Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1862-04-14
From the New York Post
Topography of Virginia-The Field of
War in Eastern Virginia.

n -
The part of Eastern Virginia which may be
properly called the field of war, embraces nearly
! the whole of the tide and Piedmont regions
bounded on the east by the Atlantic and the
Chesapeake Bay, on the south by North Carroll
ma, on the north and northeast by the Potomac,
and on the west by the Blue Ridge. Harper's
Ferry and Winchester beyond the Blue
Ridge, in what is called the Valley. This is
the department of Gen. Banks, that of the She
nandoah, and comprises a belt of country about
fifty miles wide, and running the depth of the
whole State in southwesterly direction, be-
tween the Blue Ridge and the Alleghanies.
Beyond Banks, on the west, is Gen. Fremont's
department.
Eastern Virginia has been divided by the Pres
ident into two departments; that of the Kappa
hammock under Gen. Mcdowell, comprises, be-
sides part of Maryland. the District of Co
lumbia and that part of Virginia between the
Blue Ridge on the west, and the Fredericksburg
and Richmond Railroad on the east. General
| McCleans department consists of all east of
the Fredericksburg Railroad. 1t is probable
that Mcclellan extends far as he chooses to
operate to the south, in Virginia. and that
General Wool's department, at and about Fort
ress Monroe, is within command of the superior
General. in ~
sa -issF JAMES RIVER.
The rivers of Easter. Virginia nearly all
empty their waters into the Chesapeake Bay,
the only exceptions being the New river and
the Holston, in the southern part OF the State.
Leaving out of view the Potomac, the James is
the principal river of Virginia. 1t meets the
tide at Richmond one hundred miles from its
mouth and is navigabe to that place by vessels
of one hundred and forty tons The only con-
siderable tributary of the James, below the Blue
Ridge, is the Appomattox, which flows into il at
| CITY Point, and carries seven feet water to Pc
tersburg, capital of Dinwddie county, ten miles
from City Point and twenty-five miles south from
Richmond The James is manageable to City
Point, nineteen miles southeast of Richmond,
for large vessels, and to jamestown Island it has
water enough for frigate. On Harrson's Bar.
few miles below City Point. there fifteen
feet water ne low sitle. IL flows into Hampton
Roads, near the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay,
and its entrance is closed by Fortress Monroe,
Newport News and our cruisers in that neigh
borhood.
Vessels drawing ten or twelve feet can reach
Richmond, but those drawing fifteen feet can get
within three miles of that city.
THE YORK
The York river, on which lies Yorktown. is
formed by the junction of the Mattapony and Pa
munky, and falls into the Chesapeake Bayabove
the mouth of the James. Its appearance isTather
that of an estuary than river. AT its meath it
is about three miles wide and it is forty miles
long. 1t is nayigable for large vessels, and is
i one mile Wlue at lOFktONn. Ou Tie pciiuouid
formed by the approach of the James and
York, in their course. are situated Yorktown
and Hampton; its southern extremity is New
port News, and ut the southeastern point is
Forress Monroe. Yorktown is seventy miles
east southeast of Richmond, and the latter
city is hundred and fifty miles from the sea
by water.
From Yorktown, up the river, to West Point,
some thirty or forty miles, the river is navgable
for large steamers, and from West Point there is
railroad to Richmond, a distance Of about thir
ty miles West Point is the nearest point by
which vessels by the York river can reach Rich
mond.
| Yorktown is situated on the right bank OF the
York river, seventy miles from Richmond. 1t is
an old town. settled in l705, and now has about
| fifty houses. 1t was the theatre of one of the
most important events in American history--the
surrender Of Lord CORVALLIS to General Wash
ington, which occurred on the 18th of October,
1881 The rebels are reported to have erected
strong Notifications along the river banks; the
works at Gloucester Point, opposite Yorktown,
are represented particularly to be very formida-
BILE.
THE RAPPAHANNoCK-
The Rappahannock enters Chesapeake Bay
| twenty five miles south Of the mouth of the Poto