Peninsular-Campaign

=**The Peninsular Campaign**= The Peninsular Campaign was led by the new general of the Union's Army of the Potomac in the eastern theater, General George B. McClellan. He planned to attack Richmond from the southeast. Battles took place between McClellan and the Army of the Potomac against Joseph Johnston and later Robert E. Lee and the Army of Northern Virginia. There were several battles that were part of the Peninsular Campaign.



Union General George B. McClellan and Confederate General Joseph E. Johnston
The **Battle of Hampton Roads** took place from March 8 to 9, 1862 and was fought between McClellan and (Joseph) Johnston. This battle was inconclusive but was also called the battle of the ironclads, since two iron ships were at war. The Union ship was the //U.S.S. Monitor//. The Confederates had rebuilt the //U.S.S. Merrimack//, which had sunk, and renamed it the //C.S.S. Virginia//.

The **Battle of Yorktown** took place from April 4 to May 4, 1862 and was also fought between McClellan and (Joseph) Johnston. Results were inconclusive since McClellan had early success but failed to exploit the initiative and the Confederates were able to slip away to Williamsburg.

The **Battle of Williamsburg** was fought on May 5, 1862 between McClellan and (Joseph) Johnston. This battle was another inconclusive battle since the Union continued to attack and the Confederates were still in retreat. Confederate General James Longstreet was able to hold off the Union and Union General Winfield Scott Hancock was able to threated the Confederate left flank. Union success was not exploited and the Confederates continued their withdraw.

The **Battle of Eltham's Landing** took place on May 7, 1862 and was another battle between the armies of McClellan and (Joseph) Johnston. It was another inconclusive battle in which Confederate General John Bell Hood was able to distinguish himself in the heavy, two hour skirmish that effectively blocked a Union effort to intercept Johnston's retreat.

The **Battle of Drewry's Bluff** took place on May 15, 1862. After Yorktown was abandoned the //C.S.S. Virginia// had to be scuttled rather than be captured, which opened the James River to Federal gunboats. The Union navy tested the Richmond defenses and were turned back, which made this battle a Confederate victory.

The **Battle of Hanover Courthouse** took place on May 27, 1862 between McClellan and (Joseph) Johnston. Union soldiers under General Fitz John Porter were to cut the railroad and open the Telegraph Road for the Union reinforcements. Confederate soldiers attempted to keep this from happening, but failed. The Union victory didn't hurt the South since Union soldiers were called back to Fredericksburg.

The **Battle of Seven Pines** (also called Fair Oaks) took place from May 31 to June 1, 1862 between McClellan and (Joseph) Johnston. McClellan was able to get within 9 miles of Richmond and had good position. Johnston was severely wounded in the battle and replaced by General Robert E. Lee. The results of the battle were inconclusive though both sides claimed victory.

Peninsular Campaign from start to end of Seven Pines

The **Seven Days Battle** took place from June 25 to July 1, 1862 and was fought between McClellan and Robert E. Lee (the new commander of the Army of Northern Virginia). General Robert E. Lee

Lee wanted to drive McClellan out of his entrenchment and away from Richmond, knowing (as he told Jackson) that McClellan would continue to move toward Richmond little by little until Richmond was within shelling distance (which actually was McClellan's plan). It was a series of six different battles over seven days. At Oak Grove, the Union gained a little ground (600 yards) after McClellan feared heavy losses and ordered the Union back to their entrenchments until he arrived on the scene and saw it wasn't as bad as he feared and so ordered the Union to retake the ground they had already fought for. This was McClellan's only offensive and was not strong enough to stop the offensive planned by Robert E. Lee. At Beaver Dam Creek (Mechanicsville), Lee planned a massive coordinated attack on the Union flank but problems kept the attack from going off as planned. Tactically, the Union won the day since Lee's army wasn't able to achieve its objectives. However, McClellan began to withdraw his army southeast and wouldn't regain the initiative. McClellan ordered General Porter to hold Gaines' Mill at all costs in order to prevent the Confederates from changing its supply base to the James River. McClellan had an opportunity to attack the Confederates, but feared their numbers so held off. As it turned out, McClellan was the one with superior numbers. McClellan would be defeated at Gaines' Mill and would abandon his push to attack Richmond. On June 27, McClellan called for withdraw, which was puzzling since he held a good position. McClellan's withdraw was a psychological victory for the Confederacy since Richmond was no longer being threatened. Further Confederate attacks on the Union added to McClellan's anxiety of wanting to get his army to safety at the James River. Lee's army missed an opportunity for further destruction of McClellan's forces after a stalemate fighting at Salvage's Station. The Union retreat was lacking command coherance. Lee's plans to destroy McClellan's forces were executed poorly at Frayser's Farm (Glendale) and White Oak Swamp. The final battle of the Seven Days Battle was at Malvern Hill, a good position held by the Union. McClellan wasn't on the field since he had already made it to Harrison's Landing on the James River in the retreat to the river to eventually get back to the north. Lee was unable to prevent the Union escape and cripple McClellan's army. Lee's attacks didn't end with major tactical victories, but did succeed in unnerving McClellan. President Lincoln ordered McClellan back to D.C. to protect the capital. The Seven Days Battle ended the Peninsular Campaign, which was a failure for McClellan.

Seven Days Battle

The **Second Battle of Bull Run** (Second Manassas) from August 28 to 30, 1862, was fought between Union General John Pope (Army of Virginia) and Confederate General Robert E. Lee (Army of Northern Virginia). General Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson was able to capture the Union supply depot at Manassas Junction, which threatened Pope's line of communication with Washington D.C. Confederate General James Longstreet fought through Thoroughfare Gap and linked up with Jackson. Jackson and Longstreet attacked Pope in the largest, simultaneous assault of the war and forced Pope to retreat. As a result, Pope was relieved of his command and the Army of Virginia was merged with the Army of the Potomac under McClellan. Confederate General Robert E. Lee wanted to continue the momentum and attack the Union.

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