part in the woods east and west of the road leading from Barhamsville to Eltham’s landing, and within range of the guns of the vessels in York river.
Arriving before the defenses of Richmond, General Johnston encamped his army north and east of the city, with grand guards well out on the roads leading from Richmond to the crossing of the Chickahominy, and in the direction of the landings on the James. His cavalry, under Stuart, was immediately in observation of the troops of Franklin at Eltham, and of General McClellan’s main advance from Williamsburg. The Federal army moved up the peninsula by the roads leading to White House, on the Pamunkey, and thence, on the north side of the Chickahominy, as far as Mechanicsville. All the bridges, including the York river railroad bridge crossing the Chickahominy, had been destroyed, and Johnston’s army was south of that stream. By the 2oth of May, McClellan had seized the crossings of the Chickahominy from Bottom’s bridge up to Meadow bridge, the latter point being immediately north of Richmond, and within 5 miles of the defenses of the city. His left, at Bottom’s bridge, was about 12 miles in a direct line from the city’s limits. The general direction of the Chickahominy is from northwest to southeast, between these points. By the 26th of May, the Third and Fourth corps of the Federal army, under Generals Heintzelman and Keyes, had crossed at Bottom’s bridge, and by the 30th, the latter corps had intrenched itself on the Richmond side of Seven Pines and Fair Oaks station, with its right refused toward the Chickahominy swamp. The other corps of the Federal army were north of the Chickahominy, opposite bridges which had been constructed for their convenience in crossing. Heintzelman s corps was in the vicinity of Bottom’s bridge. There had been incessant rains, and the whole country was flooded with water and the roads almost impassable for artillery.
On the 30th of May, General Johnston determined to
