an important battle of the Civil War, fought during the Peninsula Campaign (See PENINSULA CAMPAIGN), about seven miles east of Richmond, Va., on May 31 and June 1, 1862, between a force of about 42,000 Federals, from the Army of the Potomac under General McClellan, and about an equal force of Confederates, under generals Joseph E. Johnston and G. W. Smith. After Johnston's retreat from Williamsburg toward Richmond, McClellan followed him leisurely, and upon reaching the Chickahominy River sent two corps of his army under Keyes and Heintzelman to the south side of the stream. Johnston immediately decided to attack this force before it could be reenforced or could recross the river. The attack was begun May 31 about 1 P. M. by General Longstreet, who drove Keyes's troops from their position back toward the Chickahominy. McClellan ordered a force under General Sedgwick and Summer to cross the river in order to relieve General Keyes. This force engaged part of General Smith's Confederate command near Fair Oaks Station and was compelled to fight desperately for several hours to maintain its position. It was at this point that General Johnston was severely wounded; his command fell first upon General Smith and later upon General Lee, who thereafter was head of the Army of Northern Virginia. About the middle of the following day, the battle having raged since morning, General Lee withdrew toward Richmond. The loss of the Confederates was about 5200; of the Federals, slightly less.