THE MARCH TO WHITE HOUSE.
The narrative, terminating at the close of the first volume of this history, with the battle of West Point, now concerns itself with the onward march of the Army of the Potomac. On the 9th of May, General McClellan effected a junction with the forces under the command of General Franklin, at West Point; and hence, partly by land and partly by water, the whole army moved up the Pamunkey river towards a place called White House, twelve miles distant. The roads at this time were in a bad condition for travel, owing to heavy rains; and therefore the advance was made but slowly. It was not until the 16th inst., that General McClellan established his headquarters at White House, where he organized a permanent depot for supplies. These coming up the York river by water, could be landed at West Point and brought hence by railroad. From White House the march continued toward the Chickahominy river. No material opposition was anywhere encountered. The rebels were massing their forces beyond the Chickahominy, in front of Richmond, and preparing for the desperate, decisive struggle.
On the 20th of May the left wing of the Union Army reached the Chickahominy, at a point called Bottom’s Bridge. The bridge had been destroyed by the enemy, but the stream was immediately forded by General Casey’s troops, and the bridge was rebuilt. In the mean while the centre and the right wing were advanced to the river above, driving the rebels out of the village of Mechanicsville. The lines now extended from Mechanicsville, on the right, to Seven Pines, on the left, the latter being a strong position on the Bottom’s Bridge road, on the further side of the Chickahominy.