Chickahominy also known as "the Chick" is a river in the southeastern portion of the U.S. state of Virginia, near which several battles of the United States Civil War were fought in 1862 and 1864. The river rises about 20 miles northwest of Richmond, Virginia and flows southeast and south to the James River. The river was named after the Chickahominy Indian tribe who lived near the river when it was claimed by English colonists in 1607. The River Thames in London River running into Harrietville Trout Farm A river is a large natural waterway. ... A state of the United States is any one of the fifty subnational entities referred to as a state (although four officially favor the term commonwealth) which, along with the District of Columbia, under the provisions of the United States Constitution form the United States of America. ... This article does not cite its references or sources. ... The American Civil War was fought in the United States from 1861 until 1865 between the northern states, popularly referred to as the U.S., the Union, the North, or the Yankees; and the seceding southern states, commonly referred to as the Confederate States of America, the CSA, the Confederacy... 1862 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... 1864 (MDCCCLXIV) was a leap year starting on Friday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar or a leap year starting on Sunday of the 12-day-slower Julian calendar. ... Flag Seal Nickname: River City Motto: Sic Itur Ad Astra Location Location in the Commonwealth of Virginia Coordinates , Government Country State County United States Virginia Independent City Mayor L. Douglas Wilder (D) Geographical characteristics Area     City 62. ... The James River at Cartersville The James River in the U.S. state of Virginia is 547. ... The Chickahominy are a tribe of indians in the Greater Richmond, Virginia area, specifically in New Kent and Charles City counties. ...

Geologic definition

The Chickahominy River is a Coastal Plain tributary to the James River (Virginia) with headwaters northwest of Richmond, Virginia in the Fall Zone. For its first 15 kilometers the Chickahominy flows over igneous and metamorphic bedrock of the Piedmont, but soon becomes a Coastal Plain stream near Mechanicsville. The low-gradient Chickahominy sluggishly flows through broad swampy lowlands for 60 kilometers from Henrico County to eastern New Kent County. 10 kilometers southeast of Providence Forge the Chickahominy River becomes an estuary and makes a turn towards to the south. In geography, a coastal plain is an area of flat, low-lying land adjacent to a seacoast and separated from the interior by other features. ... This article belongs in one or more categories. ... The James River at Cartersville The James River in the U.S. state of Virginia is 547. ... Flag Seal Nickname: River City Motto: Sic Itur Ad Astra Location Location in the Commonwealth of Virginia Coordinates , Government Country State County United States Virginia Independent City Mayor L. Douglas Wilder (D) Geographical characteristics Area     City 62. ... The fall line has meanings in both geographical features and the sport of alpine skiing. ... Igneous rocks are formed when molten rock (magma) cools and solidifies, with or without crystallization, either below the surface as intrusive (plutonic) rocks or on the surface as extrusive (volcanic) rocks. ... The term Metamorphic can be associated with a number of meanings:- Metamorphic rock The term for rocks that have been transformed by extreme heat and pressure. ... The James River winds its way among piedmont hills in central Virginia. ... Mechanicsville is an unincorporated place located in Hanover County, Virginia. ... Horizontal line (use sparingly)d grade for the grade or gradient of roads and other geographic features. ... A freshwater swamp This article is about the wetland type (a landform). ... Location in the state of Virginia Formed 1634 Seat Richmond Area  - Total  - Water 634 km² (245 mi²) 17 km² (7 mi²) 2. ... New Kent County is a county located in the state of Virginia. ... Providence Forge is an unincorporated town located in New Kent County, Virginia. ... Estuaries and coastal waters are among the most productive ecosystems on Earth, providing numerous ecological, economic, cultural, and aesthetic benefits. ...

When sea level was higher during warmer (non-glacial) periods in the Pleistocene the Chickahominy was a much broader river. The ancient riverbanks and meander loops are still recognizable. As sea level rose after the last glacial interval (during the last 20,000 years) the Chickahominy has also risen causing old flood plains and valleys to be backfilled as marshes. The Pleistocene epoch (pronounced like ply-stow-seen) is part of the geologic timescale. ...

