and interesting a combat, rode back to Norfolk,
and the same evening reached Richmond, where his description of the
fight was received with the greatest interest and excitement.

CHAPTER VIII.

McCLELLAN'S ADVANCE.

It was not until three weeks after the fight between the ironclads that
the great army under General McClellan arrived off Fortress Monroe, the
greater portion of the troops coming down the Potomac in steam
transports. Vast quantities of stores had been accumulated in and around
the fortress. Guns of a size never before used in war were lying on the
wharfs in readiness to be placed in batteries, while Hampton Roads were
crowded with transports and store vessels watched over by the _Monitor_
and the other warships. McClellan's army was a large one, but not so
strong a force as he had intended to have taken with him, and as soon as
he arrived at Fortress Monroe he learned that he would not be able to
expect much assistance from the fleet. The _Merrimac_ completely closed
the James River; and were the more powerful vessels of the fleet to move
up York River, she would be able to sally out and destroy the rest of
the fleet and the transports.

As it was most important to clear the peninsula between the two rivers
before Magruder should receive strong re-enforcements, a portion of the
troops were at once landed, and on the 4th of April 56,000 men and one
hundred guns disembarked and started on their march against Yorktown. As
soon as the news of the arrival of the Northern army at Fortress Monroe
reached Richmond fresh steps were taken for the defense of the city.
Magruder soon found that it would be impossible with the force at his
command to hold the line he had proposed, and a large body of negroes
and troops were set to work to throw up defenses between Yorktown and a
point on the Warwick River thirteen and a half miles away.

A portion of this line was covered by the Warwick Creek which he dammed
up to make it unfordable, and erected batteries to guard the dams.
Across the intervening ground a weak earthwork with trenches was
constructed, there being no time to raise stronger works; but Magruder
relied chiefly upon the swampy and difficult nature of the country, and
the concealment afforded by the forest, which rendered it difficult for
the enemy to discover the weakness of the defenders.

He posted 6000 men at Yorktown and Gloucester Point, and the remaining
5000 troops under his command were