The Battle of Fair Oaks, or Seven Pines

May 31 – June 1, 1862.

Fair Oaks Artillery caissons behind the works.

In mid-March, 1862, Union General George B. McClellan planned to attack the Confederate capital of Richmond with a massive army. He would accomplish this task by using the York and James Rivers along Peninsular. The series of battles and skirmished that followed were known as the Peninsular Campaign. The Union army's progress was slow and marked by some missed opportunities. However, despite this McClellan had succeed in getting to within twelve miles of Richmond.

McClellan had divided the Army of the Potomac and placed two corps south of the Chickahominy River and three to the north of it. Confederate General Joseph E. Johnston saw an opportunity to reverse the Confederate misfortunes. He decided to attack the divided Union army and concentrated his forces against the two Union Corps that were south of the Chickahominy. Johnston's complicated attack would focus on Union Major General Samuel P. Heintzelman's III corp and Major General Erasmus Darwin Keyes' IV Corp. Johnston's actions set into motion a two-day battle that would the emergence of a new Confederate commander – General Robert E. Lee.

Johnston launched his assaults on May 31. The Confederate attacks were not well organized, but they did succeed in driving back the IV Corp and inflicting heavy casualties. As with many Civil War engagements, each side fed more and more troops into the fray. As the afternoon wore on, the Union III Corp and troops from Union General John Sedgwick's division helped to stabilize the Union position. General Johnston was seriously wounded and command fell on Major General G. W. Smith;

Drilling in the works, Battery "B" spent little time in the dry comfort of the union earthworks.

General Robert E. Lee soon assumed permanent command. On June 1, the Confederates resumed the offensive, but with very little progress. When the butcher's bill was tallied; the Federals suffered 5,031 casualties and the Confederates 6,134. Both sides claimed victory in this inconclusive battle.

On May 31, the artillerymen of Rhode Island Battery B, First Light Artillery heard heavy firing in the direction Richmond, no doubt Johnston's assault. The Rhode Islanders were ordered to pack up and be ready to move. At two P.M. they received orders to cross the Grapevine Bridge over the Chickahominy River. After doing this, the battery became caught in a stream of swift flowing water from an overflow. (The Chickahominy had swollen due to rain.) The cannoneers were in waist deep water for nearly an hour and a half. Furthermore, their troubles only seem to worsen once they emerged from this stream. They found themselves knee-deep in mud and it took six hours to get their guns out of this mire. They arrived at Fair Oaks about 9: P.M. and went into bivouac near the Adams's house.

Lieutenant Horace S. Bloodgood

On Sunday morning, June 1, the battery was ordered closer to the front and divided into sections. The center and left sections, under Lieutenants Horace S. Bloodgood and George W. Adams with Captain Walter O. Bartlett in command, were sent to the right of the line near the Courtney House. The right section, under Lieutenant Raymond H. Perry, was sent down the road in the vicinity of Fair Oaks. However, this section was halted on the road leading to the railroad station. As the center and left sections were going into position, Rebel skirmishers fired upon the Union infantry. The left section immediately turned to meet this challenge and “sent a few shells in their direction.” However, the firing soon died down to pickets occasionally firing at each other.

The men with the center and left sections soon heard heavy cannonading to their left. Lieutenant Perry's section, located near the Fair Oaks Station, had become engaged with Confederate pickets. The two guns of Perry's section were facing west when the Rebels emerged from the woods two to three hundred yards to the their front. Two Union Infantry regiments were near the section's left and were carelessly observing when the Rebels came forward. Lieutenant Perry called the section to arms with “Action right! in battery!” The Rhode Island men fired spherical case into the line of advancing Rebels. Their shells checked the advance of the Rebels, who simply fired a volley and ran back into the woods. (Perry's quick response no doubt saved many lives.) The Union infantry regiments entered the woods to clear out the Rebels.

Lieutenant Perry's section, was located near the Fair Oaks Station.

Soon the sound of muskets was heard again and enemy Minie balls began to drop among Lieutenant Perry's guns. His men bravely continued to work their pieces as additional infantry was brought up to support the Union position. Perry ordered the section to change front to the left (now facing south) and open fire on the enemy with spherical shot. This had the desired effect as the enemy infantry was repulsed by the renewed Union efforts. However, Lieutenant Perry's section was not finished on that June 1 day. Rebel cavalry were sent out to reconnoiter the area and were met by the fury of Perry's guns. The Rebels wisely withdrew back into the woods after meeting this warm reception. Several days later, Battery B went the monotonous routine of camp life.

On an interesting side note, the Peninsula Campaign would see some Civil War “firsts” The Confederates would use the first railroad gun and ironclad, the Merrimac . The Union would use hot air balloons for reconnaissance of the Rebels and launch their ironclad, the Monitor . Lastly, General Robert E. Lee would emerge as one the Confederacy's greatest generals.