of the 1st day.. Here we blazed away left oblique into the woods till we were ordered to cease firing & remained masters of the field....

Well we licked 'em and this time there was the maneurvering of a battle to be seen-splendid and awful to behold...It is singular what indifference one gets to look on the dead bodies in gray clothes which lie all around...

As you go through the woods you stumble...perhaps tread on the swollen bodies, already fly blown and decaying, of men shot in the head back or bowels-Many of the wounds are terrible to look at [...]

Source- Anthony J. Milano, "Letters from the Harvard Regiments: The Story of the 2nd and 20th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry Regiments from 1861 through 1863 as told by the letters of their Officers" (Civil War: The Magazine of the Civil War Society, Vol. XIII, pp. 23-24)

THE FATE OF THE CHARACTERS

Col. Lee, was too ill to resume command after Antietam and resigned on 12/17/62. Died 1891

General Lee (CSA), spent the postwar years as President of Washington College, in Lexington VA. Died 1870

Lt. Henry Ropes, killed by friendly fire at Gettysburg

General Pettigrew (CSA), killed in the retreat from Gettysburg.

Capt. Henry Abbott, killed in the Battle of The Wilderness.

Lt. Robert Emory Park (CSA), survived the war to become Treasurer of Georgia in 1900.

Of the two men who fell wounded within feet of Lt. Ropes, Pvt. Chase was discharged for disabilities the following year, but Pvt. Donnelly never made it home. He was missing in action at the Battle of The Wilderness.

John W. Summerhayes, survived the war and made a career of the US Army. He died in 1911 and is buried in Arlington National Cemetery.

Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. survived three battle wounds and served on the US Supreme Court from 1902 to 1932

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March 8th 1862

Dear Mother,

I take this opportunity of writing a few lines to let you know that I received your letter and was glad to hear that you all was well. We are all well and hoping when these few lines reach you .. I hope they will find you and all the rest enjoying the same good health. We was out into Washington day before yesterday to go to a General's funeral and it was pretty muddy in some places and it was nice and dry overhead. That was the first funeral that I was at and there was our Regiment and one Company of Artillery and one Company of Cavalry was to the funeral. It was the biggest crowd that I ever seen and the streets was crowded from one street to another and it was a pretty sight to see the pretty ladies. This was the first time that we was out into Washington pretty near all the winter and it done us good to see what we did see.

Mother, you don't tell me whether you have plenty to live on and if you don't, please tell me and the next time we get paid I will send more money to you .. for I don't expect to send any to "Old Jacob" (his grandfather) this time for I think I won't have a pair of boots and I must have some spending money left. I will send you ten dollars and the rest I will save. The boots is very dirty and if I could not afford them I would not get them but they say that we have to go into Washington to stand guard. Other regiments have to all go into Washington and that is our favorite as we will get the weather that is your favorite feel. I hope that it may continue the same good weather for I am tired of seeing this kind of weather. I don't know what kind of weather you have up there and know I crossed some too. Also these few lines leaves us all in good health. Write soon and tell me all the particulars.



Dear Mother, write soon. We all join in sending our love to you all. Tell "Hugh" to be a good boy and grow and write fast .. and when I get home .. we go up country. Tell "Angeline" to be a good girl and I will try to get her a present if I can find anything that will please her. Is "Steven" grown any or not. You know more at present, Dear Mother.

Good-bye .. Sisters and Brothers and Father and Mother. I am heavier now then I ever was before and feel better. Being a Soldier agrees with me now. Direct your letters to Wilson Fryling.

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On 1 June 1862 (only 85 days after this letter was written to his family in Bucks County, PA) .. Pvt. Wilson Fryling (Co. A, 104th PA Volunteers) .. succombed to his death at the age of 22 .. during the Battle of Fair Oaks, VA on 31 May 1862.

He never had the opportunity to take Hugh, his youngest brother, "up country".

Pvt. Wilson Fryling's letter made it back home to Pennsylvania.

He did not.

