Gardner’s Photographic Sketch Book Of The War. Vol. 2, No. 95. Mechanicsville, Virginia. April, 1865. A pretentious name for a collection of about a dozen ordinary Virginia houses, including blacksmith shop and store; yet what memories crowd along at its mention. Of the grand old Army of the Potomac, then in its youthful flush, digging, hewing, and battling courageously with the rebels and their deadly ally, the Chickahominy; of tropical rains, that in a day would turn luxuriant meadows into broad lakes, and make boiling floods where before was naught but stagnant pools; of bridges–cut by strong battalions from its sturdy thickets, and winding through the deepest recess of the swamp–swept down by the savage waters, while the builders looked helplessly on; and of that sanguinary storm of battle which, lasting seven days, was begun at this village.
Early in June, as the army extended its wings along both banks of the Chickahominy, Mechanicsville fell into our possession. There was a struggle at Beaver Creek and on the neighboring fields, the houses were battered by the artillery, and their defenders, horse, foot, and artillery, retreated in disorder down the pike, and over the bridge, towards Richmond, some three and a half miles distant. The skirmishers “went through” the store and the dwellings; the blacksmith’s forge was in use immediately by the cavalry and artillery; the doctors took possession of the houses for hospitals; a battery was put in position, the fences burned; in short, the “occupation” was complete. From the rising ground upon the opposite side of the river, where the rebels had an earthwork, the position was occasionally shelled, till one fine afternoon, when the First Massachusetts Battery, having discovered Gen. Hill’s headquarters, proceeded to return the favor with such effect that the General left his establishment in a hurry, and had his horse killed. After that contretemp he did not waste his ammunition upon Mechanicsville; but the pickets of each army watched the bridge with jealous eyes till the Union line was withdrawn, on the 26th of June, and the rebels retaking the village, forced the action at Beaver Dam Creek, where they were repulsed by Fitz John Porter’s troops. The two-story house, with a fence, seen in the photograph, is on the turnpike to Richmond. In front of this house a parapet was thrown up across the road, defended by two howitzers, to sweep the pike in case a dash should have been attempted for the recovery of the place.
Incidents of the War. Mechanicsville, Va. 30 April, 1865. [Gardner Co. cabinet card]
