In April 1862, Union forces under Gen. George B. McClellan began a major campaign to capture Richmond, marching west from Fort Monroe up the Peninsula between the York and James rivers toward the Confederate capital. A Confederate army half their size opposed them. Slowly but inevitably, the Federal juggernaut overcame three Southern defensive lines and was soon camped in Richmond's eastern suburbs. New commander Robert E. Lee, however, led a Confederate offensive that drove the Union army away during the Seven Days' Battles at the end of June. By May 4, 1862, Confederate Gen. Joseph E. Johnston's army was retreating west toward Richmond from Yorktown as Union Gen. George B. McClellan's army followed. McClellan, to accelerate the Federal advance on the Confederate capital and to interrupt Johnston, shipped half his force up the York River to West Point, the terminus of the Richmond and York Railroad at the junction of the Mattaponi and Pamunkey Rivers. A mile to the northeast at Brick House Point on the York River, Gen. William B. Franklin's division began disembarking on May 6, as Confederate cavalry scouts watched from the hills in front of you. The next morning, Confederate Gen. Gustavus W. Smith sent Gen. W.H.C. Whiting's division forward, with Gen. John Bell Hood's Texas brigade in the lead and Col. Wade Hampton's Legion on Hood's right, to block Franklin's division as it moved south toward Barhamsville. As Hood rode north at the head of his column, he crested a steep hill to the west of here and suddenly encountered a detachment of skirmishers from Co. F, 16th New York Infantry, approaching from the other side. Federals opened fire, and Cpl. George Love drew a bead on Hood. Texan John Deal, however, fired first, sending a bullet whizzing past Hood, killing Love instantly and probably saving Hood's life. The New Yorkers quickly retreated to the main Union Line. Whiting disengaged about 2 P.M. and rejoined Johnston to continue the retreat to Richmond. Smith later gave Hood's brigade "the largest share of the honors of the day at Eltham."
