The Battle of Fair Oaks
Turning Point of McClellan’s Peninsula Campaign
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About the Book
In the spring of 1862, Union Major General George B. McClellan’s Army of the Potomac launched a bloody offensive up the Virginia Peninsula in an effort to capture the Confederate capital of Richmond. This study chronicles the pivotal but often overlooked turning point of the Peninsula Campaign—the Battle of Fair Oaks, also known as Seven Pines. At Fair Oaks, Confederate troops succeeded in driving back Union forces from the edge of Richmond before the Union troops stabilized their position.
Though both sides claimed victory, the battle marked the end of the Union offensive. Robert E. Lee, J.E.B. Stuart, and Winfield Scott Hancock all rose to national prominence for their roles at Fair Oaks, while McClellan saw his reputation ruined. In the end, the legacy of Fair Oaks is one of missed chances and faulty execution, ensuring the war would continue for nearly three more years.
About the Author(s)
Bibliographic Details
Robert P. Broadwater
Format: softcover (7 x 10)
Pages: 219
Bibliographic Info: 61 photos, 4 maps, appendices, notes, bibliography, and index
Copyright Date: 2011
pISBN: 978-0-7864-5878-3
eISBN: 978-0-7864-8543-7
Imprint: McFarland
Table of Contents
Preface 1
Introduction 3
1. The Promise of a New Year 7
2. “On to Richmond” Once More 23
3. Up the Peninsula 41
4. To the Edge of Victory 62
5. Counteroffensive at Fair Oaks 85
6. Another Grim Day of Battle 114
7. Lee Takes the Offensive 132
8. Race for the James 151
Epilogue 172
Appendix 1. The Opposing Forces at Fair Oaks 179
Appendix 2. Casualties at Fair Oaks 182
Appendix 3. The Opposing Forces in the Peninsula Campaign 184
Appendix 4. Casualties of the Opposing Armies in the Peninsula Campaign 192
Appendix 5. Medal of Honor Winners at Fair Oaks 195
Appendix 6. “Kearny at Fair Oaks” 196
Chapter Notes 197
Bibliography 203
Index 209
