WOODBURY'S BRIDGE ACROSS THE CHICKAHOMIlYY [SEE NEXT PAGE]. FROM A WAR-TIME PHOTOGRAPH.

M C CLELLAN’S CHANGE OF BASE AND MALVERN HILL.

BY I>ANIj:r, II. IIIIjIj, i.ieutenant-general, c. s. a.

F IVE of the six Confederate divisions north of the Chickahominy at theclose of the battle of Gaines’s Mill remained in bivouac all the next day(June 28th), it being deemed too hazardous to force the passage of the river.Ewell was sent with his division to Dispatch Station on the York River Rail-road. He found the station and the railroad-bridge burnt. J. E. B. Stuart,who followed the retreating Federal cavalry to White House on the Pamun-key, found ruins of stations and stores all along the line. These thingsproved that General McClellan did not intend to retreat by the shortline of the York River Railroad; but it was possible he might take theWilliamsburg road. General Lee , therefore, kept his troops on the northside of the river, that he might be ready to move on the Federal flank, shouldthat route be attempted. New Bridge was repaired on Saturday (the 28th),and our troops were then ready to move in either direction. The burningsand explosions in the Federal camp Saturday afternoon and night showedthat General McClellan had determined to abandon his strong fortificationsaround Richmond . Ewell, who was watching him at Bottom’s Bridge, andthe cavalry, holding the crossings lower down, both reported that there wasno attempt at the Williamsburg route. Longstreet and A. P. Hill were sentacross the river at New Bridge early on Sunday morning to move down theDarbytown road to the Long Bridge road to intercept the retreat to theJames River. This movement began before it was known that General

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