Lee brought the battered Army of Northern Virginia against McClellan’s larger but demoralized Army of the Potomac.

There were about 6,500 casualties in total.

This was the fifth of the Seven Days’ Battles.

On June 30, Huger’s, Longstreet’s, and A.P. Hill’s divisions converged on the retreating Union army in the vicinity of Glendale or Frayser’s Farm. Longstreet’s and Hill’s attacks penetrated the Union defense around Willis Church, routing McCall’s division, hitting them so badly McCall himself was captured. Union counterattacks by Hooker’s and Kearny’s divisions sealed the break and saved their line of retreat along the Willis Church Road. Huger’s advance came to a halt at the Charles City Road.

Meanwhile “Stonewall” Jackson’s divisions were delayed by Franklin at White Oak Swamp, protecting the Union main body. Confederate Maj. Gen. Theophilus Holmes made a feeble attempt to turn the Union left flank at Turkey Bridge but was driven back by Federal gunboats in the James River. (Shortly thereafter Lee made sure Holmes was transferred out of the theater.) Casualties among generals were unusually heavy: for the Union Meade and Sumner were wounded, joining Confederates Anderson, Pender, and Featherston.

This was Lee’s best chance to cut off the Union army from the James River. Jackson’s lethargy and clumsy head-on tactics at Glendale blew the chance of either a large or a small encirclement. That night, McClellan pulled further back and established a strong position on Malvern Hill.

Content provided by:
eHistory Staff

Selected sources:
American Battlefield Protection Program, Heritage Preservation Services, National Park Service.