Pontoon bridge transport soldiers and artillery across rivers in the South. In 1872 at a military review before Queen Victoria, a pontoon bridge was thrown across the River Thames at Windsor, Berkshire, where the river was wide. The bridge, comprising 15 pontoons held by 14 anchors, was completed in 22 minutes and then used to move five battalions of troops across the river. It was removed in 34 minutes the next day. The British Blanshard Pontoon stayed in British use until the late 1870s, when it was replaced by the "Blood Pontoon". The Blood Pontoon returned to the open boat system, which
Pontoon Beach, Illinois Mississippi River from Pontoon Beach. Pontoon Beach, Illinois Pontoon Beach is a village in Madison County, Illinois, United States. The population was 5,836 at the 2010 census. Pontoon Beach is located at (38.726078, -90.060505). According to the 2010 census, Pontoon Beach has a total area of , of which (or 79.75%) is land and (or 20.25%) is water. As of the census of 2000, there were 5,620 people, 2,134 households, and 1,519 families residing in the village. The population density was 686.9 people per square mile (265.3/km²). There were 2,341 housing units at an average density of 286.1 per square