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Gardner, Alexander, 1821-1882 Ruins of Richmond and Petersburg Railroad Bridge, Richmond, Va., April, 1865

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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC05111.01.0198 Author/Creator: Gardner, Alexander, 1821-1882 Place Written: Richmond, Virginia Type: Photograph Date: April 1865 Pagination: 1 albumen print Height: 25.7 cm, Width: 19.9 cm Order a Copy

A print of a photograph of the destroyed Richmond & Petersburg Railroad Bridge which crossed the James River in Richmond, VA. The R & P railroad stretched 22 miles from Richmond to Petersburg, VA, though today it has been connected to and is administered as part of CSX. The bridge was destroyed by the Confederate Army during the Fall of Richmond as they retreated from the Confederate capital. The brick piers that supported the many spans of the bridge can clearly be seen standing at equal intervals across the river. These piers, as of 2017, still stand and can be seen from Richmond's riverfront parks. Graphite inscription on verso: "190."

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