Starting from the Chickahominy and traveling up the little creek which supplies Dr. Gaines's Mill with water, we come to the battle-field, which lies on our right hand, east of the creek. The ravine is narrow and the banks on both sides are steep. General Porter has cut down the trees which stood on the hillside, and has thrown up rifle-pits and intrenchments. He is to hold the enemy in check, while General McClellan makes preparations for a retreat to James River. He has thirty thousand men against seventy thousand. Commencing on the creek near the Chickahominy, we see on our right hand General Morrell's division, with Butterfield's, Martindale's, and Griffin's brigades. Upon the other side is Longstreet, A. P. Hill, and Whiting. General Griffin's brigade is south of the road which comes down from Coal Harbor. Across the road is General Sykes's division of regulars, composed of Warren's, Chapman's and Buchanan's brigades, confronted by Ewell's, D. H. Hill's, and Jackson's divisions. General Porter's second line at the beginning of the battle is composed of McCall's division, stationed near the center, in rear of Griffin. He has some cavalry on the road leading to Alexander's Bridge. [Illustration: BATTLE OF GAINES'S MILLS. =UNION TROOPS.= 1 Butterfield's Brigade. 2 Martindale's " 3 Griffin's " 4 Sykes's Division. 5 McCall's " 6 Slocum's " =REBEL TROOPS.= A Longstreet's Division. B A. P. Hill's " C Whiting's " D Ewell's " E D. H. Hill's " F Jackson's " G New Coal-Harbor, Lee's Head-Quarters.] Late in the day Slocum's division, of Sumner's corps, crosses Sumner's Bridge and takes position in rear of Sykes's. It is a hot, sultry day. General Lee is at Hogan's plantation, near New Coal-Harbor, sitting beneath the portico of the farm-house, absorbed in thought. He is neatly dressed in a gray uniform, buttoned to the throat. Longstreet is sitting in an old chair at the foot of the steps beneath the trees, eating a lunch, with his feet against a tree, his uniform faded and torn, buttons missing, and his boots old and dusty. Gregg, Wilcox, Pryor, Featherstone, and other generals are there waiting for Jackson, who has been marching hard all the morning to get into position. A courier comes down the Coal-Harbor road, delivers a message to Lee, who mounts his horse and rides away to New Coal-Harbor.[38] [Footnote 38: Battle-Fields of the South.] It is past two o'clock in the afternoon before Lee is ready to begin the attack. There has been a cannonade all along the line north and south of the Chickahominy. Magruder, on the south side, has instructions to make a grand demonstration, as if he was going to attack McClellan. It is his intention to keep him from sending troops to Porter's aid.