Vignola, Victor Contrast in Command

The Battle of Fair Oaks, May 31 - June 1, 1862

Surprisingly little has been written about the important Battle of Seven Pines/Fair Oaks. The bloody fighting that raged for two days (from 31 May to 1 June 1862) outside the gates of the Confederate capital was the first major battle in the Eastern Campaign since Bull Run/Manassas the previous summer. They claimed more than 11,000 lives and cost the main army of the Southern States its commander. The possession of Richmond was at stake. Major General George B. McClellan marched his Potomac Army onto the Virginia Peninsula in the spring of 1862 before making an almost fatal mistake by positioning his inexperienced IV Corps at the front south of the flood-prone Chickahominy River. McClellan faced General Joseph E. Johnston at the head of the Virginia Army, who had retreated without significant resistance. When the opportunity to strike presented itself, Johnston devised an extremely complex plan of attack to destroy the unprotected IV Corps. However, a series of botched Confederate marches, isolated attacks and a lack of leadership led to the failure of the Southern plan. One of those wounded in the late afternoon of 31 May was General Johnston, whose injury led to the appointment of General Robert E. Lee as his successor a decision that changed the course of the entire Civil War. Author Vignola based his study on a wide range of primary and archival sources, many of which have never been published before. The result is a well-illustrated and clear account of tactics and leadership that will satisfy even the most demanding reader. Sandwiched between Shiloh and the Seven Days Battles, the Battle of Seven Pines (Fair Oaks) has been largely forgotten or overlooked. Although tactically indecisive, it had far-reaching consequences that no one could have foreseen. And like Shiloh, Seven Pines (Fair Oaks) was a clear warning sign that the war would be long and bloody.