The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1902-08-28
THE

| pioneers in the whole army in charge. He
is doing great work, as he always does,
and it will help matters out not to inter-
| fere with him."
''But the pontoons must go forward.
| The pOntOons must go forward at once,
no matter what it costs. Better kill a
| few men now than n great many forcing
| crossing. Get the Pontoons forward,
and then fix the road for the other wag-
| ons."
At that moment Shad Graham ap-
preached the Commander Of the division
| and reported:
| General, / think that we can now get
the pontoons over the hill if you will send
regiment to help u.s.
THAT will right gladly. Thank
God for the news! Col. Smallwood, won't
| you take your regiment and help those
| pontoons over?"
Wont 1? We've been aching for hours
for the chance. Attention-battalion
Rally on the pontoon train and walk it up
the hill. With will, now"
There was no need of this admonition.
The men were only too glad to do some
| thing that looked like helping an advance
| They rushed at the train with a yell, and
| there was half hours wild struggle with
refractory wheels, the steep grade and
clinging mud, when the crest was gained,
and the men, each a mass of moist clay,
| used what little breath they had left to
| answer the cheers of their comrades be-
| low.
1.-THE pontoons seem to be going up all
right, General" remarked Gen. Howard,
| with complacency. 81 knew that my men
| would get them up as soon as it was pos
sible for any men,"
High time. High time" answered Gen.
Sherman, GROSSLY. ''See where the sun is.
And the rivers to cross yet. Come OH.
| Come on"
He spurred forward impatiently after
the train.
The advance brigade heard the cheers
| of success, and answered them with its
own as it rushed out from its conceal
ment and lined up along the bank to
| open fire on any rebels that might be on
the other side to oppose the pOntoOn lay
ing.
Only few startled pickets happened
to be there, who at first took to their
heels at the apparition of such a host of
enemies, but presently came stringing
back, and opened desultory popping
from behind the trees.
IF the court knows herself, and she
thinks she do, that rivers going to be
blamed sight tougher job than the HILL"
remarked Shorty, as he and 81 rode down
to the bank and looked across. eff Shad
ever gets his pontOons stretched across
that old double gage tail-race he'll have
to shoot 'em out of a gun, and then an
chor 'em to the underpinning of eternity
to hold 'em. Why, the waters running
wOrse'n the Mississippi River through a
crevasse in the levee."
Il don't wonder that Bcauregard didn't
expect us to cross here" murmured 81.
He mustve been here and taken a look
at the place."
The gorge through which the Catawba
River ran was $50 yards wide at that
point, and all the deluge of water which
had fallen on the mountains above was
tearing through the canyon in a boiling,
turbid rush.
Looks as il the boats'd be battered to
pieces against the rocks on the bank the
minute they're lanched," commented Abe.
Gems. Sherman, Howard and jeff G.
Davis rode down to the bank, gaZed at
the turbulent flood, and watched Shad,
without a moments hesitation, select the
most hopeful place for launching, and set
his men to work cutting down the bank
to make an approach.
"You think you've got the best pontoon
man in the army, Howard remarked
Gen. Sherman, tentatively.
Eyes, General, / think he's pretty near
the best" answered Gen. Howard.
"There's no doubt that he's the best"
added Gen. Jeff Davis, in his sour, POSI-
tive way. I've compared his work too
often to have the least uncertainty about
it."
SHOWS the time for him to prove it,
answered Sherman, "and he must waste
70 time doing it. If he can put a bridge
across there, and make it hold, I'll con-
cede he is master of his business. But
he's got to do it in a hurry. We can't
wait"
"WelI, I'll be satisfied if he can do it
all 81
not question of time, but of being ever
able to do it until the flood runs out"
To men who had been successfully
crossing rivers five or six miles wide, the |
passage Of stream Of only $50 yards