scattered along the line of works to
the Warwick River. He knew that if McClellan pushed forward with all his
force he must be successful; but he knew also that, if the enemy could
be held in check for a few days, assistance would reach him from General
Johnston's army.

Fortunately for the Confederates the weather, which had been fine and
clear during the previous week, changed on the very day that McClellan
started. The rain came down in torrents, and the roads became almost
impassable. The columns struggled on along the deep and muddy tracks all
day, and bivouacked for the night in the forests. The next morning they
resumed their march, and on reaching the first line of intrenchments
formed by the Confederates found them deserted, and it was not until
they approached the Warwick Creek that they encountered serious
opposition. Had they pushed forward at once they would have
unquestionably captured Richmond. But McClellan's fault was
over-caution, and he believed himself opposed by a very much larger
force than that under the command of Magruder; consequently, instead of
making an attack at once, he began regular siege operations against the
works on Warwick Creek and those at Yorktown.

The delay saved Richmond. Every day re-enforcements arrived, and by the
time that McClellan's army, over 100,000 strong, had erected their
batteries and got their heavy guns into position, Magruder had been
re-enforced by some 10,000 men under General Johnston, who now assumed
the command, while other divisions were hurrying up from Northern and
Western Virginia. Upon the very night before the batteries were ready to
open, the Confederates evacuated their positions and fell back, carrying
with them all their guns and stores to the Chickahominy River, which ran
almost across the peninsula at a distance of six miles only from
Richmond.

The Confederates crossed and broke down the bridges, and prepared to
make another stand. The disappointment of the Federals was great. After
ten days of incessant labor and hardship they had only gained possession
of the village of Yorktown, and a tract of low, swampy country. The
divisions in front pressed forward rapidly after the Confederates; but
these had managed their plan so well that all were safely across the
stream before they were overtaken.

The dismay in Richmond had for a few days been great. Many people left
the town for the interior, taking their valuables with them, and all was
prep