Rebels strike Union at the Battle of Mechanicsville
At the Battle of Mechanicsville Virginia Confederate General Robert E.Lees Army of Northern Virginia strikes Union General George B.McClellans Army of the Potomac beginning the Seven Days Battles.
Although the Confederates sustained heavy losses and did not succeed in decisively defeating the Yankees the battle had unnerved McClellan.During the next week Lee drove him from the outskirts of Richmond Virginia back to his base on the James River.This was Lees first battle as commander of the army.On June 1 1862 he had replaced Joseph Johnston who was severely wounded at the Battle of Fair Oaks.
McClellans offensive had stalled just five miles from Richmond and his army remained there until late June.During that time General J.E.B.Stuart and his Rebel cavalry made a spectacular ride around McClellans force bringing back information that indicated that McClellans right flank was in the air or unprotected by natural barriers.
Lee informed his commanders on June 23 of his intention to attack the flank occupied by Fitz John Porters V corps which was separated from the rest of the Union army by the Chickahominy River.This was a bold movebecause it meant leaving a skeleton force to face the rest of McClellans army south of the Chickahominyand an early indication of Lees audacious style.But the attack did not go as planned.McClellan alerted to the vulnerability of his flanks by Stuarts ride two weeks prior had shored up his left and moved Porters men to high ground with a deep creek in front of them.
Lees plan had called for several smaller forces to overwhelm Porters men but it required precise timing.When the assault came the coordination did not materialize.A major problem among others was General Thomas J.
Stonewall Jacksons corps which was slow to move into place.Jackson was just back from his brilliant campaign in the Shenandoah Valley but he showed none of his previous vigor and speed at Mechanicsville.Lee planned to bring about 55000 troops against Porter but the mistakes made by Jackson and others meant there were only about 11000.Lee lost 1475 men Union losses were only 361.
But Lee had stunned McClellan who then began to fall back away from Richmond.Lee continued to hammer on McClellan for the next week and the Yankees retreated to the James River.McClellan did not threaten Richmond again and he eventually sailed his army back to Washington D.C.
