Williamsburg was the first large battlefield encounter between Union and Confederate forces during the Peninsula Campaign of 1862 (American Civil War). The Union commander, General George B. McClellan, had allowed his army to be delayed for a month in front of the defences of Yorktown. Finally, at the start of May, the Union bombardment was about to begin. Realising this, on the night of 4-5 May 1862 the Confederate defenders of Yorktown abandoned their lines and began to fall back towards stronger positions around Richmond.
Between Yorktown and Richmond there was another line of defences, in the area of Williamsburg. While the Confederates had no intention of attempting to hold this line, parts of it were occupied in order to delay the Union advance.
On 3 May, J. E. B. Stuart was appointed to command the rearguard, made up mostly of his own cavalrymen. The Confederate infantry slipped away from Yorktown nightfall on 3 May. Most of the heavy guns at Yorktown were to be abandoned, so the artillerymen kept up a heavy fire until midnight, and then withdrew. On the morning of 4 May, McClellan ordered a light cavalry column forward, with two infantry divisions to follow. At about noon the Union vanguard and the Confederate rearguard clashed near Williamsburg. Unsupported, the Union cavalry had to withdraw.
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