The National tribune., 1900-04-26
QUICK BRIDGE BUILDING.
How Details from McDowell's Corps Spanned
River in 1862.

EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: /
read the sketch of F. I. W, in the issue of
Nov. 80 last, in regard to the rebuilding OF
the railroad bridge across the Rappahan-
mock at Fredericksburg in 1862; also, the
wonderful feat of saving Kings Division
at the Chickahominy. F. T. W. said:
"a detail was made from the regiment,
9th Pa, to reconstruct the bridge" etc.
Had he said that he would have told it as it
was. Then again he said: THE detail
of the construction" Then further on he
tells of setting three bents one on another,
and raising them with a steamboat.
On May s, 1862, details of about 10 men
from each regiment in McDowelPS Corps
were made to rebuild the bridge These
reported 10 Col. Haupt, Chief of Construc-
ton and Transportation. The writer was
q member Of the detail from the oath \. Y,
and worked with the raising crew" from
first TO last.
As nearly as / can remember. the bridge
when completed was between 400 and 500
feet long, and from 40 TO 50 feet high from
the bottom of the river, which was at this
point about 12 feet deep. The frs five
bents were single, and occupied the space
from the abutmeut to the waters edge.
After the water was reached We placed a
bent with a heavy mudsill in place, with
a 3x12 plank on top of the posts through
which projected pinch oak dowel-pins.
posts,
After the bent was in place and securely
braced TO the preceding bent, measure
ments;were taken TO ascertain the hight for
the top bent, which was made with "A cap
for the top, and dowel-holeS in the bottom
OF the three poSts5tO fit the dOWel-pinS in the
top Of the lower bent.
These bents were made some 80 or 40
rods below, at what was called by the
natives the shipyard: They were launched
and towed to the bridge by an old double
ender ferryboat. We had a canalboat
upon which TO work, which lay up and
down the stream, and its width governed
the space between bents.
After receiving a bent from the steam
boat another man and l would climb from
the boat down into the bent as it lay float
ing in the river, and hitch sings around
each end Of the cap. While this was being
done, two sets of falls would be lowered
from the top OF the bridge and made fast
TO the sings, after which two crews of mer
would man the falls" and up the bent
would go. slowly but surely. My partner
Ed Huntington, now OF Mexico, y. Y.
and / usually remained on the bent and
rode - with 1t, and we were ready to re
ceive the end OF a 2x10 to spike fast.
M5n were busy showing out stringers as
fast rs We erected the bents, so the hridg,
was ready for the rails as fast as the bent
went up.
VIC D+esailA t4lt DIlitsS cIi Nlit morning o
May 8, and completed it on the night o
May D. Another crew commenced build
ing from the Falmouth side and met u
about one-third of the way. This crev
had come up from Aqua Creek, having
gotten the railroad in running order from
that place.
If Serg't Kline Of whom F. T. W. writes
was there, | have no recollection OF il
Serg't Albert Lee and Charles Wightman
oath n. Y, played quite prominent par
in getting those bents TO perpendiculal
In regard TO the solid log bridge whic
Sergt Kline stuffed into the Chickahomin
and held in place by 100 naked men, i
order TO allow Kings Division to max
their escape from the rebels, the story
ridiculous; but we will let that pass. King
Division never saw the Chickahominy, a
they never left Fredericksburg until the
were ordered to go to Front Royal; so
Sergt Kline saved division it must hav
been some other than King's.-S. T
CHANDLER. Co. E, Path N. Y, Minneapt
Lis, MINI.