Additional Sources:

www.peninsulacampaign.org
www.ehistory.com
www.people.virginia.edu
www2.cr.nps.gov
usa-civil-war.com
www.allstar.fiu.edu
www.geocities.com/Athens/Aegean
www.ngb.army.mil
www.gallon.com

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Fair Oaks

Other Names: Seven Pines, Fair Oaks Station

Location: Henrico County, VA

Campaign: Peninsula Campaign (March-September 1862)

Date(s): May 31-June 1, 1862

Principal Commanders: Maj. Gen. George B. McClellan [US]; Gen. Joseph E. Johnston and Maj. Gen. G.W. Smith [CS]

Forces Engaged: (84,000 total)

Estimated Casualties: 13,736 total (US 5,739; CS 7,997)

Description: On May 31, Gen. Joseph E. Johnston attempted to overwhelm two Federal corps that appeared isolated south of the Chickahominy River. The Confederate assaults, though not well coordinated, succeeded in driving back the IV Corps and inflicting heavy casualties. Reinforcements arrived, and both sides fed more and more troops into the action. Supported by the III Corps and Sedgwick’s division of Sumner’s II Corps (that crossed the rain-swollen river on Grapevine Bridge), the Federal position was finally stabilized. Gen. Johnston was seriously wounded during the action, and command of the Confederate army devolved temporarily to Maj. Gen. G.W. Smith. On June 1, the Confederates renewed their assaults against the Federals who had brought up more reinforcements but made little headway. Both sides claimed victory. Confederate brigadier Robert H. Hatton was killed.

Result(s): Inconclusive

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Thanks to quietolong for providing this link.

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19721 Hwy 213
Oregon City, OR 97045

[snippy_about_it]

We have another early start tomorrow morning so goodnight all. ((Hugs))

[Wneighbor]

~scrambling~

Good morning!

I'm late! I was still talkin' on "yesterday's" thread. :-)

[Aeronaut]

Good morning Snippy.

[E.G.C.]

Good morning, Snippy and everyone at the Foxhole.

[alfa6]

snippy and SAM off to an early start Bump for the Foxhole

Good Luck Wneighbor on the Redstone job, here's hoping your prospects take off.

Regards

alfa6 ;>}

[Valin]

On This Day In History


1332 Ibn Khaldun Tunis, Arab historian/sociologist (Muqaddimah)
1595 Benedictus Carpzovius [Benedikt Carpzov], German lawyer
1756 Maximilian I Jozef King of Bavaria
1774 Francis Beaufort Admiral/hydrographer (Beaufort wind force scale)
1794 Cornelius Vanderbilt millionaire (B & O railroad)
1818 American reformer Amelia Jenks Bloomer, who popularized the "bloomers" garment that bears her name, was born in Homer, N.Y.
1819 Julia Ward Howe US, author/lecturer (Battle Hymn of the Republic)
1823 John Gray Foster Major General (Union volunteers), died in 1874
1836 Edwin Gray Lee Brigadier General (Confederate Army), died in 1870
1836 Jay Gould US railroad executive, financier
1837 "Wild Bill" Hickok [James Butler] cowboy/scout
1837 Robert Frederick Hoke Major General (Confederate Army), died in 1912
1894 Dashiell Hammett Maryland, author (Sam Spade, Maltese Falcon)
1897 John Douglas Cockroft English physicist (Radar, Nobel 1951)
1907 Rachel Louise Carson biologist/ecologist/writer (Silent Spring)
1908 Alex Brown snooker player
1911 Hubert Humphrey (Senator-D-MN) 38th Vice President (1965-69), 1969 Presidential candidate
1911 Vincent Price St Louis MO, actor (House on Haunted Hill, The House of Usher, Pit and the Pendulum, Scream and Scream Again, The Fly)
1912 Sam Snead Hot Springs VA, PGA golfer (Masters 1949, 52, 54/PGA-1963, 65, 67, 70, 72, 73)
1915 Herman Wouk New York NY, novelist (Caine Mutiny, Winds of War)
1919 Kam Fong Honolulu HI, actor (Hawaii Five-0)
1921 Caryl Chessman kidnapper who got the death penalty (1960)
1922 Christopher Lee London England, actor (Hound of the Baskervilles, Lord of the Rings)
1923 Henry Kissinger Secretary of State (1973-77)/Nobel Peace Prize (1973)
1930 William S Sessions Arkansas, director of FBI
1931 Kenny Price Florence KY, country singer (Midwestern Hayride, Hee Haw)
1934 Harlan [Jay] Ellison US, sci-fi author (7 Hugos, Doomsman, Babylon 5)
1935 Lee Meriwether Los Angeles CA, Miss America (Time Tunnel, Barnaby Jones)
1935 Ramsey Lewis Chicago IL, pop jazz artist (Hang on Sloopy)
1936 Louis Gossett Jr Brooklyn NY, actor (An Officer & a Gentleman, The Deep)
1939 Don Williams Floydada TX, country singer (I Believe in You)
1943 Bruce Weitz Norwalk CT, actor (Hill St Blues, Death of a Centerfold)
1948 Aleksandr Aleksandrovich Volkov cosmonaut (Soyuz TM-8, T-14, TM-7)
1961 Cathy Silvers New York NY, actress (Jenny-Happy Days, Foley Square)
1972 Antonio Freeman NFL wide reciever (Green Bay Packers-Superbowl 31)