History

In 1607, Captain John Smith, one of the Jamestown settlers, sailed up the Chickahominy in the hope that it would prove to be a passage to the Pacific. There, he was captured by warriors of the Pamunkey tribe and taken to meet Chief Powhatan, an event that led to his legendary rescue by Pocahontas. Events January 20 - Tidal wave swept along the Bristol Channel, killing 2000 people. ... John Smith (1580-1631) was an English soldier and sailor, now chiefly remembered for his role in establishing the first permanent English colony in North America, and his brief association with the Native American princess Pocahontas. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... For other meanings of Pacific, see Pacific (disambiguation). ... The Pamunkey Tribe has been in existence for around ten to twelve thousand years, since the Ice Age. ... Chief Powhatan (detail of map published by John Smith (1612) Chief Powhatan (c. ... A 1616 engraving of Pocahontas by Simon van de Passe, the only known portrait of Pocahontas made within her lifetime. ...

In the 19th century, the Chickahominy was bordered in many places by swampy forests, which during heavy rains and spring thaw were covered with water as to be almost impassable. At such times, the river's normally narrow path could grow to be as much as a mile wide. This small river became a major obstacle and natural force to be dealt with during the American Civil War (1861–1865). Alternative meaning: Nineteenth Century (periodical) (18th century — 19th century — 20th century — more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 19th century was that century which lasted from 1801-1900 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar. ... Combatants United States of America (Union) Confederate States of America (Confederacy) Commanders Abraham Lincoln, Ulysses S. Grant Jefferson Davis, Robert Edward Lee Strength 2,200,000 1,064,000 Casualties 110,000 killed in action, 360,000 total dead, 275,200 wounded 93,000 killed in action, 258,000 total...

1862: Peninsula Campaign

In the spring and summer of 1862, during the Peninsula Campaign, General George B. McClellan pushed a Union force up the Virginia Peninsula from Fort Monroe at the mouth of Hampton Roads in an attempt to capture the Confederate capital of Richmond. After McClellan's troops had taken Yorktown on the York River, his army followed the retreating Confederates, and gained another victory over them on May 5, 1862, at Williamsburg, the old colonial capital, which was located on high ground between the York and James Rivers about ten miles below the mouth of the Chickahominy. The Confederates then retreated northwest and crossed the Chickahominy near the point where New Kent, Henrico, and Hanover counties border each other, in modern times known as Bottom's Bridge. A portion of the Union army followed them, while other portions remained east of the river. McClellan and Johnston of the Peninsula Campaign The Peninsula Campaign (also known as the Peninsular Campaign) of the American Civil War was a major Union operation launched in southeastern Virginia from March through July 1862, the first large-scale offensive in the Eastern Theater. ... McClellan and Johnston of the Peninsula Campaign The Peninsula Campaign (also known as the Peninsular Campaign) of the American Civil War was a major Union operation launched in southeastern Virginia from March through July 1862, the first large-scale offensive in the Eastern Theater. ... George McClellan George Brinton McClellan (December 3, 1826 – October 29, 1885) was a major general during the American Civil War. ... The 21st Michigan Infantry, a company of Shermans veterans. ... The Virginia Peninsula is a peninsula in southeast Virginia, bounded by the York River, James River, Hampton Roads and Chesapeake Bay. ... Satellite Photo of Fort Monroe Fort Monroe, Virginia (also known as Fortress Monroe) is a military installation located at Old Point Comfort on the tip of the Virginia Peninsula at the mouth of Hampton Roads on the Chesapeake Bay in eastern Virginia in the United States. ... Hampton Roads, from state map of pre-civil war Virginia circa 1858 Hampton Roads is the name of both a body of water and the land areas which surround it in southeastern Virginia in the United States. ... Motto: Deo Vindice (Latin: With God As Our Vindicator) Anthem: God Save the South (unofficial) Dixie (popular) The Bonnie Blue Flag (popular) Capital Montgomery, Alabama (February 4, 1861–May 29, 1861) Richmond, Virginia (May 29, 1861–April 2, 1865) Danville, Virginia (April 3–April 10, 1865) Largest city New Orleans... York Hall is a government building on Yorktowns historic Main Street. ... York River can refer to: The York River in Virginia in the United States. ... May 5 is the 125th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (126th in leap years). ... 1862 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... The Battle of Williamsburg, also known as the Battle of Fort Magruder, took place on May 5, 1862 in York County and Williamsburg, Virginia as part of the Peninsula Campaign of the American Civil War. ...

