Near Richmond in Henrico County, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)
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Chickahominy Bluff
Richmond Battlefield
— Richmond Nat’l Battlefield Pk – 1862/64 —
Photographed By Bill Coughlin, April 24, 2007
1. Chickahominy Bluff Marker
Inscription.
Chickahominy Bluff. Richmond Battlefield. On this ridge overlooking the Chickahominy River, General Lee, President Davis, and many other prominent Confederate officers gathered to await the start of the operations that came to be called the Seven Days Campaign. They expected “Stonewall” Jackson’s 20,000-man army to get behind the Union position near Mechanicsville, to force the Federal Fifth Corps out of its defenses. General A. P. Hill then would clear the river crossings, allowing the bulk of Lee’s army to unite with Jackson and threaten the Richmond and York River Railroad, then in use as the main Union supply line., Unanticipated obstacles delayed Jackson, and late on the afternoon of June 26, 1862, Hill forced a crossing two miles upriver from here and captured Mechanicsville. Hill’s success allowed Lee to transfer the troops assembled here at Chickahominy Bluff over to the northern bank of the river. Shortly before sunset, fragments of the Confederate army launched attacks just east of Mechanicsville at the Battle of Beaver Dam Creek, two miles from here., Touring the Battlefields , This is the first stop on an extensive driving tour that mirrors the movements of the armies in the Seven Days Campaign. From here, you can drive across the Chickahominy River at the same spot where Lee and his divisions marched over late in the afternoon of June 26. Passing the little town of Mechanicsville, you will come to Beaver Dam Creek, followed by the rest of the Seven Days battlefields. Most of the driving tour is on historic roads and follows the routes used by the contending armies in one of the most elaborate and complex campaigns of the Civil War., Right Panel: Chickahominy Bluff , ”No one had any theory about the delay of Jackson, which was a cause of great anxiety…. Suddenly the lookers on … began looking with interest, and then Genl. Lee himself … joined then… [He] continued his observation for a few minutes, and then descended to the road. Advancing to Genl. Longstreet, he said ‘Those are [A.P.] Hill’s men, and then, in as quiet a tone as if he spoke of the weather, he said, ‘General, you may now cross over.’” - Major Joseph Brent, CSA Magruder’s staff
On this ridge overlooking the Chickahominy River, General Lee, President Davis, and many other prominent Confederate officers gathered to await the start of the operations that came to be called the Seven Days Campaign. They expected “Stonewall” Jackson’s 20,000-man army to get behind the Union position near Mechanicsville, to force the Federal Fifth Corps out of its defenses. General A. P. Hill then would clear the river crossings, allowing the bulk of Lee’s army to unite with Jackson and threaten the Richmond & York River Railroad, then in use as the main Union supply line.
Unanticipated obstacles delayed Jackson, and late on the afternoon of June 26, 1862, Hill forced a crossing two miles upriver from here and captured Mechanicsville. Hill’s success allowed Lee to transfer the troops assembled here at Chickahominy Bluff over to the northern bank of the river. Shortly before sunset, fragments of the Confederate army launched attacks just east of Mechanicsville at the Battle of Beaver Dam Creek, two miles from here.
Touring the Battlefields This is the first stop on an extensive driving tour that mirrors the movements of the armies in the Seven Days Campaign. From here, you can drive across the Chickahominy River at the same spot where Lee and his divisions marched over late in the afternoon of June 26. Passing the little town of Mechanicsville, you will come
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to Beaver Dam Creek, followed by the rest of the Seven Days battlefields. Most of the driving tour is on historic roads and follows the routes used by the contending armies in one of the most elaborate and complex campaigns of the Civil War.
Right Panel: Chickahominy Bluff ”No one had any theory about the delay of Jackson, which was a cause of great anxiety…. Suddenly the lookers on … began looking with interest, and then Genl. Lee himself … joined then… [He] continued his observation for a few minutes, and then descended to the road. Advancing to Genl. Longstreet, he said ‘Those are [A.P.] Hill’s men, and then, in as quiet a tone as if he spoke of the weather, he said, ‘General, you may now cross over.’” - Major Joseph Brent, CSA Magruder’s staff
Erected by Richmond National Battlefield Park - National Park Service.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: War, US Civil. A significant historical date for this entry is June 26, 1945.
Location. This marker has been replaced by another marker nearby. It was located near 37° 35.04′ N, 77° 23.263′ W. Marker was near Richmond, Virginia, in Henrico County. Marker could be reached from Mechanicsville Turnpike (U.S. 360), on the right when traveling north. Marker is in the Chickahominy Bluff Unit of Richmond National Battlefield
Photographed By Bill Coughlin, April 24, 2007
2. Confederate Fortifications at Chickahominy Bluff
Earthworks near the marker were used to view the Union Army approaching Richmond in June of 1862.
2. The Seven Days Battle. HistoryCentral.com website. (Submitted on January 2, 2009, by Bill Coughlin of Woodland Park, New Jersey.)
Photographed By Bill Coughlin, April 24, 2007
3. Richmond National Battlefield Park
Marker is in the Chickahominy Bluff Unit of Richmond National Battlefield Park.
Photographed By Bill Coughlin, April 24, 2007
4. Chickahominy Bluff Battle Map from Marker
Lee wanted to maneuver to get beyond the right of the Union army, forcing the Federals away from Richmond.
Photographed By Bill Coughlin, April 24, 2007
5. Richmond Battlefield
The national battlefield park contains sites relating to three separate events of the Civil War: the Seven Days Campaign of 1862, the Overland Campaign of 1864, and the late-war fighting north of the James River.
Credits. This page was last revised on November 5, 2021. It was originally submitted on January 2, 2009, by Bill Coughlin of Woodland Park, New Jersey. This page has been viewed 2,139 times since then and 38 times this year. Photos:1, 2, 3, 4, 5. submitted on January 2, 2009, by Bill Coughlin of Woodland Park, New Jersey.