The Seven Days and Atlanta Campaigns

The Seven Days' Campaign 1862

by John B. Gilmer

A brief summary of the Seven Days campaign, June 26 to July 1, 1862:

    June 1, Fair Oaks/Seven Pines Smith, Longstreet, D.H. Hill uncoordinate attack 3rd, 4 Corps + .
    Confederate Losses: 6,134 of 41,816
    Union Losses: 5,031 of 44,944

    June 26, Mechanicsville APHill (+) vs. 5th Corps, frontal attack across difficult terrain.
    Confederate Losses: 1,484 of 16,356
    Union Losses: 361 of 16,808

    June 27, Gaine's Mill Longstreet, A.P. Hill, D,H. Hill, Whiting divisions vs. Union 5th Corps plus reinforcements, frontal attack across difficult terrain.
    Confedetate Losses: 8,751 of 57,018
    Union Losses: 6,836 of 36,790

    June 29 Savage Station Magruder vs. 2nd Corps frontal attack.

    June 30, Frayser's Farm AP Hill, Longstreet vs. 3rd Corps + McCall (5th), Sedgewick (2nd), meeting engagement, Confederates attacking.

    July 1, Malvern Hill D.H.Hill, Huger, Magruder vs. 5th Corps with artillery, rest of army, frontal attack it against an excellent defensive position.

    For June 29-July 1
    Confederate Losses: 17,377 of 88,113
    Union Losses: 8,036 of 98,032

    Seven Days Campaign Totals
    Confederate Losses: 27,612 of 98,348
    Union Losses: 15,233 of 105,229

Lee attempted to attack the Union flank, first the Union right flank North of the Chickahominy, then the left at Frayser's Farm, which had a chance to cut McClellan's army off from its retreat route. In none of these actions did all of the various subordinates commit their forces to the battle in a timely manner. Only Gaines' Mill can really be considered a Confederate victory, in that the Union forces were forced from the field by the result of the battle.

In other cases, the Union forces withdrew as a result of threats from other forces (real or imagined). The final battle was born in Lee's frustration. It was a frontal attack with no reasonable chance of success other than a hope that demoralized Union troops would flee. Fair Oaks, about a month earlier, could be thought of as the beginning of the series of battles around Richmond, but it is not part of the Seven Days campaign proper, and precedes Lee's taking command. There were other minor actions not included in the list of battles above. (Strengths and Losses from Livermore)

The Seven Days and Atlanta Campaigns Similarities and Differences

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