70 THE ARMY OF THE POTOMAC. Hut let us turn from this afflicting spectacle ; let us turn from -Jackson phn ing at fast and loose with the four Generals opposed to him. He had carried his point. His daring movement had prevented the junction of McDowell with McClellan, at the moment when that junction would have been decisive of the campaign. Henceforth the Army of the 1’otoinac could rely only upon itself. No time was to be lost before acting, for every day augmented the disproportion between the forces of the adversaries, and it was to be feared the federals encamped amid the marshes of the Chickahominy would suiter severely from the great heats now setting in. We had been for some days face to face. The federal advance was but. five miles distant from Richmond. Skirmishes were of daily occurrence, and with the feeling on both sides a general action was inevitable. General McClellan waited for two things before making the attack, lie waited for the roads which the rain had swamped to become solid and practicable for his artillery, and for the completion of the numerous bridges which lie was throwing over the Chickahominy. The character of the localities, the impossibility of quitting the railway by which the army was supplied, and the necessity of keying on his guard against any attempt of the enemy to turn his position, had forced the General to divide Ins troops into two wings on the opposite banks of the river. It was consequently most important to be able to mass them rapidlv either on the right bank for an offensive movement against Richmond, or on the left bank against any attempt to turn the position. Hie hitter danger was much to be feared, for the confederates had retained possession of several bridges on the upper Chickahominy, yvhich would permit them to occupy t e excellent positions that are to be found on Ilie left bank, just so soon as the northern army should abandon th . positions, In this way they would have shut us up upon the right bank, blockaded, starved, and reduced to an
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