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Deaths which occurred on May 27:
0866 Ordoño I King of Asturia (850-66), dies
0927 Symeon czar of Bulgaria ( -927)
1541 Margaretha duchess of Salisbury, beheaded
1564 Jean Caulvin [John Calvin] priest/church reformer, dies at 54
1647 Achsah Young becomes 1st woman known to be executed as a witch (Massachusetts)
1661 Archibald Campbell Scottish politician, beheaded at about 53
1790 Jeremiah Carlton laziest man in history, heir to a large fortune at 19 went to bed & stayed there for next 70 years, dies at 89
1863 Edward Payson Chapin Union Brigadier General, dies at 31
1887 Coenraad J van Houten Dutch cocoa manufacturer, dies at 86
1918 Henry Adams US literature historian (Esther), dies at 80
1941 AH Borgesius tutor/experimentator/amateur astronomer, dies at 76
1958 Samuel Stritch US cardinal/archbishop (Chicago), dies
1963 Lambrakis Greek EDA-parliament leader, murdered
1964 Jawaharial Nehru Independent India's 1st PM, dies at 74
1968 Little Willie John rocker, dies at 30
1969 Jeffrey Hunter actor (Christopher Pike-Star Trek Cage), dies at 43
1975 Ezzard Charles heavyweight boxing champion (1949-51), dies in Chicago at 53
1992 Tony "Big Tuna" Accardo mobster (St Valentines Day), dies at 86
1994 Red Rodney [Albino Red/The Red Arrow] bebop-trumpeter, dies at 66

---

GWOT Casualties

REMEMBER

Iraq
27-May-2003 2 | US: 2 | UK: 0 | Other: 0
US Sergeant Thomas F. Broomhead Fallujah Hostile - hostile fire
US Staff Sergeant Michael B. Quinn Fallujah Hostile - hostile fire

26-May-2004 3 | US: 3 | UK: 0 | Other: 0
US Lance Corporal Kyle W. Codner Al Anbar Province Hostile - hostile fire
US Corporal Matthew C. Henderson Al Anbar Province Hostile - hostile fire
US Corporal Dominique J. Nicolas Al Anbar Province Hostile - hostile fire



Afghanistan
A Good Day

http://icasualties.org/oif/
Data research by Pat Kneisler
Designed and maintained by Michael White

---

On this day...
1328 French king Philip VI Valois crowned
1529 30 Jews of Posing Hungary, charged with blood ritual, burned at stake
1679 Habeaus Corpus Act (no false arrest & imprisonment) passes in UK
1703 St Petersburg (Leningrad) founded by Peter the Great
1738 Turkish troops occupy Orsova & Ochakov
1796 James S McLean patents his piano
1813 Americans capture Fort George, Canada
1844 Samuel F.B. Morse completes 1st telegraph line
1850 Mormon Temple in Nauvoo IL destroyed by tornado
1856 Doctor William Palmer found guilty of poisoning
1862 Battle of Hanover Court House VA (Slash Church, Peake's Station)
1863 CSS Chattahoochie explodes on Chattahoochie River GA, 18 die
1863 Siege of Port Hudson LA
1864 Skirmish at Salem Church (Haw's Shop) VA
1873 1st Preakness Stakes won by Survivor (2:43)
1883 Czar Alexander III crowned in Moscow
1893 Audath Yisroel forms at Kattowitz (Katowice) Poland
1895 British inventor Birt Acres patents film camera/projector
1896 1st major tornado to strike urban US (St Louis & E St Louis MO); killing 255 & leaving thousands homeless
1904 National League record of 5 stolen bases in a game (Dennis McGann, New York Giants)


