My instructions required me to cross the trains over the James River

on this pontoon-bridge if practicable, and to reach it I should be

obliged to march through Charles City Court House, and then by

Harrison's Landing and Malvern Hill, the latter point being held by

the enemy. In fact, he held all the ground between Long Bridge on

the Chickahominy and the pontoon-bridge except the Tete de pont at

the crossing. Notwithstanding this I concluded to make the attempt,

for all the delays of ferrying the command and trains would be