dred or some sacred air was heard from the
band of some regiment whose chaplain had gathered his men for religious
services, no sound disturbed the universal quiet.

Not far from us was the White House, at the head of navigation, on the
Pamunkey. The house was a fine building, once the property of
Washington, now in possession of the Lee family. Here the Richmond and
York River railroad crossed the Pamunkey, and this was made the base of
operations for the army. Here the transports poured out a vast amount of
supplies, and under the protection of the flotilla of gunboats, the
quartermasters and commissaries commenced their active operations.

Except that a few rails had been torn up, the railroad was in excellent
order, and engines and cars were at once placed on the track ready to
follow the army on its advance to Richmond.

The Sixth corps proceeded toward the Chickahominy, which it reached at a
point several miles above the railroad crossing at Bottom's Bridge,
occupying the extreme right of the Union line of battle as formed along
that river. The position of the Union army was now as follows: Keyes'
corps had crossed the Chickahominy at Bottom's Bridge, and Heintzelman
had followed, taking a position between Keyes and the bridge. Sumner was
on the railroad, and Franklin on the right near New Bridge; Stoneman's
cavalry was on the right of the Sixth corps, and Porter's divisions were
in the rear, within supporting distance.

On the 23d, General Stoneman with his cavalry pushed forward toward
Mechanicsville, supported by Davidson's brigade. The brigade halted for
the night near Beaver Dam creek, a marshy stream pouring into the
Chickahominy. On the following morning the brigade again pushed forward,
the men making their way with great difficulty through a swamp, then
plunging through the stream, then forcing their way through brambles and
briars, and again wading through the water; until the men seemed to have
become amphibious. They at length found the enemy near the little
village of Mechanicsville.

The brigade, with Wheeler's battery, formed in line of battle on some
commanding grounds, and quietly rested for the night. On the morning of
the 24th, the Seventy-seventh and part of the Thirty-third were ordered
to advance toward the village and reconnoiter the position. Hardly had
the advance commenced before the rebels opened upon the two commands a
fierce cannonade, which forced our men to lie down, that the she