repulsed, but Porter fell back farther
down the river to Gaines's Mill, there fought all the next day against
great odds, and was saved from total rout toward night only by the
arrival of re-enforcements.

[Illustration: Portrait.]
General Nathaniel P. Banks.

Jackson's army from the north had joined Lee's left, and McClellan's
communication with York River was in danger. He decided to change his
base to the James, where he would have placed it at first but for his
expectation of McDowell and his desire to connect with him. Everything
not transportable, including millions of rations and hundreds of tons of
ammunition, had to be destroyed. Five thousand loaded wagons, 2,500 head
of cattle, and the reserve artillery were then set in motion toward the
James, protected by the army in flank and rear.

On discovering this movement Lee hastened to strike. A force was sent to
assail the retreating column in the rear; but the bridgeless
Chickahominy, guarded by artillery, held the pursuers at bay. Lee threw
other portions of his army against McClellan's right, at Savage's
Station on the 29th, at Frazier's Farm on the day following; but the
Union troops each time stood their ground till ready and then continued
their march.

July 1st found the retreating host concentrated on Malvern Hill, a
plateau a mile and a half long and half as broad, with ravines toward
the advancing enemy. Here McClellan planted seventy cannon, rising tier
upon tier up the slope, seven heavy siege guns crowning the crest. The
position was impregnable, but Lee determined to attack. Shortly before
sunset his men advanced boldly to the charge, but were mowed down by the
terrible concentrated fire of the batteries. The hill swarmed with
infantry as well, sheltered by fences and ravines, while shells from the
gunboats in James River could reach every part of the Confederate line.
Yet not till nine in the evening did Lee let the useless carnage cease.
Badly demoralized as the opposing army was, McClellan at midnight
withdrew to Harrison's Landing, farther down the James.

[Illustration: Battle.]
General J. E. B. Stuart's Raid upon Pope's Headquarters, August 22, 1862,
when Pope's despatch book fell into the hands of the Confederates.

During the Seven Days' Retreat he had lost 15,000 men; the Confederates
somewhat more. Military authorities unite in pronouncing McClellan's
change of base "brilliantly executed;" but the campaign as a whole was a