Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1862-12-27
How the Brfdge was Laid Before Fred
erick>burg.


The following from the 7imis' CORES
pordepce, gived an account of the laying
of the pontoons over which our troops
passed into Fredericksburg on the 11th j:
During the thick Of the bombardment,
fresh attempt bad been made to COM
plete the bridge. 1t tailed, and evidently
nothing could be done till party co MD
be thrown over to clean out the rebels
and cover the bridge head. Fo. this mis-.
sion Gen. Burnside called for volunteers,
and Col. Hall, OF Fort Sumter fame, imme-
diately responded that he had brigade
that would do the business. Accordingly,
the Seventh Michigan and Nineteenth
Massachusetts, two small regiments, nun.
bering in al! about four hundred men,
were selected for that purpose.
The plan was that they should take the
pontoon boats of the first bridge, of which
there were ten lying on the bank OF the
river, waiting to be added to the half fin-
ished bridge, cross over 10 them, and land
ing, drive out the rebels.
Nothing could be more admirable or
more gallant than the execution of this
daring feat. Rushing down the steep
banks OF the river, the party found tempo
rary shelter behind the pontoon boats ly.
ing scattered on the bar k, and behind the
piles of planking destined for the covering
of the bridges, behind rocks, &c. In this
situation they acted some fifteen or twen-
ty minutes as sharpshooters, they and the
rebels observing each other In the mean.
time new aud vigorous artillery firing was
commenced on our part, and just as soon
as this was fully developed, the 9TH Mich
igan rose from their crouching places,
rushed for the poDtoon boats, and pushing
them into the water, rapidly filled them
with twenty-five or thirty each. q
The first boat pushes off, Now, if ever,
is the rebels opportunity. Crack! Crack |!
Crack from fifty lurking places go rebel
rifles at the gallant fellows, who, STOPPING
low in the boat, seek to avoid the fire.
The murderous work was weel done Lust
lily, however, pull the oarsmen: and pres
emily, having passed the middle OF the
stream, the boat aud its gallant freight
come under cover of the opposite bluffs.
Another and another boat follows Now
is their opportunity. Nothing could be
Instantly they saw new turn of affairs.
The rebels pop up by the hundred, like so
many rats, from every cellar, e-pit and
stone wall, and scamper off up the streets
of the town. With all their heetness,
however, many OF them were much too
slow. With Incredible rapdi;y the MchI
gan and Massachusetts boys sweep up the
hill, making rush for the lurking places
occupied by the rebels, and gaining them,
each man capturing his two or three
| prisoners. The pontoon boats, Cd their
return trip, took over more than hun
| dred of these fellows.
You can imagine with what intense in
terest the crossing of the first boat load
of our men was watched by the numerous
spectators on the shore, aid with what
enthusiastic shouts their landing on the
| opposite eide was witnessed. 1t was an
| authentic piece of human heroism, which
| moves men as nothing else can. The
problem was solved This dash of brave
~ had done what scores of batteries and
tons of metal had failed 10 accomplish.
The party once across, and the rebels
cleaned out, it took the engineers but
brief period to complete the bridge. They
laid hold with will, plugging waist deep
into the water, ard working as men work
who are under inspiration. la less than
half an hour the bridge was completed,
and the head Of the column of the right
grand division, consisting of Gen. How.
ards command, was moving upon it over
the Rappahannock A feeble attempt
from the rebel batteries was made to she'll
the troops in crossing, but it failed COM
pletely.