War of the Rebellion: Serial 012 Page 0115 Chapter XXIII. GENERAL REPORTS.

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bridges were made across the swamp by the Engineer Brigade-one a short distance below the lower trestle bridge, and one nearly opposite Golding's where an old summer ford had found, and where General Naglee had commended a bridge previous to the battle of Fair Oaks. To complete the history of bridges, I would add that on my return from General Sumner's headquarters i still urged the necessity of a more direct communication, practicable for all arms, between the two wings of the army, the two trestle bridges having been virtually abandoned. The point suggested by me being considered too much exposed, the commanding general himself selected a point somewhat lower down, where the debouche was entirely covered by our lines near Golding's and this bridge was commended by Captain Duane's Engineer Battalion (assisted by troops of General W. F. Smith's commands) on the 10th or 11th. The structure was about equal in magnitude to that already described. It was finished on the 18th or 19th. Besides the work described, detachments of the Engineer Brigade or Engineer Battalion were at work on the corduroy communication with the bridges commenced the night of 31st, repairing and corduroying road, rebuilding Bottom's Bridge. &amp;c.

We had, June 19, the following bridges:

Upper trestle bridge. Debouches held by enemy, and incomplete on his side.

The New Bridge. Two pontoon bridges, Captain Duane having built a a second one alongside the one completed June 1. The road was held on south side of Chickahominy by the enemy.

The lower trestle bridge. Debouches held by enemy, and incomplete on his side.

The foot bridge. Available for infantry under certain circumstances. It was on the shortest line between the two wings of the army.

Duane's bridge. A fine structure, practicable for all arms, and affording a very direct communication.

The infantry bridge (of Woodbury). Available for infantry.

Woodbury and Alexander's bridge. For all arms.

Sunner's upper bridge, or the grapevine bridge. This had been put in condition to be used in emergency by all arms.

Sunner's lower bridge I think had never been repaired.

The railroad bridge was the means of bringing the most of the supplies to the left wing. Bottom's Bridge was kept up and the tete-de-pont held.

While at General Sunner's headquarters, June 4 to June 7, I laid out a redoubt at Golding's (Numbers 6 in Captain Map Numbers 3) and directed Lieutenant McAlester to lay out two others (Nos.4 and 5) and to complete No. 3, the one first commenced, and where Colonel Bailey was killed.

Lieutenant Comstock, assisted by Lieutenant Farquhar, was directed to have the lines complete from No. 6, to connect with McAlester's works. The woods in front were extensively slashed, as shown on the campaign map. Lieutenant McAlester, in reconnoitering on the 5th, had his horse shot under him by the enemy's pickets, and narrowly escaped capture.

Subsequently redoubts Nos.1 and 2 were constructed, carrying the left to the Whit Oak Swamp.

The redoubts may be described as follows: No. 1, a lunette with open gorge, 8 guns; No. 2, a redan with open gorge, 6 guns; No. 3, an inclosed redoubt (irregular pentagon), 5 guns; No. 4, an inclosed re-