The Washington herald., 1914-06-15

he Washington Herald.)
would go swinging along. hour after hour
forgetting the fatigue and hardship. THE
Sword of Bunker Hill was the favorite
and hundreds Of voices would make the
Virginia night resound and the dark
woods re-echo to the music:
f. The old man died, hut in his hand
His sword he retained still.
And thirty millions lived to bless
The sword of Bunker Hill"
Army Mt the James.
On the evening of June IA, Grant reach
ed the James. and camped on its north
bank. He was up early the next morn
ing.
Hancock's fine corps, the best in the
army, was ready for crossing. There had
been some delay in getting the pontoons
up from Fortress Monroe-though they
had been ordered by Grant on May 26-
and steamers were pressed into service
to ferry Hancock's command across.
There was a very large fleet of trans
ports and naval vessels in the river.
Every sort OF steamer used in the North
from the floating hotels of the Long
Island Sound and Hudson River lines to
the smallest tugs and converted ferry
boats-was there. Besides these there
were many barges and sailing craft
schooners, brigs, barges and even ships
that had been towed up stream laden
with supplies Among them were an
chored monitors and gunboats OF the
navy, which. with their guns and brass
work glittering in the morning light.
and their flags clean and bright above
ALL scanned maryels OF cleanliness and
comfort to the dusty soldiers on the
river bank.
A steamer was waiting for Gen. Grant
at the landing. and he was soon on
board of it, bound to Bermuda Hundred,
for conference with Gen. Butler. An
attack on Petersburg was an important
part of Grants plan in bringing his
that there should not be a moments
delay in making it. The Eighteenth
Corps was already debarking at City
Point, and Grant wished to be sure that
his orders for its advance were promptly
received and well understood.
As Grant steamed off up the James
a great column of reddish-yellow dust
rising above the woods back of the
rivers east bank, told him that his
troops were steadily coming up. The
Sixth and Ninth Corps were already on
their way from Charles City Court
house to the river. and the Fifth Corps,
having performed its whole duty or
mystifying Gen. Lee, was rapidly coming
down the south side of the Chickahom-
my. At noon it was at Charles City
Courthouse, and the other two corps
had reached the river.
Great Bridge of boats.
Throughout the day, as the ferryins
of Hancock's men progressed, the en-
gineers were assembling the pontoons
for throwing" the great bridge across
the James. The actual laying of the
bridge began at p. m on both banks OF
the river. The process was simple A
boat was anchored near the shore and
anothers a little way beyond 1t, ana
planking was laid over and between
them. The two lines of boats grew until
they met in midstream, and the plank
ing resting on them, properly secured
to the hulls, formed a complete road
way across the James. which here was
100 feet wide and ninety feet deep in
the deepest part, with strong current
and a rise and fall of tide of four feet.
In the bridge were 10l pontoons Those
in midstream were secured to vessels
above and below. To allow
the passing of the shipping when the
bridge was not in use, a section of boats
was SO arranged that 1t could be swung
aside. on the principal of draw
Credit for the construction of this
bridge-which Gen. E. p. Alexander, a
writer. has declare was the
greatest the world has seen since the
days Of XerNes''-was due to the reSu-
lar engineer establishment of the army.
The work was begun by Maj. James CT