The Cavalry in the Seven Days
Perhaps the wooded and swampy terrain doomed the cavalry of the Army of Northern Virginia to only a secondary role in the Seven Days. Stuart's main job was to cover Jackson's advance fran Ashland, as Jackson moved east of Beaver Dam Creek and struck for McClellan's communications. This Stuart accomplished well. About 1 p.m., June 26th he met with Jackson at Dr. Shelton's house. Here they probably conferred on the march route, as Stuart was familiar with the area from his previous "Ride around McClellan." Yet Stuart gave no report of conditions on Jackson's right. Continuing his march to the southeast, Jackson came to Totopotomoy Creek. At 3 p.m. he drove in some Federal cavalry, taking a stand opposite the bridge. The Federals burned it in their retreat and Stuart called for W. W. Blackford, an engineer on his staff, to repair it. Jackson remained cautious, deploying Hood's Texans as skirmishers and had Captain James Reilly's battery1 shell the woods beyond. As Jackson rather gingerly crossed the creek, A. P. Hill opened up the Battle of Mechanicsville. Jackson continued his march along the Pole Green Church Road. About 5 p.m., he reached Hundley's Corner. Near here, Ewell reported to Jackson. Although they could hear firing, Ewell could give no information about A. P. Hill. Jackson showed confusion; A. P. Hill was supposed to be on his right and D. H. Hill in support. This obviously had not occurred; therefore, Jackson went into bivouac that night. Neither he nor Stuart even sent a courier to find out how close the flank of Lee's troops were to them. Liaison on the right had broken down.
The next day, June 27th, Jackson stirred early. Stuart continued his screening movements; at one point, Pelham with the Jeff Davis Legion and a squad of the 4th Virginia Cavalry flushed out some Federal cavalry, four or five miles from the town of Old Church. After another delayed march, partly from Jackson's secretiveness to a guide, Jackson reached Old Cold Harbor. Stuart and Pelham joined him. Just before dark, the coordinated Confederate onslaught against Porter's position on McGehee's Hill began. In this action, the artillery had little effect. Only Captain John Pelham had a spectacular moment. He had gone forward with two guns to make an enemy artillery advance. The Blakeley piece was disabled at the first round, yet Pelham continued such a fierce cannonade with the one Napoleon gun that he occupied the attention of two Federal batteries, Weed's and Tidball's. Jackson reinforced Pelham with several batteries of rifled pieces. Later, Stuart presented Pelham to Jackson, who had been deeply impressed. Jackson shook his hand -- the young cannoneer bowed deeply and blushed. He did take some time to find some booty -- an Episcopal Book of Common Prayer. He sent it to Sallie Dandridge of "The Bower," with the inscription, "Picked up on the battlefield at Cold Harbor. J.P."
On June 28th Stuart reported to the commanding general. Lee wanted him to strike for the York River Railroad to cut McClellan's communications and to intercept his retreat. Arriving at Dispatch Station, Stuart repulsed the Federal cavalry, who headed for Bottom' s Bridge. He began to tear up the track and cut telegraph wires. Heading for the White House, he met no opposition until he arrived at Tunstall's Station. Beyond the steep banks of Black Creek was Federal cavalry, supported by a few guns. Pelham rushed forward the horse artillery and dispersed them. Blackford rebuilt the burnt bridge, and by nightfall it was completed. Stuart elected to rest his men and they encamped. The night air was rent with explosions as the Federals continued to destroy their supplies at the White House.
The cavalry reached the White House on June 29th. The home, where Washington had courted and married the Widow Custis, had been burned. General W. H. F. ("Rooney") Lee, the commanding general's son, was the owner of the White House and he doubtless was saddened by the destruction. Stuart noted that the base was protected by a gunboat, and he was determined to make it leave. He ordered a squadron of sharpshooters from the 1st Virginia, 4th Virginia and the Jeff Davis Legion to open up fire on it. To save time, however, Pelham was ordered forward with one howitzer. Along the old road overlooking the bank of the Pamunkey, Pelham fired a few well-aimed rounds and the U.S.S. Marblehead headed down the Pamunkey, Pelham giving chase. Stuart was thrilled by the sight. The rest of the day the cavalrymen feasted themselves from the substantial arrount of booty left by the Federals.
