On May 3rd the Richmond Battlefields Association held an author’s tour at the recently preserved site of the Adams Farm by Victor Vignola author of the book Contrasts in Command the Battle of Fair Oaks May 31-June 1, 1862. The Adams Farm was the site of the Battle of Fair Oaks. Mr. Vignola gave a 45-minute presentation followed by a walking tour. The site is not yet open to the general public.
The Battle of Fair Oaks was the bloodiest battle of the Peninsula Campaign with 11,000 casualties in an 11-hour period. It is best known for the wounding of Confederate General Joe Johnston and his subsequent replacement with Robert E. Lee. At 4:00 PM on May 31st realizing that Longstreet was not on the Nine Mile Road, Johnston ordered Brigadier General Chase Whiting to take Gustavus Smith’s division and along with the commands of Colonel Evander Law, Brigadier Generals John Bell Hood and Johnston Pettigrew attack the Union right. As they advanced, they cut off four regiments of Brigadier General John Abercrombie’s brigade (1500 men and 4 guns) from the rest of the IV Corps. Division commander Darius Couch was with them. They pulled back a half mile closer to the Grapevine Bridge near the Adams house. McClellan hearing the noise of the fighting from the Trent house ordered General Sumner to cross the river and assist. Sumner’s engineers advised him that it was not possible to cross the Chickahominy River, the bridges wouldn’t hold. Sumner ignored them and Brigadier General John Sedgwick’s division began to cross. The going was difficult in mud and high water. Brigadier General Willis Gorman crossed first followed by those of Napoleon Dana and William Burns. Not only did Sumner manage to get his men across but he also brought 6 guns. Lieutenant Edmund Kirby set up his batteries and began to unleash a devastating fire. Wade Hampton was wounded, and Johnston Pettigrew was wounded and captured. The Confederates charged Kirby’s batteries but were repelled each time. Sedgwick counterattacked and drove them from the field. The Union position south of the river was saved. As the sun was setting General Johnston rode to the railroad tracks to observe the battle. He turned and was riding back up the Nine Mile Road when he was struck in the right shoulder by a bullet and then hit by a shell fragment in the chest. He was taken to the Crenshaw house in Richmond where he would recover from his wounds.
I will present the walking tour in a slightly different order than it was conducted.
The original house shown above burned down in the early 20th century the current house was built on the original foundation. The Adams Farm was about 250 acres, the preserved section around the house is 12 acres. It contained a steam sawmill, a farm store, and quarters for his 25 slaves. The house and surrounding grounds were used as a field hospital. Brigadier General Oliver O. Howard who received a Medal of Honor for conspicuous gallantry during the battle had his right arm amputated in the house. Confederate Brigadier General Johnston Pettigrew was also cared for here. He was hit by a Minie ball that damaged his throat, trachea, and shoulder. He nearly bled to death, and while lying wounded received another bullet wound in the arm and was bayoneted in the right leg.
The images from the tour are of the areas shown on the satellite image below.
#1- In the next three pictures below I am standing with my back to the house. This field is where tents were located to care for the Union wounded.
#4- The field below is thought to be the location of the 82nd NY
#5- The Confederate wounded were cared for at the far end of the field below
In the images below permission was granted to walk onto private property by the owner.
The two pictures below show the location of the 1st MN near the end of modern-day Gambrel Drive
