The National tribune., 1910-08-04
The Bridge of Wagons.

Editor National 'Tttibunst, After the
defeat of Gen. Bragg 1at Nffisssion Ridge.
in November, 1884,. Bien. Grant made
his position secure and then divided
his army and sent patt of 1t s,nder Gen.
Sherman to the relief of Cen Burnside.
besieged at Knoxville by Iungstreet, of
Bragg's army. The. Knoxville campaign
was a hard one--a forced march all the
way. When we reached l-enslen, Tenn,
we found bridges crossing the Tennes-
see River destroyed The fgmy halted
We had no pontooD boats to bridge the
stream. The next day wG moved up
the south side of the Little Tennessee
River The advance, brigades were of
the Eleventh Corps, Gen. Howard COM
manding.
We secured the neighborhood. col
lecting all the heavy farm wagons that
could be found, also teams. Planks of
barn floors We're taken up and loaded
on wagons and taken up to Davis's
Ford. six miles above Louden There
the planks were unloaded, and the wag-
ons placed in field opposite the ford
Pioneers cut a deep cash thru the high
bank, making a road from the field to
the river The wagons. were then fas-
tened together in a line at about right
angles to the river Heavy mule teams
we're hitched to the front, and the string
was drawn into the river until the last
wagon was clear in the water. Then
planks were laid from one wagon to the
next till foot bridge was laid. 1t was
well in the night when this foot bridge
was finished. Huge bonfires were kept
burning on either shore. lighting the
space between. The rest of the army
commenced crossing. l mention this
bridge affair. Mrs. Elizabeth Starkey
informed the officers regarding this Da-
Wis Ford and its conditions. She rode
an army horse, and thus directed them.
The officer in command told Mrs. Star
key that as many rebel sympathizers
were in that locality, and because of her
having thus lent assistance to the Union
army, il would be unsafe for her to re-
main there. He wrote out a certificate,
the service she had rendered,
and told her to carefully preserve it, for
when the war was over it would amount
to support for her. The officers made
up purse for her sufficient to take her
10 Indiana. The officer sent ambulances,
and took her and her too small children
to Louden and placed them on q boat
for Chattanooga, Tenn. where she took
train for Louisville. Ky. On nearing
Louisville (at night) the conductor
called for tickets She handed over her
car ticket, trunk check, transportation
orders and ALL When she arrived in
Indiana her trunk was missing. She
sent back to Louisville for it, but found
it. had been broken open. Among the
missing things was the certificate above
and she has never heard
from if! She is now 20 years old and
not able to work. Her name is now Mrs.
Elizabeth Tousey; Baxter Springs. Kan.
Her claim is being held up for more
positive evidence of her identity and
further proof of the. service rendered.
She cannot remember the name of the
officer who gave the certificate, nor does
she know the name of any officer who
iIeadouartered .at her house. Who can
supply any information? Kindly write
me of any fact you may recal1.-1saac
Jelliff, First Lieutenant, Co. b, 143d II.
Y, HasbrouclS, n. " az