Soon a message arrived from Lee: What did Stuart think McClellan would do? Was he heading down the Peninsula, or was he moving toward the James River? Stuart replied that there was no evidence that McClellan was heading down the Peninsula. To be sure he sent troops to watch the bridges over the Chickahominy. Stuart himself went to Forge Bridge, where once again a Federal force opposed him. Pelham opened up his guns on the bridge and at dark Stuart encamped nearby.
At 3:30 a.m., Stuart received a dispatch from General Lee. The enemy had been headed off at the intersection of the Charles City and Long Bridge Roads; Stuart should recross the river to cooperate with Jackson. The courier suggested the quickest route was at Grapevine Bridge, but Stuart decided on Bottom's Bridge. He went up the Williamsburg Road, and then hurried southward toward White Oak Swamp. He came into rear of Jackson's troops crossing the swamp unopposed. Obviously, McClellan had not been headed off. To support Jackson's march, the cavalry once again had to be shifted. Fortunately, most of the cavalry had not yet crossed at Bottom's Bridge, but they had to be marched again to Forge Bridge. Stuart arrived south of Malvern Hill, but distance and darkness compelled him to halt before reaching Jackson. His men had covered 42 miles on July 1st.
July 2nd Stuart spent reconnoitering and in light skirmishing. He concluded that McClellan was keeping close to the James and that night he sent Pelham, with one howitzer, and the Jeff Davis Legion under Lt. Col. Will Martin down the River Road (now Route 5) to see if he could find a favorable position for artillery. This midnight job was difficult yet brilliantly performed. Pelham had reached the farm of a Mr. Allen Bradley. Mr. Bradley reported that the Federals had all their wagons and cattle near Westover and Berkeley plantations. The road was choked with wagons and stragglers. The position was commanded by Evelington Heights and, moreover, it was unoccupied by any Federal troops! Stuart sent this information to Lee, who ordered Longstreet to march in support. Perhaps Stuart was impatient, or maybe he did not think: but he ordered Pelham to open up on the Federal camps with his one howitzer. Certainly, Stuart must have enjoyed the show and probably he expected reinforcements. However, Longstreet did not arrive and by 2 p.m., Pelham had expended his last round and had withdrawn. A Federal division quickly took possession of the hill. No doubt, a golden opportunity had been carelessly thrown away. General Lee in his official report does not even mention the incident at Evelington Heights, a sure sign of his displeasure. This ended the cavalry's role in the Seven Days'.
Had Stuart performed well? He certainly thought so. He had missed the battle of Malvern Hill on July 1st, but he still thought his arrival east of the Confederate left had been beneficial. He wrote in his official report: "My arrival ... must have impressed the enemy's cavalry, watching the approaches to their rear, with the idea of an immense army about to cut off their retreat, and contributed to cause the sudden collapse and stampede that soon after occurred, leaving us in possession of Malvern Hill, which the enemy might have held next day much to our detriment. " Unfortunately, no Federal report supports such a statement.
Was Stuart as effective as he could have been? Federal cavalry General William A. Averell suggested otherwise. The raid to the White House had been a mistake -- Stuart would have served the Confederate cause better had he been sent from Gaines's Mill to obstruct the crossings of White Oak Swamp. Despite these criticisms, Stuart had performed well. He showed his skill in reconnaissance and he was indeed becaning "the eyes and ears" of Lee's army.
As for Captain John Pelham, he was becoming noticed. Jackson personally congratulated him at Old Cold Harbor; his scouting expedition at Evelington Heights was brilliant. In short, he was a subordinate showing great promise and he was coming to the attention of his superiors. He was just beginning his short but brilliant career.
1 Milham, pp. 92-93, credits Pelham with opening up at the Totopotpomoy; but Freeman, 2 Lee's Lieutenants, p. 511, says Reilly's battery. Stuart in his report, O.R., Vol. XI, Part II, p. 514, mentions artillery fire but does not say Pelham participated, although it can be inferred from the text.
This article first appeared in Volume 6, No. 1 of The Cannoneer.
Sources:
Douglas Southall Freeman, R. E. Lee, Vol. 2.
Douglas Southall Freeman, Lee's Lieutenants, Vol. 2.
Clifford Dowdey, The Seven Days: The Emergence of Lee.
Col. Mark Boatner, The Civil War Dictionary.
O.R., Vol. XI, Part II.
