On the Virginia Peninsula, the Army of the Potomac advances to besiege Yorktown

Major General George Brinton McClellan's advance on Richmond had begun to move from Fort Monroe, Virginia over the previous few days.  His first objective was Yorktown and with his planned naval support disrupted by the Battle of Hampton Roads and the skilled maneuvering of Confederate commander John Bankhead Magruder that exaggerated his strength, McClellan settled for a siege rather than a direct attack.  The heavy siege lasted until May 3, 1862, when the Confederate defenders slipped away.  (By John Osborne)