Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1907-04-05

that the famous pontoon fiotilla that
carried the advance of Sherman's army
across the Tennessee at the battle of
Chattanooga was managed by an old
Illinois river man? The pontoons were
collected in the North Chickamauga,
and the scheme was to put thirty men
In each boat and make a rush across
the tennessee in the face of Bragg's
army. Three divisions of General Sher-
mans army were massed behind the
hills at Caldwell's Ford by the 23d
of November, 1868. On that day a de-
tall from our third brigade, in charge
OF Captain John Kennedy of Company
+ Of the Eighty-fft Illinois, launched
1l6 pontoons in the North Chicaka-
manga.
Captain Kennedy had been boat
man On the Illinois River previous to
the war, and so much of an expert
was he in his work that boats were
launched at the rate of three min
ute. On the night of Nov. % a detail
was made from the brigade Of men to
row the boats out of the creek into
the river and down to the ylace where
the bridge was to be thrown across.
This detail was made from men used
to boating, and was under the COM
mand of Captain H. S. La Tourrette.
OF Company G of the Eighty fifth I'LL
nols. The boats were manned at mid
night, went quietly out of the croek,
dropped silently down the river. hug
ging the north bank until they reached
the point for the intended bridge, when
all pulled for the other shore. This
was reached, the men in the boats
jumped ashore, captured the picket
post, and two divisions of Sherman's
troops were quickly carried over in
the boats, and the work of laying the
pontoon bridge was commenced. and
by II o'clock on the oath the other
troops of Sherman's army were cross
ing.
This, to my mind was a wonderful
exploit. That the enterprise was car
ried out SO secretly and expeditiously
as to avoid loss on our side was to the
credit of those who managed the ex-
petition. But as | look back over
the record of army experience, many
events only incidentally connected with
our military operations stand out
clearly because of their romantic or
dramatic character. | never see the
name of Spring HILL Tenn, but that
fhppn tn
that history takes small account of.
In the spring of 1863, General Earl
Van Dorm was in command of the
left wing of Bragg's army, with head
quarters at Spring Hill. While there
the General enjoyed the hospitality of
well-known physician, whose daugh-
ter had married DR.. Peters, a surgeon
in the Confederate army.
''Dr. Peters, visiting his home, learn
ed that Van Dorm had dishonored his
to Van Dorn's camp, handed the reins
to an orderly at headquarters, entered
the Generals tent, and shot and in
stantly killed Van Dorm. Then before
those at headquarters recovered from
their surprise, Dr. Peters mounted his
horse, rode into the, Union lines told
what he had done, and claimed the
protection of the flag. l do not know
what became of DR.. Peters, but no in
cident of our campaign in Tennessee
was more talked about at the camp
fire than that quick vengeance and
wild ride of the Confederate surgeon.
'In June, 1868, two men rode into
the Union camp at Franklin, Tenn,
went to the headquarters of Colonel
J. P. Baird, of the Eighty-ffth Indiana,
then commanding the post, introduced
themselves as Colonel Orion and Ma
jor Dunlap, inspector generals of the
United States army. They presented
an order from the War Department at
Washington directing Colon Orion, in
company with Major Dunlap, to make
careful inspection Of the outposts
and advances of the Union army in
Tennessee. They presented an order
also from General Rosecrans to all
officers commanding outposts and de-
tachmentS to af1Ord every facility pos
sible to enable these officers to prompt
~ perform their duties.
Accepting the papers and orders as
genuine, Colonel Baird showed Orion
and Dunlap about the defenses, and
was complimented by them upon the
splendid condition of his camp. On
returning to headquarters, he gave
them supper and loaned them $50. In
the dusk of the evening the two men
started as if going to Nashville. Col
onel Watkins, of the Sixth Kentucky
Cavalry, was at headquarters when
they rode away, and, suspecting that
the men were not what they pretended
to be, he called his orderly and rode
in pursuit. The officers were oyertak-
en-, were informed that Colonel Baird