Not long after the Union forces were astride the apparently docile Chickahominy River, a period of heavy rains came on and the river and swamps were so flooded that they became almost completely impassable. The Union army was thus cut in two; for though the two halves were only a short distance apart, their only means of reaching each other was by a bridge many miles away.

General Joseph E. Johnston, who commanded the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia, resolved to attack the two (of five) corps that were south of the river and destroy them before the rest of the army could come to their aid. The attack was made in two places, at the railroad station of Fair Oaks and (about a mile away) at the crossroads of Seven Pines. (The battle is often referred to as the Battle of Seven Pines in the North, Fair Oaks in the South.) At first the Union troops were driven back and almost beaten, but meanwhile the soldiers on the other side of the Chickahominy had succeeded in building a bridge, and several thousand men hurried over to help, driving the Confederates back. General Johnston was severely wounded (May 31). The next day the attack was renewed at Fair Oaks, but the Confederates were again defeated and they retreated in disorder to Richmond. Joseph E. Johnston Joseph Eggleston Johnston (February 3, 1807 – March 21, 1891) was a career U.S. Army officer and one of the most senior generals in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. ... The Army of Northern Virginia was the primary military force of the Confederate States of America during the American Civil War in the eastern theater. ... A corps (a word that immigrated from the French language, pronounced IPA: , but originating in the Latin corpus, corporis meaning body; plural same as singular) is either a large military unit or formation, an administrative grouping of troops within an army with a common function (such as artillery or signals... Fair Oaks is an unicorporated community located in Henrico County, Virginia. ... Panoramic view of Seven Pines Battlefield National Cemetery in 1912 Seven Pines (and the Seven Pines National Cemetery) are located in the unincorporated town of Sandston in Henrico County Virginia. ... Combatants United States of America Confederate States of America Commanders George B. McClellan Joseph E. Johnston G. W. Smith Strength 41,797 41,816 Casualties 5,031 (790 killed, 3,594 wounded, 647 captured/missing) 6,134 (980 killed, 4,749 wounded, 405 captured/missing) The Battle of Seven Pines... May 31 is the 151st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (152nd in leap years), with 214 days remaining. ...

It is surmised that if General McClellan had followed them into Richmond, he would have probably taken the city. Instead, he advanced slowly and cautiously, thinking the Confederate forces there were much larger. The slow advance gave the Confederates time to build forts and to receive reinforcements. In a few weeks, the Confederates had nearly as many men as the Federals, and their army was now commanded by General Robert E. Lee. For the author of Inherit the Wind and other works, see Robert Edwin Lee. ...

General McClellan up to this time had received his provisions and supplies by the way of the York River, and his base (that is, the place where his provisions were landed) was at White House on the Pamunkey River. He also heavily depended upon the recently completed Richmond and York River Railroad to supply his forces. The York River is a navigable estuary, approximately 40 mi (64 km) long, in eastern Virginia in the United States. ... Richmond and York River Railroad was completed between Richmond, Virginia and West Point, Virginia in 1861. ...

General Lee's army now recrossed the Chickahominy southwest of Mechanicsville, trying to get between the Union army and White House and so leave the Union army without provisions. Instead of trying to prevent this, General McClellan resolved to change his base to Harrison's Landing or City Point on the James River, about 30 miles east of Richmond. To do this, he had to unite his army on the west side of the Chickahominy and march toward City Point. House from the South (river) side Berkeley Plantation, one of the first great estates in America, comprises about 100 acres (0. ... City Point is the name of two places in the United States: City Point, Virginia an extinct town now a portion of Hopewell, Virginia City Point, Wisconsin a town located in Jackson County, Wisconsin This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise...

The Confederates had already attacked the Union Army at Mechanicsville on the east side of the river, but after the bloody battle they were driven back (June 26). A still more bloody battle was fought on the next day at the Battle of Gaines' Mill, five miles from Mechanicsville near a crossroads called Cold Harbor. There General McClellan had left a rear-guard under General Fitz John Porter, while the rest of the army crossed the river. But the rear-guard was attacked so fiercely that many thousands recrossed the river to help it, and even then it was hardly saved from a terrible defeat. At night the rear-guard crossed the river, and the whole army was united on the west side (the side nearest to Richmond). The Battle of Beaver Dam Creek, also known as the Battle of Mechanicsville or Ellerson’s Mill, took place on June 26, 1862 in Hanover County, Virginia as part of the Peninsula Campaign of the American Civil War. ... June 26 is the 177th day of the year (178th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 188 days remaining. ... Battle of Gaines Mill Conflict American Civil War Date June 27, 1862 Place Hanover County, Virginia Result Confederate victory The Battle of Gaines Mill, also known as the First Battle of Cold Harbor or the Battle of Chickahominy River, took place on June 27, 1862, in Hanover County, Virginia, as... Fitz John Porter Fitz John Porter (August 31, 1822 – May 21, 1901) was a career U.S. Army officer and a Union general in the American Civil War. ...

