The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1886-09-29
BUILDING A MILITARY BRIDGE.
How Common Sense Got Ahead of ..sci-
entffc'' KnowIed@e-A Good Joke.

How Common Sense Got Ahead of s.Sci-
entinc'' Knowledge-A Good Joke.
May 23-At this morning we marched in
the direction Of Hanover Junction; reached
the North Anna river ct 70 m, and met the
enemy; drove him to the south side OF the
river, and then went into camp.
May 24-Last night received orders to
bridge the river early this morning. At day
light took 800 pioneers down TO the river. l
found an old colored man hiding In the grass
near the river. who led me TO n crossing.
There was an island IN the river at that point,
and a tree had been felled from the river
bank 10 the island and another from the
island TO the opposite shore, thus making a
crossing for q footnan- I took Gfteen men
over to the opposite side and drove the enc
ny's piclzets back a half mile. then sent
fifty more men over to their support. When
this was done instructed the pioneers to cut
more trees 50 they would fall upon the island
and also from the island 10 the other bank.
This being accomplished. we leveled OF the
upper side Of the trees as smooth as possible.
In the meantime / had sent a squad Of men to
tear of the siding from a large barn that
stood about half mile distant. With the
boards thus obtained VIC covered the fallen
trees, and then covered the boards with earth
bridge
As soon as the bridge was completed took
the Eighth Ohio infantry across Lieut. Col.
Sawyer commander, deployed them as sl1irIn-
ishers, and drove the enemy from his second
line Of works, which we held until cur whole
division had crossed the river At / p. m. the
enemy made desperate assault on our right
to get possession Of the bridge in order to cut
OH our retreat. We were two miles from the
bridge, up the river, with our right resting
on the river. Gen. CAROLS brigade repulsed
the first charge in gallant style. The enemy
made two more assaults before dark, with the
same purpose, but were repulsed each time
with great loss Our loss was quite severe.
A good joke occurred on some one in the
matter Of building the bridge this morning
l received orders late last night to build the
bridge SO that the army could cross the river
as early as possible this morning. | built the
bridge and had the army crossing at 10 a. N
Soon after the army had started to cross. a
general in the arrny-an educated engineer
came riding down with his assistant en-
gineers to where the army was march
ing over He came with orders in
his pocket To build a bridge on
which the army could cross He wanted to
know who built that bridge Some of the
boys pointed me out as being the guilty party,
50 be rode up TO me, and, with good deal Of
gIsto asked me by what authority had built
the bridge. ~By order of Gen Meade l re-
piled. Well, SIR said he, II have orders in
my pocket from Gen. Meade TO build a
bridge. very good, general" said I, "osIr
corps is crossing on the bridge 1 have built;
but there Is plenty Of room just above my
bridge, and you can build much finer one,
as you viii have all day before YOU in which
TO do it. NY orders were to build bridge
early in the morning l have oboyed my or
ders; you can obey yours"
There were TWO Butterfelds in the Army
of the Potomac, it seems, and the order to
build the bridge had been, by some means,
COMPOUNDED The Butter1eld who didn't
build the bridge was a scientific bridge
builder, and the Butterdeld who did build it
was practical bridge builder. That's all
the difference. But the army crossed the
river in the morning on the practical bridge,
before the scientific bridge builder had even
got bis plan of a bridge drafted.-Cien. F. ".
Butterfiold's Diary in Kansas City Journal.