Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1862-06-13
THE sIFGE OF RICHMOND.
Accurate Description Of the Coun;ry-The
Position of tbs Enemy.


armv was requested by toe rebels 10 form is line
Of attack, was the Chickahoniny RI yer - =
This river 10 formed by the junction Of Horse
psn branch, Rocky branch, North nm pea,
Meadow Bridge, directly north OF Richmond We
miles All these streams, and Several Others
too snall 20 nave names, rise within ten miles
northwest OF Richmond, in rough upte,sia
cIuntry, exceedingly broken and unit Tor cultiva.
ton, except by the'ciasJ Of poor semI-barbarou.
whites who manage TO exc out mlserably igno-
rant and worthless existence.
Meadow Bridge Il nearly due north of the
kichmond stat house, i've miles In direct line
oy railroad, and is the outlet Of a considerable
swamp, aud the place OF crossing for Meadow
Bridge road and the Virginia Central and Louisa
The stream at thl, bridge is an Insignificant
muddy brook, receiving another creek fro n the
Richmond side, short distance below Less
than two miles from Meadow Bridge Is the bridge
1.-THE Mechanlesyile turnpike, four and one half
miles from tue Confederate capital and fifteen
from Hanover Court House.
Some two miles further on 4. receives a small
Cresk With the suggestive name OF Brandy Run,
aud from this point IL grows considerably wider
more sluggish, with swampy shores at Intervals.
ana low banks often oyerhOwed. Near this place
Is small bridge, and rosd crosses, but has the
appearance Of being little Used.
-Four miles from Mechanicsville turnpike
bridge Is New Bridge, la a direct line north sast
from the city six miles, aud seven and half
miles by the road. Four miles further, and
directly east from the city, Is d military bridge
over which Gen Sumner crossed in the part he
has taken In the advance to Richmond, and In
the h-ht at Fair Oaks
From this bridge three miles further To Bottouo
Bridge tbe banks OF the steam are quite swampv
but IL Is sill Of no considerable size, although
several creeks have empded their waters into n
mile before reaching Bottom Bridge Il is crossed
blythe Richmond aid York River Railroad The
course Ct the river from its source Is ,st-south
cast, so that it Is constantly leaving Richmond
and Il Bottom Bridge is ffteen miles away from
the CITY,
Its nearest point Is at MechanIcsviIle bridge
The bank Of the stream IN the north aide is for
the meet part rolling bluff. covered with forests
with an OCCASIONAL opening, where can be seen
hBsly situated pantatiOns ..-
Upon the sOu' side Of the stream and from,
cue % two miles from the bank a considerable
blun extends the entire distance to the vicinity
OF the lower military bridge This bluff is high
est opposite New Bridge, where point Of Il is
knOwu as Lewis HiiI.
On the Mcchanlcsvllle turnpike the first dwell
ing Is one mile from the liver, and owned by a
Stlll further on the turnpike and within a mile
ct the limits Of the Ciiy lives Mr.. Jacobs and
here Is tbs toll gaze, al which ten cent Confed-
CTste bill must be paid 10 pass any team with the
exception Of UBcle SANS. Near this point two
roads lead tn ths west scross the Virginia Central
and LOslsa Railroad to the Meadow Bridge road,
mile distant
At tn. ltft, and within mile Of the city, is an
earthwork, with three heaVy gurs aud two lig bit
ones mounted and commanding the road and sd.
jlceht country. Along this distance more than
one hall IL woodland, aad until reaching this
pointo ooe sees not the slightest ind cation Of ap-
pToachidg the headquarters Of Sscessia.
Here Is situated little place called Fairfield
Grounds, and In the centre, at the eft few hun
dred yaTds, is tue race course, now covered with
rebel enEaInpments, and 5. emnglY the centre Of
the Confederate army, and Gen Johnston's head
quarters. About 30,OOO troops, with necessary
army supplies, wagons and stores here; and il
Is from this convenient point that the enemy sal
lies to execute any order OF the commanding gen.
eral to aitack US or to defend the approaches to
the city. -.
