Growing up near the Henrico, Hanover & New Kent County lines, it always has been & always will be 'the swamp." It is hard to imagine the soldiers during the war having to cope with the swamp. Barefoot, woolen uniforms, mosquitos, gnats, well....you get the picture. But you are right, it does widen and warrants a bridge and the James is a mighty river. BTW......my 3 great grandfather, Ellyson Gaulding lived on the north side of the swamp during the war. He was a proud Unionist and spent the better part of the war helping Union soldiers, Confederate deserters, & blacks escape past the Confederate lines. He rented the house of Thomas Batkins in New Kent County that "he used as kind of depot for deserters and refugees brought there by claimant " (Ellyson Gaulding). He did this with the help of an ex-slave (among others) by the name of William White who was born in New Kent. William White and a partner named Peter Christain were captured and spent time in Castle Thunder. He was released sick almost "near death" and was nursed back to health by Sallie Gaulding, the wife of Ellyson. William White lived on Union Hill in Richmond during the 1870's. I would love to find descendants of Mr. White, because he sounds like a man with great dignity and I have the impression he & Ellyson were friends. Ellyson also had a man in Richmond named John Goodman. John Goodman was a "contact" for those who wanted to get away. That is why I love doing this research....the things I find out! Who would have known our area had a pocket of Unionists? I have a list of Unionists who resided in Hanover County, but the names are also prominent in Henrico & New Kent: Thomas Batkins John Barker William H Stuart Thaddeus Higgins Joseph Higgins Charles W Higgins William Taylor Robert L Jenkins Joseph Adams Isaac Burnett Wm E Tyler John H Tyler Madison V Tyler William Bailey I have been trying to track down info on William E Tyler (Ellyson's father in law) and Madison Tyler but have hit a brick wall with this Tyler line.