Glendale was Robert E. Lee's best chance to seriously damage the Union army during the Seven Days

On June 30, two-thirds of the Union force, or roughly 62,000 soldiers, would have to walk through the crossroads hamlet of Glendale in order to get to Harrison's Landing. With 71,000 Confederates, Robert E. Lee was prepared to attack at that fork in the road. He envisioned a battle in which a portion of his army would hold Union soldiers off to the north and south of the crossroads while his major assault through the frail middle.

The Union troops in the Glendale area were disjointed and disheartened. On June 30, they fought with more bravery than unity. Lee's intricate battle strategy failed, as it did so frequently throughout the Seven Days, resulting in a bloody struggle that seriously wounded the Federals but did not stop them from retreating. The Union force would have been cut in half, exposed to a complex enemy nation, and at risk of annihilation had Lee taken control of the crossroads. His failure made the Union's escape all but certain.