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Wednesday, July 7, 2010

Part - 5 The Seven Days Battle's Continued

McClellan and Lee
   The next days were a series of small battles such as Battle of Garnett's & Golding's Farm on June 28th, and Savage Station on the 29th.  On June 30th Lee tried to intercept the retreating Army of the Potomac at the battle of  Battle of Glendale, also known as the Battle of Frayser's Farm, Frazier's Farm, Nelson's Farm, Charles City Crossroads, New Market Road, or Riddell's Shop.  Though the casualties were about equal (3,797 297 killed, 1,696 wounded, and 1,804 missing or captured by the Union Forces, and 3,673 638 killed, 2,814 wounded, and 221 missing by the Confederate Forces) this battle was lost because of poorly executed orders by the Confederates Forces, the loss also gave the Union troops time to dig in at Malvern Hill.
Malvern Hill
   The final battle of the Seven Days Battle's was the the Battle of Malvern Hill, also known as the Battle of Poindexter's Farm, which took place on July 1, 1862. Gen. Robert E. Lee launched a series of disjointed assaults on the nearly impregnable Union forces at Malvern Hill.  Lee's forces took more than 5,300 casualties without gaining an inch of ground.  Despite his victory Gen. McClellan continued his retreat down the James river.  If McClellan had gone on the offensive the war may have been much shorter.
   The Seven Days ended with McClellan's army in relative safety at Harrison's Landing on the James River, having suffered almost 16,000 casualties during the retreat. Lee's army, which had been on the offensive during the Seven Days, lost over 20,000.  As Lee became convinced that McClellan would not resume his threat against Richmond, he moved north for the Northern Virginia Campaign and the Maryland Campaign.

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