1. T E SE N DAYS’
H VE
B TE
AT L S
Justin Davis and
Tyler
Elias

2. INTRODUCTION
 Good evening and welcome to this
presentation created by Justin Davis and
Tyler Elias.
 In these next slides, we will be giving
you information about the Seven Days’
battles of the Civil War.

3. WHAT WERE THE SEVEN DAYS’
BATTLES
 The Seven Days’ battles were a series of six major
battles:
– Oak Grove
– Mechanicsville
– Gaines’ Mill
– Savage’s Station
– Glendale
– Malvern Hill
 The Seven Days’ battles took place near Richmond,
Virginia from June 25- July 1, 1862.
 The strategic objective for the Union was to take the
Confederate capital, Richmond. The Confederate goal
was to defend it.

4. ROBERT E. LEE
 Robert Edward Lee was born Jan. 19, 1807 in
Stratford, Virginia. He was ranked second in his
class at West Point in 1829.
 He became the commander of the Army of
Northern Virginia in 1862 In February 1865 he
was given command of all the Southern armies.
On April 9, 1865, he surrendered to General
Ulysses S. Grant at Appomattox Court House.
 He then became president of Washington
College later that year. He died on October 12,
1870.

5. GEORGE B. M CLELLAN C
 George Brinton McClellan was born on December
3,1825 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. McClellan, like
Lee, graduated second in his class at West Point in
1846.
 McClellan became the Union commander of the Army of
the Potomac in 1862. His poor leadership skills caused
Lincoln to relieve him of duty after the battle of Antietam.
 He ran for President as a Democrat for 1864 presidential
election and lost to Lincoln. McClellan then became
governor of New Jersey until 1881. He died on October
29,1885.

6. OAK GROVE
 Oak Grove was the first major battle of the Seven
Days' battles. On June 25, General McClellan advanced
his lines along the Williamsburg Road with the objective
of bringing Richmond within range of his siege guns.
 Union forces attacked over swampy ground with
uncertain results, and darkness stopped the fighting.
General McClellan's attack was not strong enough to
derail the Confederate offensive that already had been
set in motion.
 The next day, General Lee seized the initiative by
attacking at Beaver Dam Creek north of the
Chickahominy.

7. MECHANICSVILLE
 The Battle of Beaver Dam Creek, also known as the
Battle of Mechanicsville , took place on June 26, 1862
as the second major battle of the Seven Days’ battles
during the Peninsula Campaign of the American Civil
War.
 It was the start of General McClellan’s offensive attack
which threatened the Confederate capital of Richmond.
 General A.P. Hill forces his division, reinforced by
General D.H. Hill's brigade, into a series of unsuccessful
assaults against General Fitz John Porter's Fifth Corps,
which occupied defensive works behind Beaver Dam
Creek. Confederate attacks were driven back with heavy
casualties. Porter withdrew his corps safely to Gaines’
Mill.

8. GAINES’ MILL
 Gaines’ Mill was the third major battle of the Seven
Days’ campaign. On June 27, 1862, General Robert E.
Lee improved his attacks against General Porter's V
Corps, which had established a strong defensive line
behind Boatswain's Swamp north of the Chickahominy
River.
 Porter's reinforced Fifth Corps held fast for the afternoon
against disjointed Confederate attacks, inflicting heavy
casualties. At dusk, the Confederates mounted a
coordinated assault that broke Porter's line. The Union
army retreated across the river during the night.
 Gaines' Mill is said to have saved Richmond for the
Confederacy in 1862.

9. SAVAGES’ STATION
 Savage’s Station was the fourth major battle of the
Seven Days’ campaign. On June 29, the main body of
the Union army began a general withdrawal toward the
James River.
 General John Magruder pursued along the railroad and
the Williamsburg Road and struck Sumner's Corps,
which was the rearguard, with three brigades near
Savage's Station.
 Union forces continued to withdraw across White Oak
Swamp, abandoning supplies and more than 2,500
wounded soldiers in a field hospital.
 Tactical victory was unknown.

10. GLENDALE
 Glendale was the fifth major battle of the Seven Days’
campaign. On June 30, Union counterattacks by General
Hooker's division sealed the break and saved their line of
retreat. "Stonewall" Jackson's divisions were delayed by
Franklin at White Oak Swamp.
 The Confederates made a weak attempt to turn the
Union left flank at Turkey Bridge but was driven back by
Federal Navy gunboats in the James River. That night,
McClellan established a strong position on Malvern Hill.
 Victory is inconclusive.

11. MALVERN HILL
 Malvern Hill was the sixth and last major
battle of the Seven Days’ campaign. On
July 1, General Lee makes one last attack
on the strong Union lines.
 General McClellan brings up artillery to
back the infantry. The Confederates
suffer heavy losses and they are forced to
retreat.

12. BATTLE MAP

13. AFTERMATH
 Despite his victory, McClellan retreats to
Harrison Landing to cross the James
River.
 Strategically,the Confederates win the
battles of the Seven Days. Richmond
holds for about another three years.

18. BIBLIOGRAPHY
 http://www.sonofthesouth.net/
 http://www.civilwar.org/
 http://www.blueandgraytrail.com/