Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1884-06-05
HUMoR IN CArzP AND FIELD.
Some Anecdotes of Soldiers In the North
ern ArTnies Daris3 the Wax.
BY General James S Brisbin, In Philadelphia


ern AyTnies Dnri,y ths Wa.
b yGeneral James s Brisbin, In Philadelphia
Times.
In the wa days Grapevine Bridge"
became historical in the Peninsular
campaign. Its mama originated as fol-
lows; Whilst Summers Division was
encamped on Taylors farm q detail
was made TO construct = bridge across
the Chickahominy at q convenient
distance from the camp. The First
Minnesota and Sixty-ninth Pennsylvania
did most OF the work. After the bridge
was finished a private soldier suggested
thatit was not safe. When asked hisrea-
in case Of a flood the Cross piece
wouldbe carried away by the waters. He
advised that tho cross-ties should be
fastened to the string-pieces, which
would preserve the bridge intact il a
food should come on Suddenly, as was
likely from the nature OF the surround
ing country. But how tie them? There
were no ropes to he had, but nc at once
solved the difficulty by pointing to the
~grapevines which grew in great abund-
ance all around on the trees along the
river banks. They were used as he
suggested, and mark the result.
Oae night in 1862 it rained in torrents
all the night through and continued till
late in the morning. The river rose
rapidly, flooded it. banks and swept all
before II. At noon the opening fire of
tho enemy indicated his quick appre-
ciaiion Of the dangerous position Of
Casoy's and Reyes troops, which had
crossed the GiiiokshoHiiny and which
were apparently cut of from the main
army. Sumner instantly put his troops
in motion and sought the bridge. Not
q yestige of il was to be E The
water covered it to the depth Of two
feet. The General called for the officer
who commanded the pioneer corps that
had built the bridge.
What has become OF the bridge you
were ordered to build hereabouts ~
asked the General.
"It is there, General, !" he said, point
ing between two trees that had been
marked TO indicate the location.
well, sir, let me see you cross il.
them
The officer put spurs to his horse and
riding down the bank crossed slowly
over, feeling his way. The passage was
made in safety amid the shouts o fthose
on shore. The infantry, cavalry end
artillery followed and the battle Of Fair
Oaks WIS Won. .Ete -aneyines had
held the bridge in place aud ever after
wards II was known in the army Of the
Potomac rs the ''Grapevine Bridge"
A very bitter Southern woman. motto
ing the large loose and ill-ftting trousers
which u soldiers during the carl
Ter part of the war. asked asoidier:
What do you critters wear such loose
pants forgn
assure you, madam" said the prae-
teal Joker. that when we left home il
was as much as we could do to get our
pants on and they were really toe tight
for us, but your climate down here has
not agreed with us and we have thin
ned down until now our pants are a
tribe too large, IS you see.n
Well" said she, "I'y hearn tell of
poor Yankees, but I'll be dog-goned if
you uns don't get back home petty o
you'll turn into fy-up-the-creeks /"
For the protection of Savannah the
C~onfederates planned q number OF bat
teries along tho Little ogeeohe river,
Big Ogeeche being protected by the for
midable McAlister required but little
protection on that side. Our sailors in
connection with watching for blockade
runners kept an anxious eye upon the
batteries and determined to give the
nearest n a hazing at the first oppor-
unity when things we're considered fav-
orable for such a feat. Occasionally a
boat would run in, fire o few eleven
inch shells to keep the Johnnies from
and then was generally glad TO
get out again. An unusual quietuess
to creep ove one particular bat
still the sailora could see with
what they supposed TO be a gar
and their numbers seemed TO be
considerable. The beacon lights werS
lighted with great regularity, which