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There were now one hundred and sixteen pontoons in the North Chickamauga River, their presence there being unknown to the enemy. At night a division was to be marched up to that point, and at two o'clock in the morning moved down with the current, thirty men in each boat.
The light pontoons that the Turks dragged across the desert for crossing the Canal are said to have been used for carrying water during certain stages of the advance. Suffice it to say that the Turks did succeed in solving the water problem, and in crossing the desert with a force of some considerable strength. On the 3rd February, 1915, the threatened attack materialized.
It so happened that General Davis's route into Savannah followed what was known as the "River-road," and he had to make constant use of his pontoon-train the head of his column reaching some deep, impassable creek before the rear was fairly over another. He had occasionally to use the pontoons both day and night.
While waiting for the pontoons I ordered Custer to proceed with his brigade to Hanover Station, to destroy the railroad bridge over the South Anna, a little beyond that place; at the same time I sent Gregg and Wilson to Cold Harbor, to demonstrate in the direction of Richmond as far as Mechanicsville, so as to cover Custer's movements.
By the 29th of August a considerable quantity of supplies had been accumulated, and then began a general movement of our troops for crossing the river. As there were not with the army enough pontoons to complete the two bridges required, I was expected to build one of them of trestles; and a battalion of the First Michigan Engineers under Colonel Innis was sent me to help construct the bridge.
At the same time the fleet made its appearance, numbering at least 1100 vessels, of which fifty were ships of war, fifty prepared to serve as pontoons, and the remaining thousand, transports laden with provisions, weapons, and military engines.
There was no reason for further delay; the Arabs had too much to do to look after themselves to notice him; and his uncle was dead! Round the side of the rock he crept, keeping well under shelter, till he found a side where no fight was raging, and here he clambered cautiously down into the plain, and made for that part of the Nile where he had seen the English pontoons and boats.
Accordingly, the hydroplane which was of course now in a condition for making a landing with the wheels below the aluminum pontoons, circled around, dropping lower and lower, until presently it came to a stop in the field close to the fence. When it landed it was done so beautifully that, as Andy enthusiastically said, an egg would hardly have broken had it come between.
If you move the pontoons, be sure to make a good road out to Garden's Corners, and mark it with sign-boards obstructing the old road, so that, should I send back any detachments, they would not be misled. I prefer that Hatch's force should not be materially weakened until I am near Columbia, when you may be governed by the situation of affairs about Charleston.
She struck the water with a gentle gliding impact that hardly did more than ripple the surface, and a cheer broke from the boys as they perceived how perfectly the new pontoons worked. "As easy as lighting on a feather-bed," was the way Harry put it.
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