FAIR OAKS, a station on a branch (formerly famous as the York river railway) of the Southern railway, 6m. east of Rich mond, Virginia, U.S.A. It is noted as the site of one of the bat tles of the Civil War, fought on May 31 and June 1, 1862, be tween the Union (Army of the Potomac) under Gen. G. B. Mc Clellan and the Confederate forces (Army of Northern Virginia) commanded by Gen. J. E. Johnston. The attack of the Confed erates was made at a moment when the river Chickahominy di vided the Federal army into two unequal parts—two corps on the south bank, three on the north—and was, moreover, swollen to such a degree as to endanger the bridges. Gen. Johnston sta tioned part of his troops along the river to prevent the Federals sending aid to the smaller force south of it, upon which the Con federate attack, commanded by Gen. Longstreet, was directed. Many accidents, due to the inexperience of the staff officers and to the difficulty of the ground, hindered the development of Long street's attack, but the Federals were gradually driven back with a loss of ten guns, though at the last moment reinforcements managed to cross the river and re-establish the line of defence. At the close of the day Johnston was severely wounded, and Gen. G. W. Smith succeeded to the command. The battle was renewed on June 1 but not fought out. At the close of the action Gen. R. E. Lee took over the command of the Confederates, which he held till the final surrender in April 1865. So far as the victory lay with either side, it was with the Union army, for the Confed erates failed to achieve their purpose of destroying the almost isolated left wing of McClellan's army, and after the battle they withdrew into the lines of Richmond. The Union losses were 5,031 in killed, wounded and missing; those of the Cohfederates were 6,134. The battle is alternatively known as the battle of Seven Pines.