They might easily have taken most of the city, for General Lee and most of his army were still on the east side of the Chickahominy, and farther away from Richmond than McClellan was. But McClellan still supposed that a large army was defending the city, and they began to retreat towards City Point, fighting as they went. At Savage's Station, east of Fair Oaks, they had a large hospital and many military stores. The stores were burned and a train of cars loaded with bombshells was set on fire; at the same time the engine was started, and as the train rushed off the shells exploded, until the cars reached a broken bridge, where they plunged into the river. Soon after the Confederates attacked the Federals at the station and drove them away, capturing the hospital with 2,500 wounded soldiers (June 29). Waterfront at City Point, Virginia (now Hopewell) in 1865 City Point was a town in Prince George County, Virginia in the state of Virginia. ... Savages Station was located in Henrico County, Virginia on the Richmond and York River Railroad. ... Fair Oaks is an unicorporated community located in Henrico County, Virginia. ... June 29 is the 180th day of the year (181st in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 185 days remaining. ...

On the next day they made another fierce attack at Frayser's Farm, where a bloody battle was fought without much advantage being gained on either side. Finally (July 1) almost the whole Confederate army attacked the Union army at Malvern Hill, but they were beaten back with terrible slaughter and the Union army reached Harrison's Landing in safety. Battle of Glendale Conflict American Civil War Date June 30, 1862 Place Henrico County, Virginia Result Inconclusive (Union withdrawal continued. ... July 1 is the 182nd day of the year (183rd in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 183 days remaining. ... Battle of Malvern Hill Conflict American Civil War Date July 1, 1862 Place Henrico County, Virginia Result Union victory The Battle of Malvern Hill, also known as the Battle of Poindexter’s Farm, took place on July 1, 1862 in Henrico County, Virginia as part of the Peninsula Campaign... House from the South (river) side Berkeley Plantation, one of the first great estates in America, comprises about 100 acres (0. ...

The battles fought by Lee against McClellan from June 25 to July 1, 1862, are often called the Seven Days Battles. The Union loss during this time was 15,200; the Confederate loss, 19,400. June 25 is the 176th day of the year (177th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 189 days remaining. ... July 1 is the 182nd day of the year (183rd in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 183 days remaining. ... 1862 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... Lee and McClellan of the Seven Days The Seven Days Battles was a series of six major battles over the seven days from June 25 to July 1, 1862, near Richmond, Virginia, in the American Civil War. ...

1864: Overland Campaign

On June 3, 1864, a second battle was fought at Cold Harbor, between Union army under General Ulysses S. Grant and the Confederates under General Lee. The Confederates had much the smaller army, but they were in strong entrenchments, where the Union army attacked them. After one of the bloodiest battles of the war, the Unionists were driven back, leaving the ground covered with dead and wounded. June 3 is the 154th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (155th in leap years), with 211 days remaining. ... 1864 (MDCCCLXIV) was a leap year starting on Friday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar or a leap year starting on Sunday of the 12-day-slower Julian calendar. ... Combatants United States of America Confederate States of America Commanders Ulysses S. Grant George G. Meade Robert E. Lee Strength 108,000 soldiers 62,000 soldiers Casualties 13,000 2,500 The Battle of Cold Harbor, the final battle of Union Lt. ... Ulysses S. Grant (born Hiram Ulysses Grant, April 27, 1822 – July 23, 1885) was an American general and politician who was elected the 18th President of the United States (1869–1877). ...

Fishing

Fishing is a popular sport along the Chickahominy. Blue catfish, largemouth bass, river herring (especially at Walkers Dam), Striped bass, Hickory shad, and striped bass can be found in the river.

See also

• List of Virginia rivers