Beaver Dam Creek, VA

Date(s): June 26, 1862

Campaign(s): Peninsula Campaign [March-September 1862]

Battles in Campaign:

• Hampton Roads, VA - March 8-9, 1862 B

• Yorktown, VA - April 5-May 4, 1862 B

• Williamsburg, VA - May 5, 1862 B

• Eltham's Landing, VA - May 7, 1862 D¹

• Drewry's Bluff, VA - May 15, 1862 B

• Hanover Courthouse, VA - June 30, 1863 C¹

• Seven Pines, VA - May 31-June 1, 1862 B

• Oak Grove, VA - June 25, 1862 D¹

• Beaver Dam Creek, VA - June 26, 1862 B

• Gaines' Mill, VA - June 27, 1862 A

• Garnetts & Goldings Farm, VA - June 27-28, 1862 D¹

• Savage's Station, VA - June 29, 1862 C¹

• White Oak Swamp, VA - June 30, 1862 C¹

• Glendale, VA - June 30, 1862 B

• Malvern Hill, VA - July 1, 1862 A

Situation:

Commanders:

• Union: Brig. Gen. Fitz John Porter

• Confederate: Gen. Robert E. Lee

Principal Forces:

• Union: 15,631

• Confederate: 16,356

Description:

• This was the second of the Seven Days’ Battles.

• Gen. Robert E. Lee initiated his offensive against McClellan’s right flank north of the Chickahominy River.

• A. P. Hill threw his division, reinforced by one of D. H. Hill’s brigades, into a series of futile assaults against Brig. Gen. Fitz John Porter’s V Corps, which was drawn up behind Beaver Dam Creek.

• Confederate attacks were driven back with heavy casualties.

• Jackson’s Shenandoah Valley divisions, however, were approaching from the northwest, forcing Porter to withdraw the next morning to a position behind Boatswain Creek just beyond Gaines’ Mill.

Photo Gallery:²

Description of the battle of Beaver Dam Creek or Mechanicsville	Marker describing Confederate troop movements in Mechanicsville prior to start of battle	Beaver Dam Creek Battlefield	The creek ran red with blood from Confederate casualties
Description of battle at Beaver Dam Creek	Map showing positions of Union troops under McCall and Confederate forces under Hill	Confederate general A.P. Hill orders attack on Union position across Beaver Dam Creek	View from bridge over Beaver Dam Creek
Beaver Dam Creek	View from Union side of Beaver Dam Creek	Pennsylvanian's stand firm in defense of Union position at Beaver Dam Creek	On Union side of Beaver Dam Creek
Confederate view of Union defenses	Marker describing the Union defense at Beaver Dam Creek

Classification³: B

Casualties⁴:

• Union: 400

• Confederate: 1,300

Results: Union Victory

Battlefield Websites:

• The Battle of Beaver Creek Dam - Wikipedia

• Battle of Mechanicsville - Son of the South

• The Peninsula Campaign - HistoryAnimated.com

Recommended Resources:

¹ National Park Service summary.

² Please click on the image to enlarge it. You may copy the images if you include the following note and link with each image: "Courtesy of civil-war-journeys.org."

³ Classification:

• A - having a decisive influence on a campaign and a direct impact on the course of the war

• B - having a direct and decisive influence on their campaign

• C - having observable influence on the outcome of a campaign

• D - having a limited influence on the outcome of their campaign or operation but achieving or affecting important local objectives

⁴ Casualties are someone killed, injured, wounded, captured or missing.

Revised 06/05/2008