1905 Japanese fleet destroys Russian East Sea fleet in Straits of Tushima


1906 1st outlining of Gustav Mahler's 6th symphony, in Essen
1907 Bubonic Plague breaks out in San Fransisco
1917 Race riot in East St Louis IL, 1 black killed
1918 Battle of Aisne
1919 1st transatlantic flight ends; US Navy flying boat takes 11 days
1919 Charles Strite patents pop-up toaster
1921 After 84 years of British control, Afghánistán achieves sovereignty
1927 Japanese military intervention in Chinese civil war
1930 Richard Drew invents masking tape
1931 1st full scale wind tunnel for testing airplanes, Langley Field VA
1931 Piccard & Knipfer make 1st flight into stratosphere, by balloon; 1st use of pressurized cabin in a balloon
1933 Walt Disney's "3 Little Pigs" released
1935 Supreme Court declares FDR's National Recovery Act unconstitutional
1941 Allied troops begin evacuating Kreta
1941 FDR proclaimes an "unlimited national emergency" due to Germany's sinking of Robin Moor
1941 German battleship Bismarck sunk by British naval force
1942 Dorie Miller, awarded navy cross for deeds at Pearl Harbor
1942 Top German Nazi Reinhard Heydrich is shot & mortally wounded in Prague
1942 Hitler orders 10,000 Czechoslovakians murdered
1943 US forbids racial discrimination in war industry
1948 Arabs blow up Jewish synagogue Hurvat Rabbi Yehudah he-Hasid
1948 Hank Greenberg buys an interest in the Cleveland Indians
1949 Indians start 12-17, owner Bill Veeck arranges a "Second Opening Day"
1949 Russian stop train traffic West-Berlin
1951 Chinese Communists force Dalai Lama to surrender his army to Beijing
1951 Maritime Museum at Aquatic Park, San Fransisco opens
1952 European Defense Community forms
1958 Ernest Green & 600 whites graduate from Little Rock's Central HS
1960 Baltimore manager Paul Richards devises oversized catcher's mitt (used by Clint Courtney)
1960 Military coup overthrows democratic government of Turkey
1961 1st black light is sold (groovy)
1963 Jomo Kenyatta elected 1st prime minister of Kenya
1964 "From Russia With Love" premieres in US

1968 US nuclear submarine Scorpion was lost (On Eternal Patrol)

1969 Walt Disney World construction begins
1970 British expedition climbs south face of Annapurna I
1977 2 Boeing 747s by Pan Am & KLM collide in Canary Islands, killing 582
1977 NYC fines George Willig 1¢ for each of 110 stories of the World Trade Center he climbed
1979 Pope John Paul ordains John J O'Conner as a bishop
1980 South Korean police ends people's uprising; 2,000 killed
1981 John Hinckley attempts suicide by overdosing on Tylenol
1983 Former EPA official Rita Lavelle indicted for contempt of Congress
1986 President Reagan orderes 2 Poseidon-class submarines be dismantled
1987 Jim & Tammy Bakker appear on "Nightline" after PTL scandal
1987 Yankee Phil Niekro is 3rd pitcher to make 700th start (Young & Sutton)
1988 Senate ratified a treaty eliminating medium-range nuclear missiles
1990 Radical Democratic Party holds 1st political meetings in Moscow
1991 Austrian Boeing 767-300 explodes at Bangkok, 223 die
1993 Mafia bombs Uffizi-museum in Florence, kills 6

1994 Alexander Solzhenitsyn returned to Russia after 20 years in exile

1994 Final broadcast of Arsenio Hall talk show
1994 Flintstones live action movie opens in theaters
1994 CompuServe unveils CD-ROM plan
1994 First International World Wide Web Conference ends
1994 Larry King ended his radio show
1994 Radio conservative Rush Limbaugh (43) weds Marta Fitzgerald (35)
1997 1st all female (20 British women) team reaches North Pole
1997 Judge finds Pamela Lee not guilty of breaking a contract
1997 Marv Albert pleads innocent to charges of sexually assault
1997 Russian President Boris Yeltsin signs a historic treaty with NATO
1997 The Supreme Court ruled that Paula Jones may pursue her sexual harassment lawsuit against Pres. Clinton while he is in office.
1999 Restoration of “The Last Supper” by Leonardo da Vinci complete (22years)

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Holidays
Note: Some Holidays are only applicable on a given "day of the week"