Passing back on by road which comes down
at this point from the centre Of the settlement
the buh near the river, we n1d small encamp-
ments OF rebel troops at nearly every turn in tie
road, until, coming mp IN Sght of the Chick
ahonliny, there are some two thousand enc ped,
and OccesionaIlV called out and moved 10 differ
entPoint. Of expected attack, and afterwards re-
turned These tfoops were drawn up in line Of
battle, and advanced ready to support Johnston's
army IA the engagement Of Fair Oaks, in case 1t
wes found necessary. -Four small guns at this
place also opened nre in the same direction.
TO BIC HMoxD BY NEw BRIDGE
Taking the New Bridge road toward Rich
mond, after crossing the bridge we pass around
the brow Of Lewis Hiil to the left, about q mile
from the river. Upon tue top Of this are posted
the enemy's light field pieces. which have SO
often been made target by our Napoleon and
Rodman guns A half mile further 10 cold
Town and the entrance OF another by-road from
Fair Oaks. A half mile further still 10 a place
called "Five Oaks" where a considerable rebel
force 10 encsmped, and there is also church
and the residences Of MeSsrs Slater and Pekoe
Too byroadS lead out from this point TO the set
tlsment on the bluff before ali luded to- --l-G
10 10 at this pOint-s' Five Oaks''-that an en-
Eagement may be expected, II at all, before get
ting to toe immediate viciuityof the city II is
nPone favorable, pleasant spot full two miles
from New Brdge, aad we'll protected by forest
on ths rebel side, and ground gently descending
toward the river. The entrance of two roads
here gives f4vorabte place for reinforcing and
diversion, and at the same time there is no posi-
bic opportunity to flank the enemy. IL he Is
csutious as there are two outlets Of retreat and
the advantage OF county is on his side. -.
Still further on tue Ofd another by-road leads
Ecrthward tu the ssitleIneIC SeyeraI snall
Cfesks cross the road before this aud az a short
-
high butts on either side and deep swampy
TdyiRs along Its course. DO. 80 I. Z. -
"A little father on, and within mile of the
city, 10 an old blacksmith shop, now occupied as
such by the rebel army. Here Is the junction OF
thefoad passing Faiffeld Grounds and the race
courre A cOnsiderabc eaIihwork, with fne
rife pts, one succeeding the other projecting
the guns Of this battery: At this point q road
passes % the left aud enters the city the extreme
east cad, snd also passes further eastward upon
the bank Of the ere IL and pass another b-tLery Of
three guns, and across the York River Railroad
coming into the city on the shore Of the james
river. r-r o7aI
At this point the York River road pa.se, ort
and runs along a considerable creek nearly on 4
direct line east About Eve miles from the city
This = the liae and tbe country on which the
rebels desire the decisive battle 10 be foupbt.
san further TO the westward Of the city are sev-
while there places for mounting several ofbeys
IN front Of the city aud for tue protection Of the
heid pieces which are now in the neld to the
number Of about sixty, ae----
The soil along the York River Railroad n of
too pliable nature 20 admit Of The trans sportaton
OF heavy guns, or, In faeti any Others at the time
Of severe rains, as at the present. The same NAV
bs said Of all the locality between the Chicka-
hominY and Richmond, After the passage Of q
hundred teams II becomes Rscessssyto construct
new reads. fhis Ia the reason why the enemy
had no artillery at Fair Oaks, and for the same
reason IL 10 sometimes necessary TO wait for Ia
vorable times Of moving forward. We can
build pontoon bridges over rivers, but not over
mud holes.
IL will be necessary to advance by all the ap-
proaches TO the city al he same time-which can
be easily done, as the territory Is small and CON-
pact-tO prevent flank movements OF the enemy.
which be could so readily execute with bis per-
feet knowledge OF the Lines Of travel and the fact
that hls xOops oecupy the country.
From this IL viii DC seen thai Gen. Mcclellan
has worked his way up to the city by gradual and
safe sPProachesj and we may Judge from the