Civil War
The Peninsula Campaign (1862) of the American Civil War brought troops from both the Federal and Confederate Armies through this area.
During the Battle of Fair Oaks / Seven Pines, May 31 – June 1, 1862, Federal forces under the command of Major General George B. McClellan occupied a third line of defense that included part of the Elko Tract. During that battle, the Federal advance on Richmond was halted. The most significant result of the battle was that the Confederate commander, General Joseph E. Johnston, was wounded during the fighting, and was replaced by his friendly rival and West Point classmate, General Robert E. Lee.
A month later, during the Seven Days Battles (June 26 – July 1, 1862), the Elko Tract saw both armies pass through it, particularly during the fighting at White Oak Swamp and Glendale (June 30, 1862). During that battle, Thomas Jonathan Jackson failed to effectively support the remainder of Lee’s Army, and thus allowed McClellan’s Federal Army to retreat to Malvern Hill.
Read more about this topic: Elko Tract
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