Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1886-12-18
A WAR "REMINISCENCES.

a WAN HE M1N1SCENCE.
How the Tennessee River was Once
Bridged in Twelve Hours.
Boston Record.
"a man could go through twenty bat
ties on quarter the cold nerve that
Andy Hickenlooper had to use in one
little episode with Mcpherson down on
the Tennessee river, when there wasn't
an enemy in sight," said Capt. Jim Har-
per, to a reporter Of the Cincinnati Sun,
one day recently. Zone evening about
an hour before shutdown, Col. Hicken-
looper was called to McPherson's tent
and informed that it was necessary for
the entire army. of thirty thousand men
to be across the river and after the
Johnnies by daylight next morning.
"'But general said Andy, there isn't
stick of timber within forty miles
big enough to carry an empty caisson,
and the wagons with the pontoons are
ten miles back
"'Can't help tnat,' replied Mcpherson
CURLY. The bridge must be built and
the army on the move before 4 o'clock
to morrow morning. Good afternoon,
Col Hickenlooper.'
"' I left the tent and went down to
the river said Gen. Hickenlooper, in
telling this experience not long ago, and
I don't suppose man could bein great
or misery, mentally, than I was. 1
walked up and down the bank for an
hour, sizing up the situation. I knew
that, as chief of the engineer corps, 1
was expected to solve the problem some
way; and that to fail then was to lose al
standing, professionally, not only for the
war, but probably for all the future. ]
think must have sweat blood, if such a
thing we're possible. Finally I wander
ed nearly a mile up the bank, and there,
half a mile back, I came across an old
gin piled full of cotton. l guess there
must have been two thousand or three
thousand bales. My sharpened wits
caught on right away. Why not make
a bridge of the cotton, using the boards
for roadway?
"'In thirty minutes bad large de.
tail of men on the ground, and the
nights work was commenced. We sunk
the bales with big stones, laying two
tiers Of four bales each clear across the
river, holding them in place by two big
cables stretched across on the lower
side. The boards of the gin made a
tolerable roadway, but at its best it was
an awful scaly job. The top bales were
only about three inches out of the water,
and wasn't st all sure the cables would
stand the strain. But at o'clock ]
walked up to McPherson's tent and rout-
ed him out of bed. How well remem-
Der him lying there on his elbow, hold
ing up match to see my face as ]
approached his bunk. General the
bridge is ready Very we'll, colonel,
had passed before the match went out,
and before I bad walked three rods from
headquarters boots and saddles had
sounded and the camp was bedlam.
"I crossed the bridge and stood at
the edge of the water, expecting and
dreading to see the cables part under the
terrible strain. Why, those cotton bales
settled down under the weight of the
heavy guns until the water ran into the
mouth of the cannon, but she stood the
test, and at II 80 the last wagon bad
made safe passage, and we signaled
ahead to Mcpherson; AL over In q
little while an orderly came galloping
back to summon me to Mcpherson, who
was five miles ahead by this time. When
rode up to my autocratic superior he
saluted and said: That was we'll done,
colonel. Now you 60 back and cut the
bridge loose, and I'll telegraph the gun
boats down on the Mississippi to pick
up the cotton for you and your assist
ant engineer I thought that was a
frst-class reward, and of course per-
formed my part of the work, concluded
aickenlooper.'"
"What did the cotton bring him, Mr..
Harperf"
"Not red cent. The gunboats picked
up the cotton all right, but Andy never
saw any of the money for it. 1t looks
hard to tell mai, to make something
out Of nothing, but that's war. It's only
in active field service that fellow learns
the full meaning Of the proverb, 'Neces-
sity knows no laz.' As ar engineer and
an ex-soldier, I tell you I'd rather be
twenty times under fire than pass
through one such snap as that which in
duced Gen. Hickenlooper to plan and
construct bridge strong enough to
carry six-mule wagons, loaded with sub
sistencs and ammunition, out of cotton
bales over swift stream, in less than
twelve hours.
What Woman is Said to Have Done.
Chicago Herald.
EYES," says veteran conductor, "a
great many women do hirt on the cars.
I suppose that time hangs heavily on