Official Records of the Rebellion

[p.145] [SPLIT 6: REPORT FOR FIRST WEEK OF JUNE]

HEADQUARTERS ENGINEER BRIGADE,
Camp near New Bridge, Va., June 7, 1862.

GENERAL: I have the honor to render the following report of the operations of the Fifteenth and Fiftieth Regiments, composing the Engineer Brigade, for the first week of the month of June:

A detachment of the Fifteenth Regiment, under Captain Ketchum, was employed for several days getting out lumber at the saw-mill, when the shaft of the balance-wheel broke and rendered the machinery useless. The lumber was delivered to Lieutenant Nichols, Fourth Vermont Volunteers, by order of Colonel Alexander. The further operations of Captain Ketchum’s detachment are contained in Colonel Murphy’s regimental report, from which I extract the following:

Captain Ketchum relieved Captain Brainerd, of the Fiftieth Regiment, to build a trestle bridge 2miles below New Bridge. Owing to the character of the bottom and the sudden rise of water much delay was experienced; but at 2a. m. on the 2d instant a bridge 330 feet in length, consisting of seven trestles and seven pontoon-boats, was constructed. Captain Ketchum was assisted in this work all night by a detail from the regiment under Major Magruder.

Until the 5th instant Captain Ketchum’s men were employed in framing supplemental supports to trestle caps, lashing side rails, and straightening up trestles, &c., on account of the fall of the water. Subsequently he was detailed to relieve Captain Chester at the lower foot bridge, where he was again assisted by a detail under Major Magruder. This work was continued until 9 p. m. of the 5th, when, owing to the darkness and the cramped condition of the men from long-continued standing in the water, the work was stopped, after laying upwards of 500 feet of bridge.

Captain Ketchum is now framing the timber for a permanent structure (New Bridge), the bridge previously framed by him having been used by the United States Engineers under Captain Duane. In this work Captain Ketchum is assisted by a detail of carpenters from the Fiftieth Regiment. A second detachment of the Fifteenth, under Captain Chester, has been employed in cutting and preparing corduroy material, and also on the following pieces of work:

1st. A road leading from the rear of General Smith’s headquarters to the New Bridge road. On this there was a distance of about half a mile that was graded by throwing out sand from ditches, and many spots were corduroyed and five small bridges built.

2d.A continuation of the trestle bridge laid by Captain Spaulding. In this Captain Chester’s men were assisted by a detail from this camp, working at night. The road passing the skirt of woods approaching this bridge has been corduroyed for a long distance. Captain Spaulding’s bridge terminated abruptly in deep water, and in order to continue it all the trestle and pontoon material that could be found was used before commencing with corduroy. The whole distance of crib and corduroy from the termination of the trestle bridge to the point now completed is 900 feet. Of this some 400 feet of corduroy requires adjusting before heavy artillery can safely pass, and one place of about 30 feet in length is still open, but will be closed to-day. Stringers are also partially in position in advance, and Captain Chester is quite confident that all the material portion of the bridge will be completed to-day.

3d. A foot bridge for infantry where General Naglee commenced a crossing of the creek. This bridge is now 760 feet in length, and crosses two deep channels, in which the water was respectively 7 and 9 feet deep. Last night when Captain Chester withdrew the detachment there was no spot between the end of the bridge to the one already constructed by General Naglee in which the water was over 1 foot deep, and as the distance is not over 250 feet in length, the water rapidly falling, and most of the [p.146] material already prepared, it will probably be entirely completed to-day. It is proper to state that the difficulty of constructing this bridge was materially increased for the following reasons, viz: All small corduroy or crib materialwas cut and prepared at a distance of more than a mile from the bridge. The road intervening was impassable for teams, at one time being covered with water for a distance of 100 yards from 14 inches to 3 ½ feet in depth. This detachment spent the whole of one stormy night in temporarily arranging this road in order that the teams furnished to haul corduroy could be rendered available. For this purpose they carried several thousand rails a distance of 400 yards. At daylight the same men commenced the bridge and completed a length of 140 feet during the morning, when they were relieved by a detachment under Major Magruder. who advanced the work about 500 feet more. Yesterday a further force of 65, men under Lieutenant Lubey, and six wagons were sent to assist.

In addition to the work done by these separate detachments a foot bridge, constructed on small trestles, has been built for a distance of about 1,200 feet across the river and overflowed bottom land near the bridge built by Captain Ketchum. The main stream was spanned by three canvas pontoons with their accessories. It is now in a condition for the passage of infantry in single file.

In obedience to your orders, during the storm on the night of June 3 Major Magruder, with 117 men, built a rifle pit across the west end of Captain Ketchum’s bridge for the protection of those guarding it. Of the Fiftieth Regiment, one company is stationed at White House in charge of pontoon and intrenching property, engaged for the last few days in loading pontoons and their accessories on the cars to send to Dispatch Station. A detachment under Lieutenant Hine has been stationed at Bottom’s Bridge for the purpose of guarding and strengthening the two trestle bridges at that point.

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