Lee's right wing had in the meantime demonstrated against the main body of the Federals about Fair Oaks, on the south bank of the river. On June 28 complete inactivity supervened among the Confederates north of the Chickahominy save that Stuart's cavalry and Ewell's division were advanced as far as the railway to reconnoitre, but on this day McClellan was making good his retreat southwards to the James with little interference, for Magruder was instructed to "hold his lines at all hazards," and accordingly acted on the defensive except that Jones's division opposed a Federal division under W. F. Smith near Fair Oaks. On June 29 Gen. Lee became aware of the situation and then issued orders for his six divisions to cross the Chickahominy in pursuit. Jackson's corps and D. H. Hill's division were to follow the enemy, while Longstreet and A. P. Hill were to move their divisions via New Bridge to the Darbytown or James river road to cut off McClellan from the James. Stuart was to operate at his discretion north of the Chickahominy, and it seems that he was attracted by the enemy's abandoned depot at White House more than by McClellan's retreating army. On this day Magruder with two divisions attacked superior forces about Fair Oaks and was repulsed, and again attacked at Savage station with like re sults. Gen. Lee, however, rebuked Magruder for slackness in pur suit. Holmes's division was moving in front of Longstreet on the James river road, but two Federal divisions were holding the route at Willis church and at Jordan's ford. On June 3o Jackson got into action with Whiting's division at White Oak Swamp, while Long street encountered the Federals at Frazier's farm (or Glendale). Longstreet was supported by A. P. Hill and together they lost 3,200 men; it was hoped that Jackson's corps would come up during the engagement and attack the enemy's rear, and Huger's division assail his right, but Federal artillery stopped Huger, and of Jackson's three divisions only one came into action. Ma gruder and Holmes were engaged to their own advantage at Turkey bridge. Longstreet and Hill were thus opposed to five Federal divisions, while Gen. McClellan was pushing his wagons forward to Malvern hill, on which strong position the Army of the Potomac was concentrated at nightfall. On July 1 Jackson's corps and D. H. Hill's division had been drawn again into the
main operation and followed the Federal line of retreat to Malvern hill with Huger and Magruder on their right. The divisions of Longstreet and A. P. Hill were in support.
Gen. Lee had thus on the seventh day concentrated his army of ten divisions in the enemy's front ; but Jackson's dispositions were unfortunate and Gen. Lee's plan of attack was thus upset; and while seeking a route to turn the enemy's right the Con federate commander was apprised that a battle had been im provised by the divisions in advance. In the result these troops were repulsed with a loss of 6,000 men, a circumstance hardly to be wondered at, as McClellan had entrenched eight divisions on the strongest position in the country, and was aided by his siege artillery and also by a flanking fire from his gunboats on the river near Haxall's Landing. Gen. Lee's offensive operations now ended, though Stuart's cavalry rejoined the main army at night and followed the enemy on July 2 to Evelington Heights, while Lee rested his army. Stuart discovered a position which commanded the Federal camp, and maintained his cavalry and horse artillery in this position until the afternoon of July 3, when, his ammunition being expended, he was compelled to retire before a Federal force of infantry and a battery. Longstreet and Jackson had been despatched to his support, but the former did not arrive before nightfall and the latter failed to appear until the next day (July 4). Stuart afterwards moved farther down the James, and shelled McClellan's supply vessels in the river until recalled by Gen. Lee, who on July 8 withdrew his army towards Richmond.
The operations, indecisive as was their issue, re-established the confidence of the Confederates in their army which Johnston's retreat from Yorktown had shaken, added prestige to President Davis and his Government, and rectified the popular view of Gen. Lee as a commander which had been based upon his failure to recover West Virginia in the autumn of 1861. In the north a feeling of despondency overtook Congress at the "lame and im potent conclusion" of a campaign of invasion which was expected to terminate the war by the defeat of the Confederate army, the capture of Richmond and the immediate overthrow of the Con federacy. (G. W. R.)