Gardner’s Photographic Sketch Book Of The War. Vol. 2, No. 92. View on Canal, near Crenshaw’s Mill, Richmond, Virginia. April, 1864. The principal object in this picture is the ruin of what was once one of the finest flour mills of the country. Haxall’s Mill had a floor surface of eight acres, and a water-power that never failed. The great preservative qualities of the flour made here procured for it an extended reputation, and rendered it very desirable in the navy, as on shipboard it would keep a couple of years unchanged. On this account large quantities were purchases for the British navy. During the war the mill was kept busy by the rebel government, supplying the wants of the army, and when Richmond was evacuated, fell a prey to the fire, which, in its progress, burned over thirty squares of the business part of the city, consuming many of the public buildings. Crenshaw’s Mill on the left of the canal, escaped the torch of the incendiary, and owing to a favorable wind was preserved, as were also the wooden shops on the right.
The canal was of much value in bringing supplies to the Confederate capital, thus relieving the overworked railroads. From its position it was very difficult to permanently injure it. Wyndham reached it during Stoneman’s raid in 1863, but for want of powder to blow up the aqueduct, did only temporary damage. Sheridan in the spring of 1864, again destroyed a portion of it, which was not repaired until after the surrender of Lee.
Incidents of the War. View on Canal, Richmond, Near Haxall’s Mills. [Gardner Co. cabinet card]
