to concentrate their divisions on the Williamsburg Road. The attack was to be made by Hill's division, supported by Longstreet; whilst Huger was directed to effect a diversion on the right by advancing by the Charles City Road, and taking the enemy in flank; and G. Smith's division was at the same time to occupy a position at the junction of the New Bridge and Nine-miles Road with the object of attacking the right flank of the Federal column engaged with Hill's division, and keeping a watch lest any attempt should be made by M'Clellan's right wing to cross the Chickahominy. Such were the dispositions made by General Johnston; but the rain, which it was hoped would materially assist the Confederates by causing a rise in the river, and thus separating General M'Clellan's army, so far interfered with the plan as to impede and render partially nugatory General Johnston's dispositions. A terrible storm raged during the night of the 30th, the roads became almost impassable; and although by great exertions three divisions of the army reached the positions assigned to them in proper time, yet General Huger's division was delayed by the mud and swollen streams, and failed in fulfilling the part allotted to it. Hour after hour did General Longstreet wait. At length, despairing of Huger's arrival, at 2 P.M. he ordered Hill to advance to the attack.

What, meanwhile, was the position of the Federals? The same remarkable storm on the night of Friday the 30th had passed over their camps; it was a night not to be forgotten by those who witnessed the continuous flashes of lightning and heard the incessant roll of the thunder, precursors to the tumult of the battle on the following day. The advance corps, under General Keyes, bivouacked in the woods and cleared spaces in the vicinity

of the Nine-miles Road, General Casey's division about three-fourths of a mile in advance of the Seven Pines, and that of General Couch on the Nine-miles Road in the vicinity of Fair Oaks Station. A line of woods in front of Casey's division concealed the country beyond, and afforded shelter for the pickets, which were close in advance of the main body of the division. Slight breastworks of earth and felled trees had been hastily thrown up to cover the troops, and the artillery was posted in such positions as to support the infantry. About 10 A.M. on the 31st an A.D.C. of General Johnston, by name Washington,* was captured, and it was supposed that his presence argued the near vicinity of the Commander-in-Chief, and therefore the probability of an attack; but the morning passed quietly, and General Keyes was at Fair Oaks Station, where he had ridden to inspect his lines of defence, when he heard firing, which seemed to denote the presence of the enemy in the direction of the Seven Pines.

Such, indeed, was the case. About 2 P.M. General Hill had advanced to the attack, and, supported by Longstreet, had rapidly driven back Casey's pickets. Some of the regiments did not behave well, and retired hastily to the rear, abandoning their artillery and the camp of Casey's division, which was captured, including the hospitals and baggage waggons. A stand was, however, made at the second line of defence, and an aid-de-camp sent to hasten the supports under General Heintzelman, and also to request General Sumner, encamped on the left bank of the Chickahominy, to cross the river with the two divisions under his command

* A connection by descent of the great General Washington.

General Heintzelman advanced by the Williamsburg Road and the railroad, and arrived in time to assist such part of Casey's division as still held their ground, and that of General Couch, who had been attacked by General G. Smith on the side of the Nine-miles Road near Fair Oaks Station. It was in that portion of the field that General Johnston had placed himself, and had been joined by General Lee, and by the President in person. Some delay had occurred in the advance of General Smith's division, as, owing either to the configuration of the ground or the state of the atmosphere, the firing from General Hill's division had not been heard, and it was at first supposed that he had not moved forward. Thus the Federal supports under General Heintzelman had arrived in time to reinforce that part of the line. Still the Confederates pressed forward, but with severe loss. General Johnston himself was dangerously wounded, struck on the shoulder by the splinter of a shell, he fell from his horse, breaking two of his ribs, and the command devolved on General G. Smith.

In the meantime, after great exertions, General Sumner succeeded in effecting the passage of the Chickahominy by means of two hastily constructed bridges, and brought up his divisions. They advanced along the railway and joined the Federal right, which had been thrown back. It was now evening, but the roll of musketry still continued, interspersed with artillery, although but little of that arm was employed by the Confederates, owing to the difficulty of bringing up the guns through the swampy country. Darkness closed in, but the woods were illumined by the flashes of the rifles from the advancing Confederates. Then was wanted Huger's division, but