98 



ARMY OPERATIONS. 



old Fort Norfolk on one side of the river, and 

 the Naval Asylum batteries on the other, were 

 reached. 



In addition to the amount of ammunition left 

 in the sheds of the batteries, the magazines, 

 of which there was a great number, were well 

 filled. The amount of powder in the magazines 

 was estimated at five thousand pounds, and the 

 fixed ammunition could be enumerated by the 

 cargo. All the workshops, storehouses, and 

 other buildings at the Gosport navy yard were 

 burned, and the dry dock had also been partially 

 blown up with powder on the night after Nor- 

 folk was surrendered. While this was taking 

 place, another party was engaged in burning 

 the shipping and steamboats in the harbor. 

 There is no doubt this vast sacrifice was per- 

 mitted by the Confederate Government, only to 

 enable it to summon to Richmond the troops 

 in and about Norfolk under Gen. Huger. They 

 were about eighteen thousand in number. 



At the same time when this movement was 

 made on Norfolk, steps were taken to open the 

 blockade of James river. On the 8th of May 

 the gunboats Galena (iron clad), Aroostook, 

 and Port Royal started up the river, and were 

 successful in silencing the batteries at its mouth 

 and on its banks. They were subsequently join- 

 ed by the Monitor and Naugatuck, and on the 

 18th were repulsed by a heavy battery at 

 Drary's Bluff, about eight miles below Rich- 

 mond. (See NAVAL OPERATIONS.) The block- 

 ade of the river below that point was raised. - 



Meantime the army of Gen. McClellan was 

 advancing toward Richmond. On the 8th of 

 May the advance was beyond "Williamsburg, on 

 the llth it was atBarnhamsville, on the 13th at 

 New Kent Court House, and on the loth at the 

 White House. This was the point where the 

 railroad from West Point to Richmond crossed 

 the Pamunkey river. It took its name from 

 a fine building, once the property of Gen. 

 Washington, but now of his heirs. The rail- 

 road was in good order, and locomotives and 

 cars, brought on the transports, were imme- 

 diately placed on the track. It was intended 

 that the supplies of the army, as it advanced, 

 should be taken over this road. The Pamun- 

 key river, at the White House, was of sufficient 

 depth to float large vessels, and an immense 

 amount of stores was there collected. A re- 

 connoissance was made on the 16th by one of 

 the smaller gunboats, with two companies of 

 infantry under Major Willard, and one section 

 of Ayres' battery, up the Pamunkey river, a dis- 

 tance of twenty-five miles, to a point known as 

 Russell's Landing. A steamboat, a propeller, 

 and fifteen small schooners were found in flames 

 upon their arrival. Most of these vessels were 

 loaded with corn. On the same day the Con- 

 federate troops, consisting chiefly of a corps of 

 observation, were driven over the Chickahom- 

 iny on the main road to Richmond, at Bottom's 

 Bridge, which was burned. When the Federal 

 troops arrived within a half mile of the bridge, 

 a brisk fire of artillery from the opposite side 



opened upon them. The Confederate army 

 had now retreated across the Chickahominy, 

 determined beyond that river to dispute the 

 possession of Richmond. The Chickahominy 

 river is formed by the junction of Horsepen 

 Branch, Rocky Branch, North Run, and Brook 

 Run, near Meadow Bridge, five miles directly 

 north of Richmond. All these streams, and 

 several others too small to have names, rise 

 within ten miles northwest of Richmond, in a 

 rough, unfertile country, exceedingly broken 

 and unfit for cultivation. 



Meadow Bridge is nearly north of Richmond, 

 five miles in a direct line by railroad, and is 

 the outlet of a considerable swamp, and the 

 place of crossing for Meadow Bridge road and 

 the Virginia Central and Louisa railroad. The 

 stream at this bridge is an insignificant brook, 

 receiving another creek from the Richmond 

 side, a short distance below. Less than two 

 miles from Meadow Bridge is the bridge of the 

 Mechanicsville turnpike, four and one half 

 miles from the Confederate capital and fifteen 

 from Hanover Court House. 



Two miles further on, it receives a small creek 

 with the name of Brandy Run, and from this 

 point it grows considerably wider, more slug- 

 gish, with swampy shores at intervals, and low 

 banks often overflowed. Near this place is a 

 small bridge, and a road crosses, but little used. 



Four miles from Mechanicsville turnpike 

 bridge is New Bridge, in a direct line north- 

 east from the city six miles, and seven and a 

 half miles by the road. Four miles farther, and 

 directly east from the city, is a military bridge. 

 From this bridge three miles farther to Bot- 

 tom's Bridge the banks of the stream are quite 

 swampy, but it is still of no considerable size, 

 although several creeks have emptied their wa- 

 ters into it. A mile before reaching Bottom's 

 Bridge it is crossed by the Richmond and York 

 River railroad, running to White House and 

 West Point. The course of the river from its 

 source is east-southeast, so that it is constantly 

 leaving Richmond, and at Bottom's Bridge is fif- 

 teen miles away from the city. Its nearest 

 "point is at Mechanicsville bridge. The bank of 

 the stream on the north side is for the most 

 v part rolling -bluffs, covered with forests, with 

 an occasional opening, where can be seen finely 

 situated plantations. Upon the south side of 

 the stream, and from one to two miles from the 

 bank, a considerable bluff extends the entire 

 distance to the vicinity of the lower military 

 bridge. This bluff is highest opposite New 

 Bridge, where a point of it is known as Lewis 

 Hill. A road runs along on the brow of this 

 hill, and there are some very fine residences 

 situated upon it, which, as it is only some 

 three or four miles, at most, from the city, 

 are very desirable locations. Other bridges 

 were constructed by orders of Gen. McClellan. 



The soil along the York River railroad is of 

 too pliable a nature to admit of the transporta- 

 tion of heavy guns, or, in fact, any others, at 

 the time of severe rains. The same may be said 



