Such was the battle of Seven Pines or Fair Oaks. Fought for the most
part, by a single division of less than six thousand men, against the
combined forces of Longstreet, Hill, Smith and Huger; all under the
immediate command of the Commander-in-Chief of the rebel army, General
Johnston.

General Johnston had become satisfied, from the reports of his scouts,
that only Keyes' corps, of two divisions, was across the Chickahominy.
Believing that the bad state of the roads and the swollen condition of
the Chickahominy, would effectually prevent reinforcements reaching this
corps before he could fall upon it and crush it, he had determined to
bring an overwhelming force against it. Accordingly, the divisions of
Longstreet, Hill, Smith and Huger, were placed in position to make a
sudden and destructive assault upon the front and flanks of Casey's
exposed division, in the confident expectation of annihilating it. But,
instead of giving way before this avalanche, as Johnston had
contemplated, the regiments of the division, with few exceptions,
manfully held their ground for three hours.

The Commander-in-Chief reported to the Secretary of War that Casey's
division "gave way unaccountably and discreditably." Five days later he
promised to modify his charge, if he found occasion; but it was only in
his final report, made many months after leaving the army, he was
constrained to acknowledge the good conduct of the division--an act of
tardy justice to deserving men.

Notwithstanding the great disparity in the numbers of those engaged on
the rebel and Union sides, the losses were nearly equal. The Union army
lost four thousand five hundred and seventeen in killed and wounded, and
one thousand two hundred and twenty-two missing. Nearly one-half of all
these losses were from Casey's and Couch's divisions. General Johnston
reported the rebel loss in Longstreet's and Hill's commands at four
thousand two hundred and thirty-six.

Among the trophies of the enemy, were ten pieces of artillery and four
stands of colors.

With these trophies, they were satisfied to boast their victory;
regardless of the fact that they had been the assailants in superior
numbers, and had been repulsed with fearful slaughter, and that the only
fruit of their boasted victory was a few guns and colors, as an offset
for the loss of thousands of their soldiers. General Johnston himself
was among the rebel wounded, and was forced to give over the command to
a