Seven Days Battles Facts, Details, and Timeline

June 25–July 1, 1862

Facts about the Seven Days Battles, including dates, casualties, participants, who won, and more interesting details you might not know. This fact sheet provides a quick overview of the battle and is for kids doing research and students preparing for the AP U.S. History (APUSH) exam.

George McClellan, Portrait, Brady

The Seven Days Battles ended Major General George B. McClellan’s Peninsula Campaign of 1862. Image Source: Wikimedia.

Definition

The Seven Days Battles was a series of battles fought between the United States of America and the Confederate States of America from June 25, 1862, to July 1, 1862, during the American Civil War.

Quick Facts

  • Also Known As: The Seven Days Battles is also called the “Seven Days Retreat.”
  • Date Started: The Seven Days Battles started on Thursday, June 25, 1862.
  • Date Ended: The fighting ended on Tuesday, July 1, 1862.
  • Location: The battle took place in Hanover County and Henrico County, Virginia.
  • Who Won: The Confederate States of America won the Seven Days Battles.
  • Military Campaign: The Seven Days Battles was part of the Peninsula Campaign of 1862.
Battle of Glendale, Fighting Over Flag, Illustration

This illustration from 1864 depicts fierce fighting at the Battle of Glendale, which took place during the Seven Days Battles. Image Source: Archive.org.

Interesting Facts

  • The Seven Days Battles drove the Union Army of the Potomac away from the outskirts of Richmond, Virginia.
  • The Seven Days Battles ended the Union Peninsula Campaign of 1862.

Commanders and Forces Involved

Principal Union Commanders

Principal Confederate Commanders

Union Forces Engaged

  • Army of the Potomac

Confederate Forces Engaged

  • Army of Northern Virginia

Casualties and Statistics

Number of Union Soldiers Engaged

  • Roughly 104,000

Number of Confederate Soldiers Engaged

  • Roughly 92,000

Estimated Union Casualties

  • 15,800 (1,734 killed, 8,066 wounded, and 6,055 captured/missing)

Estimated Confederate Casualties

  • 20,200 (3,494 killed, 15, 758 wounded, and 952 captured/missing)

Results of the Seven Days Battles

  • At the conclusion of the Seven Days Battles, with the Army of the Potomac no longer an immediate threat to the South, Robert E. Lee was able to shift the focus of the action in the eastern theater back north and prolong the war for over two more years.

Timeline of the Seven Days Battles

This list shows the main battles and events that took place before and after the Seven Days Battles, and how it fits into the chronological order of the Peninsula Campaign.