Battle of White Oak Swamp

Battle at White Oak Swamp Bridge
Alfred R. Waud, artist, June 1862.

Date	June 30, 1862 (1862-06-30)
Location	Henrico County, Virginia 37°28′15″N 77°12′37″W / 37.4708°N 77.21025°W / 37.4708; -77.21025Coordinates: 37°28′15″N 77°12′37″W / 37.4708°N 77.21025°W / 37.4708; -77.21025
Result	Inconclusive

Belligerents

Commanders and leaders

Units involved

Casualties and losses

~100

15 total
3 killed
12 wounded

The Battle of White Oak Swamp took place on June 30, 1862 in Henrico County, Virginia as part of the Seven Days Battles (Peninsula Campaign) of the American Civil War. As the Union Army of the Potomac retreated southeast toward the James River, its rearguard under Maj. Gen. William B. Franklin stopped Maj. Gen. Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson's divisions at the White Oak Bridge crossing, resulting in an artillery duel, while the main Battle of Glendale raged two miles (3 km) farther south around Frayser's Farm. White Oak Swamp is generally considered to be part of the larger Glendale engagement. Because of this resistance from Brig. Gen. William B. Franklin's VI Corps, Jackson was prevented from joining the consolidated assault on the Union Army at Glendale that had been ordered by General Robert E. Lee, producing an inconclusive result, but one in which the Union Army avoided destruction and was able to assume a strong defensive position at Malvern Hill.

The Seven Days Battles began with a Union attack in the minor Battle of Oak Grove on June 25, 1862, but McClellan quickly lost the initiative as Lee began a series of attacks at Beaver Dam Creek on June 26, Gaines's Mill on June 27, the minor actions at Garnett's and Golding's Farm on June 27 and June 28, and the attack on the Union rear guard at Savage's Station on June 29. McClellan's Army of the Potomac continued its retreat toward the safety of Harrison's Landing on the James River.