The National tribune., 1888-10-11
FIGHTING THEM OVER.
What Our Veterans Have TO Say About
Their Old Campaigns.
WHO LAID THE PoNTooNs7
History OF the Battalion Of United States En-
EineerS.

EDITOR NATIONAL 1RlECAEs W 10 11di0
the Pontoons at Fredericksburg +" is the head
ing TO an article in The NATIONAL IRIB-
UNE of july 26 signed by T. l.. Wiley, Co. u,
Both n Y. Engineers, Alton, n. Y. This arti-
Gle attacks the good name and war record OF
the Battalion OF United States Engineers with
out cause or proyoeation, aud Tor one wish 10
say if ComTade Wiley desired to be funny IL
was a failure. He talks about something he
does not know anything about His slur about
the Regulars is entirely gratuitous and uncalled
for.
Who were the Regulars, and why were they
called Regulars? The Regulars were as good
volunteers rs any other soldiers. They exer-
Cised their constitutional privilege oil yolun-
teeTng for the war IN whatever organization
they pleased, and they did their duty as sol
diers aud Us patriots wherever they were placedi
and lei ii be said to their everlasting credit
that there was not a drafted man nor bounty
jumper IN the Regular Army. The term
a. Regular is in coHtradistinctiOn to conscrlpt-
ed, forced, or drafted.
The Battalion of United States Engineers al
ways got along wel with their neighbors, the
18th and 50th n. Y. Engineers, and at our Re
unions and Encampmeuts the survivors OF
those regiments are always welcomed by the
members of the battalion. This has been Illus
frated at every Kansas Reunion and Encamp-
ment aud at the National Encampment at 81
Louis and elsewhere. They viii also be well
come al cur Reunion at the National Encamp-
ment at Columbus, ..
j iuciOse a synopsis Of few OF the lead
ing events In the history of the battalion, CON-
piled from official sources.
Co. 4 fSappers and Miners) was organized by
act Of Congress May I6 1916. One Of the first
men 70 enlist was Joseph A Mower, who after
ward attained the rank Of MajoT-Generai Of
volunteers, and was Colonel, U. ;. Inf, at the
time Of his DEATH in lS7G. The first officers in
command OF Co. A were Capt. A. j. Swift, also
Second Leut q. w Smith and Breyet Second
Lieut. George B. Mcclellan.
Sept. 20, 1876, sailed and landed at Brazos
Santiago. Tex. on Oct. il, and was attached to
the command under Gen. Zachary Taylor.
Feb. "a lo4T transferred 10 the army under
Gen. Winfield Scot, aud took part in the siege
OF Vera Cruz and battles of Cero Gordo, at Con-
tTeras. CherubusCo, Mohno del Rey, Chapulte-
pee, and at City Of Mexico was part OF the storm
ing party. The engineer operations at the
siege OF Mexico read like romance.
1853, detachment goes with Pacific Rail-
road expedition 10 Oregon to survey the North
cru Pacific Railroad, under command Of Lieut..
A. J. DonelsOn, Corps Of Engineers, u. ). A
The company, under command OF First Lieut..
J. q. Duane, Corps Of Engineers, left West
Point for Utah in 1858 wiGH the army sent TO
the relief of Sidney Johnston. The company
reached Fort BTidger Aug. i, 1855, aud after
remaining there eig days resumed the march
to West Point, n. J., arriving there Oct l3.
During this trip they marched over LOO miles
in 80 days.
In September a detachment under Lieut.. ID.
G. Houston went 10 Vancouver Island w. i.
They were then ordered on engineer duty at
the Cascades of the Columbia.
in 1853 this detachment accompanied an ex-
pedition for the purpose Of opening new and
shorter route from The Dalles to Salt Lake,
which having been done they returned TO the
Cascades and fortified the Island Of San Juan.
TArH 81 M in
command. arrived IN Washington, ID. e., Jan.
q. and at the Inauguration of Abraham Lin
coin as President did escort duty.
April 3 ieit for New York harb0r, and arrived
81 Fort Pickens Fla, April 10. at midnight,
and were engaged IN severe and uuremitting
engineer duty until Sept IL, when ordered to
New York, and Oct 81 left for Washington,
ID. C.. and were attached 70 the Headquarters
Of the Army of the Potomac Gen. Geo. B. Nc
Cellan in command.
By act OF Congress Aug. 6, 1861, the United
States Engineer troops were increased by three
additional companies of $50 men each. The
recruiting of %. was done at Portland, Ne,
by Lieut.. Tbos. J.. Casey Co. B at Boston, by
Lieut.. James B. Mcpherson tafterward Major
General Of vOiuntees); while Co. was or
gauized by transfers from the other three COM
panies at Harris0n's Landing July 4, 1862.
These companies formed the battalion, United
States Engineers, commanded by Capt. j. T..
the Potomac, and who has just been retired as
Chief Of the Corps Of Engineers and Brigadier-
General, u. 5. Al.
The battalion built the first wooden pontoon
bridge In the United States Feb. 26, 1862, at
Earper's Ferry, Va, across the Potomac, con-
Eisting of Al boats.
March 70, 1852, they embarked for Fort Mon
roe, Va
April y TO May 2, engaged in siege of York
town.
May q built two small pontoon bridges
across some creek.
June / a detachment under Lieut.. o. E.
Babcock crossed the Chickahominy at New
Bridge, and were attacked and L. +. Austin
severely wounded. During this month We built
bridges across the Chickahominy.
June 26 detachment destroyed the bridge
Et New Bridge.
June y and q detachment under Lieut.. C.
B. Reese destroyed the Woodbury. bridge
July during the Malvern Hill battle the
battalion made reconnaissance on the extreme
right, and were acting as infantry in line Of
battle.
Reached Harrisons Landing July 2.
Aug. IA, l7o2, built bridge across the mouth
Of the Cbickahomlny consisting Of S6 boats
and five spans 0f tresseis in all Z 020 feet long.
Sept. 10, l562 prepared crossings at Antie-
tam Creek for artillery and infantry.
sept. u, during battle Of Anuetam support.
ed Randal's Battery II, LIST T. :. Art, and act
ed as infantry.
Sept. "a, 1862 we threw a pontoon bridge
across the Potomac at Harper's Ferry. Va
Sept. 27i 1852, built pOntoon bridge across
the Susquehanuah River.
Oct ~ built pontoon bridge across the Po-
tomac At Berlin.
Dec. IL 1852 the battalion built a pontoor
bridge a. Franklinis Crossing, below Freder-
icksbure under fire. This was the first battle
Of Fredericksburg, under Bunsidej
APRIL p, 1863, at o'clock p. m, at Frank.
Inns Crossing, we feTried tie infantry across tho
river under ere, and then built pontOOn bridge
across the river $50 feet in length, in one hon,
and 10 minutes. The 18th n. Y. Engiueers
constructed two bridges right below our bridg ge
The 50th N. Y. Engineers threw bridge acros.
still lower down the river.
May g. le63 about 10 o'clock g. m. we re-
ceived orders 10 break the bridge, dividing 4
into four RATS, and moved il up the river right
in front OF the city OF Fredericksburg, a iittI,
below the piers Of the railroad bridge, anC
there put it together again.
May g. 1858 we broke the bridge and Ynovel
back q camp.
June g. 1903, in broad daylight, at II o'clock
noon, we fcrried infantry over in the Dontoons
and then threw our bridge across in the sam,
piace-Franklin's Crossing-under fire w,
were heavy losers this time, having Capt Chas
Il. Cross killed aud a number Of casualties. soni
OF which proved fatal. We were assisted tbi
dav iyr the 5gth New York Fngineere