The Union Left Flank

The left of the Union line at Gaines’ Mill was stubbornly defended by Federal infantry, including General Morell’s division, as General Pickett’s Confederate brigade charged and Union soldiers fought with outstanding heroism, with some later receiving the Medal of Honor. The fighting here also included the bravery of an Alabama flag-bearer, the collapse of the Union position, an ill-advised twilight cavalry charge, and a fatal case of mistaken identity. Original rifle pits constructed by Union soldiers survive here, while many Southern accounts of the action came from the other side of the creek at the Confederate breakthrough point.

Virginia · United States