Afghánistán : Independence Day (1921)
Nicaragua : Army Day
Nigeria : Children's Day
Turkey : Freedom & Constitution Day (1960, 1961)
US : Memorial Day/Decoration Day, a legal holiday (1868) (Monday)
Virginia : Confederate Memorial Day (1868) (Monday)
Touring Theatre Month

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Religious Observances
old Roman Catholic : Commemoration of St John I, pope, martyr
old Roman Catholic : Feast of St Bede the Venerable, doctor, writer
Lutheran : Commemoration of John Calvin, renewer of the church
Shavout

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Religious History
1664 Colonial theologian Increase Mather, 24, was installed as minister of Boston's Second (Congregational) Church. He remained there until his death in 1723.
1799 Birth of George Washington Doane, American Episcopal clergyman. One of the foremost promoters of Episcopal missions in his day, Doane also authored many hymns, including "Fling Out the Banner! Let It Float" and "Softly Now the Light of Day."
1917 Benedict XV promulgated the "Codex iuris canonici." Divided into five books and 2,414 regulations, the CIC was the first revision of canon law in the Catholic church in modern times, and went into effect at Pentecost the following year.
1924 The General Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church, meeting at Springfield, Maryland, repealed its ban on dancing and theater attendance.
1927 Birth of Ralph Carmichael, a popular sacred composer whose works flourished most during the 1960s-1970s. Among his oftªsung arrangements are "The Savior is Waiting" and "He's Everything to Me."

Source: William D. Blake. ALMANAC OF THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH. Minneapolis: Bethany House, 1987.

---

Strange Days
Businessman lay down in street to sunbathe

A businessman has been arrested in Ukraine after he took off his suit in the middle of a busy street and lay down to sunbathe.
Dmitry Nikolaev, 30, told police who arrested him for causing a disturbance that it was simply too nice a day to do any work.

Dozens of drivers stopped their cars to look after he stripped down to his underpants in Leo Tolstoy Square and lay on the pavement for about an hour.
He had placed his neatly folded suit by his side and closed his eyes, oblivious to the people walking round him.

---

Thought for the day :
"I find television to be very educating. Every time somebody turns on the set, I go in the other room and read a book."

[Professional Engineer]

Good morning ladies. It's Friday!

And now for something completely different...
THE ARMY CHORUS

[Soaring Feather]

Good morning everyone.

[Valin]

Shameless Plug
Memorial Flags
Tech Central Station ^ | 5/27/05 | Ralph Kinney Bennett
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1411620/posts
/Shameless Plug

[GailA]

Good morning All. Sen ford spent the night in jail and will be in court this morning..ha, ha...gleeful.

[stand watie]

GM, snippy, et.al.

THIRTEEN GUN SALUTE to our fallen HERO-MARTYRS!

free dixie,sw

[The Mayor]

May 27, 2005

Tonsilitis Jones

Read:
Acts 11:19-26

The disciples were first called Christians in Antioch. -Acts 11:26

Bible In One Year: Psalm 139-141

A psychologist made the observation that children often develop lifelong complexes because of their names. That may have been true in the case of a boy I read about. His parents gave him the name Tonsilitis Jones, and it caused him difficulties in school and again when he tried to enlist in the navy.

I know from personal experience that our names have a definite bearing on how we feel about ourselves and the way we behave. Because my father was a well-known preacher by the name of De Haan, I felt that people had higher expectations of me than of my peers. But the family name was also a helpful reminder of many positive values that were to guide my behavior.

According to today's Bible reading, the disciples of the Lord Jesus in Antioch were the first to be called Christians. It's a name that could never be improved on because it identifies believers as followers of Jesus Christ. And what an honor to bear a name linking us to God's Son, our Savior and Redeemer! This should shape and mold our manner of living so that it becomes increasingly consistent with the way Jesus spoke and conducted Himself.

If we want to call ourselves Christians, let's live up to our name! -Richard De Haan

O to be like Thee, blessed Redeemer!
This is my constant longing and prayer;
Gladly I'll forfeit all of earth's treasures,
Jesus, Thy perfect likeness to wear. -Chisholm

Christians are either Bibles or libels.

FOR FURTHER STUDY
What Does It Take To Follow Christ?
Knowing God Through Acts

[SAMWolf]

Morning Snippy.

[SAMWolf]

Morning Wneighbor.

All loaded up yet?

[SAMWolf]

Morning Aeronaut.