GAINES'S MILL, the name given to a battle fought June 27, 1862, on nearly the same ground as the battle of Cold Harbor two years later. Towards the end of June, 1862, Lee, who had succeeded to the command of the main confederate army, had col. lected abdut 100,000 men in and near Richmond. The union forces at the Chickahominy, under McClellan, numbered "present for duty" 115,102. The bulk of this army had been transferred to the right bank (s. side) of the river, and there intrenched, Porter with 27,000 men remaining on the n. side. For many days McClellan had been calling for and receiving reinforcements. After establishing- himself on the s. side of the river he sent word, "The affair is over, and we have gained our point fully." An hour later he reported that Beauregard had reached. Richmond with a strong force, that Jackson's advance corps was at Hanover court-house, that the confederate forces amotinted to 200,000, and there was every 'probability that they would attack the next morning (June 26). The facts in reality being that Jackson's whole force had reached Hanover court-house, but Beauregard had not been near Richmond, being still in Alabama. At this time the north was awaiting the capture of Richmond, and it was to McClellan that they looked for it. His preparations had been lengthy..but the expected attack was still delayed until Lee anticipated him by striking first (at Mechanicsville) on the afternoon of the 26th. The same night McClellan determined to transfer his operations to the James river. He relinquished his intended attack on Richmond, and organized a retreat. In the course of the night the greater part of the heavy artillery was transferred to the right bank, but fearing that the sudden withdrawal of Porter's force to the same side would expose it to danger in the rear, and hoping to gain time, McClellan decided to resist Jackson with Porter's corps in a new position.
The position selected by him was a circular area from which he, could completely command the approaches to the bridge. The left of the line, commanded by Morel], was established in a portion of the woods which lined the left bank of the Gaines's Mill stream, while its flank extended in the direction of the Chickahominy, the river at the, time being completely swept by the artillery of the opposing forces. Sykes, who com mended the right of the line, had drawn up his men partly under cover of the woods and partly in the open. The second .line comprised McCall's division. To the rear, under cover of a hill, gen. P. St. George Cooke, in command of the cavalry, kept guard over the left flank, and commanded the approach by the river. The cenfederates soon discovered the change of tactics, and started in hot pursuit, and towards 'noon a slight encounter took place at Gaines's Mill. At 2 P.M., the division under A. P. Hill, which had been delayed while waiting for Johnson, commenced the attack near Cold Harbor; but Sykes's division repulsed them with heavy loss. Lee, seeing the disadvantage of
Sykes's position, and anxious to relieve him, ordered a feint on the union left, but Long street, the officer to whom he intrusted it, considered an attack in force desirable. The arrival of Jackson on the union right made a general engagement inevitable.
By 3 o'clock, it was tecessary to bring up reserves, against the repeated attacks upon the -union front. Porter dispatched orders for reinforcements, which, however, did not reach him until 3.30, when Slocum's division reached the scene of action, bring ing up the efficient numbers to 35,000, opposed to a force numbering double that amount.
By 5 P.M., Porter reported himself as so little able to maintain his position that two divisions were told off to his assistance.
On the right, meanwhile, Sykes's division, already reinforced by Bartlett's brigade, held its ground well for some time, but at last the force brought against it wag so over whelming, that the lines were-completely broken.
Porter now had recourse to his artillery, and had nearly accomplished a successful withdrawal of his remaining force, when gen. Cooke attacked the confederate force on the left. A withering lire replied; the horses, completely unmanageable, wheeled round, and dashed up the incline, thus throwing the gunners into the greatest confusion, as they imagined that the attack came from the enemy, and, losing their presence of mind, hastily withdrew their batteries.
The confederates now charged with great energy and fire, and, carrying all before them, captured 14 guns, and drove the union left back ou the Chickahominy. The most important point Of the line thus carried by assault, the right was forced to retreat. adding still more to the panic and confusion. Things were thus critical when the fortunes of the field wavered once more, as reinforcements under French and Meagher reached the ground and made fheir way impulsively to the front, while the i retreating forces, once more encouraged, advanced in readiness for another attack_ But the 'gathering darkness prevented Lee from following up his advantage. During the night, the union forces crossed the river, destroying the bridge behind them at 6 on the morning of the 20th.
McClellan, meanwhile, had remained with his forces on the s. side of the river, opposed to Magruder, who, in charge of only 25,000 confederates, had contrived, by simulated noise and excitement, to convey the impression that their number was much larger, thus inducing the union commander to remain inactive in expectation of an attack, which Magruder of course was equally anxious to avoid. Thus it came about that while Porter, with only 35,000, was striving against double his numbers, 25,000 men on the s. side of the river held a body of men at least twice as strong as themselves in cheek.
In this engagement the unionists lost 6,000 men and 22 guns, while the confederate loss amounted to 9,000.