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| The busy base of the army of the Potomac Aquia Creek Landing, Virginia, February, 1863. In the movements of Burnside and Hooker along the Rappahannock in the winter of 1862-3 this point became the base of supplies for the Army of the Potomac. Transports and supply-ships from Alexandria were bringing down troops, food, clothing, arms, ammunition, and artillery, and unloading them at the pontoon piers, such as shown in this picture, whence they were forwarded along the line of the Richmond, Fredericksburg & Potomac Railroad to general headquarters at Falmouth Station. The position at Aquia Creek had been occupied alternately by the Federal and Confederate forces from the beginning of the war. Federal troops landed here in August, 1862, before the second battle of Bull Run. After Lee's brilliant victory at Chancellorsville, which drove Hooker in defeat north of the Rappahannock, the great Confederate leader pressed boldly forward. The Federal base of supplies remained at Aquia Creek until Hooker's army marched toward the upper Potomac in pursuit, |
