| From the Richmond Daily Dispatch |
| |
| July 2, 1862 |
| |
| The Chickahominy Bridge |
| On Monday last, at the arrival
of the train from Richmond at a point on the {Richmond
&} York River Railroad about nine miles from town, where
the retreating enemy bad set fire to and completely burned up a train
of cars, Alexander Dudley, Esq., President of the road, accompanied by
the Superintendent, Mr. John McFarland, and Captain P. G. Colligan, of
the Va. Ordnance, took a hand car and started in the direction of the
White House. On arriving within a quarter of a mile of the trestle
bridge which spans the Chickahominy, they observed a locomotive
on the track at the far end of the bridge. The engine was
enveloped in smoke, and it being impossible to determine what was the
cause, the parties on the car being armed entered the woods and came
up close to the engine. To their amazement they found that the bridge
was on fire, and also that two platform cars attached to the engine
were in full blaze. Getting upon the bridge they found that there was
imminent danger of the locomotive falling
through and the whole bridge being destroyed. Fortunately they found
in the swamp some Yankee camp kettles, and attaching one of these to a
long pole they succeeded in lifting water from the swamp, and after
three hours incessant labor they completely extinguished the fire.
They then examined the extent of the damage to the bridge, and found
that on the White House side 80 feet span of the trestle work and four
or five cars loaded with ammunition had been blown to pieces. |
| The locomotive
was headed towards Richmond in front of it were two flats, the
throttle was open, and it was plain that the train was started for the
bridge with a slow match attached, so as to explode on the bridge, and
thus destroy bridge and all; fortunately, however, the tender got
partially dislodged, and thus checked the engine until the steam gave
out. The scene in the swamps beneath baffles all description; the
wheels and axles and heavy timbers of the cars were blown far on
either side of the bridge. Cannon shot, shell, cartridges, and
commissariat stores were strewn about in every direction, and the
stores of various kinds, where they had fallen in heaps, were rapidly
burning. |
| Mr. Dudley returned to Richmond
for aid to extricate the engine, and the other two gentlemen, having
crossed the swamp, reached Duval's, a Yankee camp, near Mr. Duval's
residence. Here we found a large number of tents standing, and piled
around were boxes of axes, shovels, spades, and scythe blades,
together with anvils, vices, and all sorts of implements for a smithy,
as well as carpenter's tools. Smiths forges had been set up and ovens
constructed, and all the arrangements indicated great industry and
energy on the part of the occupants. *** |
| The Yankees evidently retreated
in hot haste along the railroad. The woods and road all the way are
almost literally covered with arms, accoutrements, clothing, and
commissariat stores, flung about in the greatest confusion. |
| The engine saved by the above
mentioned gentlemen is worth from $10,000 to $15,000, and is of Yankee
make. The importance of the preservation of the bridge cannot be over
estimated. One hour later and the engine would have gone through; and
had not the parties arrived on the ground the whole structure would
have been almost entirely destroyed during the night. |
| The bridge will soon be
repaired, and Mr. Dudley and Mr. McFalland have already cleared the
track of obstruction, so that the ambulance train can now go out to
the bridge. |
| It is a singular fact, that Mr.
Dudley, many months ago, predicted that the York River railroad would
be a temptation to the Yankees to come to Richmond by way of York
river, and that the swamp would be to many of them their grave. |
|