If we were to start in a skiff at the bridge on the Brooke road, and float down the slow and winding Chickahominy three miles, we should come first to Meadow Bridge, on the road leading from Richmond to Shady-Grove Church. Two miles farther would bring us to the Mechanicsville Turnpike. The little village of Mechanicsville is two miles towards the north. Two miles below the Mechanicsville Bridge is the Upper Trestle Bridge, built by General McClellan. Two miles farther down is New Bridge, on the road leading from Richmond to Coal Harbor. There is a high hill on the south side of the stream, on the plantation of Dr. Lewis, where the Rebels had a battery which commanded the bridge and prevented General McClellan from using it. There was also a battery on the north side, which General McClellan had planted to prevent the Rebels from crossing at that point, and cutting off the force which he had advanced to Mechanicsville. Still farther down the stream were other bridges which had been erected by General McClellan's engineers. [Illustration: BATTLE OF MECHANICSVILLE. =UNION TROOPS.= 1 Seymour's Brigade. 2 Reynolds's " 3 Griffin's " 4 Martindale's " =REBEL TROOPS.= A Hill's division. B Branch's Brigade. C Mechanicsville. D Ellison's Mills.] At noon the enemy was seen advancing upon Meadow Bridge. The long column descended the bank, forded the stream above the bridge, and disappeared in the woods. The Bucktails, who had driven Stewart at Dranesville, were sent out to support the pickets, but were surprised to see a body of cavalry dashing into the road behind them. They faced about, drove the cavalry, fell back to Mechanicsville, followed by the pickets. General McCall, who commanded there, had thrown up a line of breastworks on the east side of the creek. He formed his troops on the slope, with his batteries on the crest of the hill. General Reynolds's brigade had the right, and General Seymour's the left. General Meade's brigade was brought up as a reserve. General Porter sent forward Griffin's and Martindale's brigades, which took position on the right of Reynolds. Having thus formed his line, he waited the advance of the enemy. The force which came in sight first was A. P. Hill's division, followed by General Branch's. A short distance from the Chickahominy, on the creek, was Ellison's Mills. The road from Mechanicsville to New Bridge crossed the creek at that point. Another road leading from Mechanicsville to Coal Harbor crossed it farther up. Timber had been felled, rifle-pits dug, and the artillery planted so as to rake the only two feasible approaches. General Hill formed his line for the attack on Ellison's Mills, while General Branch advanced along the upper road against Reynolds.