The Chickahominy

HARPER'S WEEKLY.

[JUNE 21, 1862.

396

THE ARMY OF THE POTOMAC—CAPTAIN PORTER'S MASSACHUSETTS BATTERY SHELLING THE REBELS ACROSS THE SWOLLEN CHICKAHOMINY. [SKETCHED BY MR. A. R. WAUD.]

ACROSS THE CHICKAHOMINY.

WE reproduce above a sketch by Mr. A. R. Waud representing CAPTAIN PORTER'S BATTERY SHELLING THE REBELS ACROSS THE CHICKAHOMINY. The picture gives a good idea of the scenery of the region. Mr. Waud, the author of the picture, thus describes it: "The sketch gives a good idea of the scenery of this stream, flowing through rich, flat meadows, and bordered by a fringe of trees—elms, willows, tulip-trees, etc. From the fields rise gentle

hills, partly under cultivation, and in part covered with woods. The Richmond turnpike crosses the stream—or swamp, as the natives call it—upon a bridge near Mechanicsville, which the rebels have burned, and now guard by artillery placed upon the hill. Along the river our pickets are thickly posted, under cover of trees and bushes or in the open fields. Occasionally the artillery posted on the heights commanding the valley fire shot and shell with varying effect upon the enemy's position."

The Tribune correspondent says:

The Chickahominy is the drain of a swamp. The stream is deep, though sluggish. Densely timbered, marshy land fringes it on either bank. The Rebels had gathered enormous reservoirs of water by the use of dams, as a weapon of military offense north of the Richmond and York River Railroad bridge. When the awful rains of last Wednesday and Friday had set every square rod of this part of the peninsula to work to contribute the elements of a flood to the Chickahominy, there was glee in Richmond, and mutual congratulations among military men. They surely reckoned that Bottom Bridge would be afloat, and that on the other side of the swollen stream, wherever McClellan

had made passage ways for his troops and his transportation, his artillery would be motionless, hub-deep in the water, and his trains of ammunition and of food immovable, and from 40,000 to 50,000 of the best troops in the army standing useless upon the brink of a river, beyond which their brothers in arms were being crashed in their ranks by overwhelming numbers, or driven at the point of the bayonet to death by drowning before their eyes.

On Friday night the reservoirs of accumulated water on the Upper Chickahominy were cut open. On Saturday morning Bottom Bridge was afloat.

The Chickahominy is still a lake.

THE ARMY OF THE POTOMAC—GENERAL McCLELLAN RECONNOITRING THE TURNPIKE TO RICHMOND FROM THE PEACH ORCHARD AT MECHANICSVILLE. SKETCHED BY MR. A. R. WAUD.—[SEE PAGE 395.]