On Vauxhall Island

By Nick Kotula, JRA Guest Contributor

The GBHs are not the first gray coated visitors to Vauxhall Island as this newspaper article explains:

Vauxhall's Island. “The Richmond Light Guard, Capt. Wallace, have selected the above delightful spot, located on James river, as a camp ground, till their equipment, &c., is fully completed and they start on active duty in the field. The company lacks a few men of the required number-100.”  - The Daily Dispatch, Richmond Dispatch: July 22, 1861. (This would eventually become the Richmond Times-Dispatch!)

The Richmond Light Guard (later to be dubbed The Richmond Infantry Blues) eventually departed the delightful spot and were sent to fight along the Potomac River.  In February of 1862 they were ordered to Nag’s Head and then to Roanoke Island where they were taken by General Ambrose E. Burnside during a “short but severe” battle.

The current siege at Vauxhall also finds the spot to be quite convivial, and they will probably not be shipping out to the OBX anytime soon.  River levels were high this week, though not nearly as high as in 1847 when Vauxhall was completely covered.  (Newspapers from 1800s Richmond are insanely interesting!) The increase in water levels also caused a surge of what appear to be shad.  While the herons couldn’t handle their normal wading grounds, they could easily stand on the banks and grab lunch by pretty much putting their beaks in the water at random.  I’m going to be replacing “shooting fish in a barrel” with “stabbing fish with your beak in the James (pronounced “Gems” as we decided in my last entry!) when the water levels are at approximately 11 feet above normal.”  It has a ring to it.

Another visitor to the Vauxhall area popped up again this week.  Remember, snakes are cold blooded, so you can usually find them sunning themselves on the warm rocks in the sun like these Northern Watersnakes.  Speaking of things on the rocks… until next time!