The National tribune., 1911-03-09
The Grapevine Bridge.

Editor National Tribune: In a recen
| issue of The National Tribune, in al
article regarding who built the Grape
vine Bridge, Capt John r. McCrilli!
saws that the credit for building 1t wa!
wrongfully given to the 18th N. Y. En-
gineers The 5th N. H, with detail
from the Gath n. Y, under the super
vision of Col. Edward E. Cross, OF the
5th n. H., built the bridge, and did not
have any assistance from the engineers
2S and 20, 1862. AS a member of Co
A, 1st Mimi, helped build bridge OF
May q, 1862, which find by consulting
nv diary of that date we called the
Grapevine Bridge, and which l crossed
in the ranks with the regiment on May
81 as a small reinforcement to Gen
Couch at Fair Oaks. But let me quote
from Judge Lochrens narratives:
ION MAY 81, 1852, we marched eight
miles. passing White House and the
church where Washington was married.
On May % we marched four or five
miles and camped near the Chickahom-
my, and on May 81 the regiment was
ordered to that river to build bridge.
1t was built of logs cut near the banks
of the river by the men, and was COM
pleted before sunset, excepting a part
of the corduroy approach on the north
side, which was constructed by another
regiment on the following day. AS
grapevines, which grew pientifully on
the banks. were used instead of withes
about the construction, 1t was called
the Grapevine Bridge During that day
there was considerable firing on our
right, where Porter was advancing. and
the next morning our regiment marched
with three days rations to reinforce
Porter near Hanover Court House.
1--WE returned on May %, Porter hav-
ing accomplished his designs of Destroy
ing some railroad bridges. On Satur-
day, May 81, about 1 p. m, we were
suddenly aroused by very heavy firing
of artillery and musketry, indicating a
hard-fought battle on the south side of
the Chickahominy, which was held by
the corps of Hentzciman and Keys. The
river had become swollen from heavy
rains, and the only passable bridge In
our vinicty was the Grapevine Bridge,
which we had built four days before,
and even that seemed precarious, as the
water had reached the log covering and
much of the corduroy approach was in
a floating condition. Sedgwick's Divf-
sion was under arms at once, and Cor
man marched his brigade to the river,
but orders to cross did not come until
about half past 2, when German crossed
promptly, with the 1st MINI. in the
of the conflict thru mud knee deep part
of the way. The condition of the air or
direction of the wind made the sound
of muskctry seem nearer than 1t was,
in fact, but with the rapid stride taken
by the regiment we soon encountered
the fleeing stragglers and towards, who
reported utter and irretrievable defeat"
I remember the scene at the con-
struction of that bridge. The tallest
men of the regiment, up to their necks
in the river. working on the piers and
abutments; the best axmen telling the
trees, cutting off the logs and shaping
them; others in squads carrying the
timbers TO the site of the bridge. All
were working in clocklike precision. No
engineers, no plans, no blueprints were
in evidence AS a small and unpreten-
tious private OF Co. A I assisted in
building that bridge, which all these
years has been called the Grapevine"
Bridge.
I cannot tell what may have been
done by others on May 2S. 20 and 30.
but when Gen. German, of the First
Brigade. under orders of Gen. Sedg-
wick. of the Second Division, Second
Corps, ordered the 1st MINI. to lead the
brigade, 1 presume he had in mind
an Engineer commanding an army.
after he had built a bridge. who dared
not cross it first, and he meant to show
him that the LIST MINI. had the utmost
confidence in their structure. and must
be the first to cross.-R. s. Mowry Co.
A. LIST Mimi, Providence, r. 1.