Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 17.djvu/87

 The Siege and Evacuation of Savannah^ Ga, 79

Ogeechee river, while General Foster should send from Hilton Head sieg^e guns for the reduction of Savannah and also press his advance against the Charleston and Savannah railroad in the neighborhood of Coosawhatchie.

The evacuation of Savannah having been resolved upon, and it being impossible by means of the few steamboats and river craft at command to convey the garrison, artillery and requisite stores with convenience and safety to Screven's ferry, orders were issued for the immediate construction of suitable pontoon bridges. The line of retreat selected by the engineers and adopted upon the evacuation of the city, involved the location of a pontoon bridge extending from the foot of West Broad street to Hutchinson's Island, a distance of about a thousand feet, a roadway across that island in the direction of Pennyworth Island, a second pontoon bridge across the Middle river, another roadway across Pennyworth Island, and a third pontoon bridge across Back river, the further end of which should rest upon the rice field on the Carolina shore. The route then followed the most substantial and direct rice dam running north, a canal being on one side and a marish rice field on the other. This dam was just wide enough to permit the careful movement of field artillery and army wagons. The plantation bridges along the line of march were to be strengthened to bear the passage of these heavy conveyances.

Lieutenant-Colonel Frobel was placed in charge of the work, and executed the trust confided to him with energy and ability. All available rice field flats were collected. These were swung into posi- tion with the tide, lashed end to end by means of ropes and stringers running from boat to boat continuously the entire length of the bridge, and were kept in their places by car wheels — the only anchors which could be procured.*, Above the stringers was a flooring of plank obtained from the city wharves. At eight o'clock on the even- ing of the 17th the first pontoon bridge, spanning the Savannah river from the foot of West Broad street to Hutchinson's Island, was completed, and by half-past eight o'clock P. M. on Monday, the 19th, the remaining bridges were finished and the route was in readiness for the retreat of the Confederate garrison. Heavy fogs and difficulties encountered in finding and cohcentrating the requisite number of flats caused some delay in the execution of this important work, but, in view of the character of the labor and the scarcity of

to end and not side to side as is usual in the construction of pontoon bridges of this description.
 * The scarcity of flats compelled the engineer in charge to lash them end