27 June 2011: Friday (Battle of Gaines' Mill)

Union - Government
In Washington, President Lincoln accepted GEneral Fremont's resignation, which had been offered on June 17. With this resignation, Fremont's military career ends.

In northern Virginia, John Pope assumes command of his new Army of Virginia.

Confederacy - Military/Government
General Bragg assumes permanent command of the Department of the West.

Confederates - Military
Virginia
Robert E. Lee had to strike again. Most of his army had moved away from Richmond and there was little between the capitol and the Confederacy and the main Union Army of the Potomac. But General McClellan, too, was in troubble. The enemy was on his right flank and rear. Fitz John Porter, north of the Chickahominy, was ordered to hold Gaines' Mill at any cost so as to enable McClellan to prepare a change of base to the James River.

Confederates attacked in midafternoon across ravines, fields and swamps against the strong semicircle defence positions. Again there was poor coordination by Southern commanders, and again the Union soldiers exacted great toll. Again Jackson was delayed.

At dark, John Bell Hood's TExas brigade and troops of George E. Pickett broke through Porter's line. But the disorganized Confederates could not fully exploit the success, despite confusion among the Union troops. Porter withdrew the remains of his corps across the Chickahominy and rejoined the main Army of the Potomac.

South of the river, there had been only minor fighting at Fair Oaks and elsewhere as John Bankhead Magruder skillfully demonstrated with his inferior force against the bulk of the Union army.

Porter had perhaps 36,000 soldiers ready for duty with 894 killed, 3107 wounded, and 2,836 missing or captured, for a total of 6,837 casualties.

Confederate effectives numbered about 57,000, with casualties around 8,750.

McClellan withdraws and retreats to the James in the face of the Southern drive. Some will call it a strategic withdrawal rather than a defeat. Others call it "the great skedaddle."

Mississippi
At Vicksburg, a mortar bombardment from the south continued and Union troops began the active phase of their canal diggingon the Louisiana side, across from the threatened fortress.

Arkansas
There is a skirmish at Stewart's Plantation.

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Bibliography
The Civil War Day By Day: An Almanac 1861-1865. E.B. Long with Barbara Long, De Capo, 1971