Col. Moore Recovering.......On Saturday afternoon Mike Moore experienced a problem brought on by his diabetes.  He was admitted to a hospital in Ft. Myers.  He is recovering well and was released from the hospital Wednesday.   He must spend the next four weeks resting at home.  I talked with him on the phone tonight and he is in good spirits.  He will be back to 100% soon, which is good news because Col. Moore is a key figure in our hobby.  I will keep you informed of any changes.  Keep him and his family in your thoughts and prayers.

Snake Bite......Bob McLendon (Fla. 2nd Cavalry) was working on his property in Henderson, Alabama last Tuesday.  He was working with a chainsaw at the edge of the woods when he was bitten on the wrist by a 5-6 foot rattlesnake.  He got picked up by ambulance and transported to the local hospital (Edge Regional Medical Center in Troy) where he was in ICU for three days then he was moved to a regular room until last Monday.  He has no use of his right hand or arm due to severe swelling and pain but doctors expect a full recovery within several weeks.  Keep him and his family in your thoughts and prayers.

Do You Know This Person?...... Donna Starkey wrote, "I am looking for a man who re-enacted for the 30th Georgia. His name is Dave(David) Owens, his wife's name is Ann(e). I think he had something to do with artillery because, in the past, we painted a logo with 2 crossed cannons in a circle on his blue pick-up. I have a civil war book and a roster of his grandpa's regiment from the war that belongs to him, but he moved and I have lost contact. I know you aren't in Georgia but I thought you might have a brotherhood and someone might know him. If so, you could tell him to call Starkey Signs in Jonesboro Ga or E-Mail me at starkeysigns@yahoo.com. Thanks for any help you can give me."

Event Questionnaire.......I still need more input from you to complete the event questionnaire from the last issue.  If you haven't filled it out, please take a moment and do it.  Go to back issues section and click on the last issue.  You will find it there.  So far the responses I have gotten are interesting to say the least.  Thanks goes out to those of you who have sent the completed questionnaire back.  So far everyone has taken the time and made the effort to fill them out properly.  To make this as fair as I can to all the event hosts, I need as many completed questionnaires as I can get.  Send me the finished results and I will compile them. This can be a great tool to improve the reenactments in our area.

New Event Roster.......I am still missing a lot of event information for the new roster.  Please get your event's updated details to me as soon as you can.  If the contact person's information has changed, don't forget to send me that information also.  I would like to have the roster posted by July.

Computer Viruses.......The Klez Worm is on the loose again!  I have not fallen victim to it, but I know some who have.  Let me remind you, I do NOT send attachments unless I have talked to you on the phone.  So if you get an email that is supposed to be from me, do NOT open it.  Here's why:

Email spoofing.......Some variants of this worm use a technique known as "spoofing." The worm randomly selects an address that it finds on an infected computer. It uses this address as the "From" address that it uses when it performs its mass-mailing routine. Numerous cases have been reported in which users of uninfected computers received complaints that they sent an infected message to someone else.

For example, Linda Anderson is using a computer that is infected with W32.Klez.E@mm. When W32.Klez.gen@mm performs its emailing routine, it finds the email address of Harold Logan. It inserts Harold's email address into the "From" portion of an infected message that it then sends to Janet Bishop and everyone else in Linda's address book. Janet then contacts Harold and complains that he sent her an infected message, but when Harold scans his computer, Norton AntiVirus does not find anything--as would be expected--because his computer is not infected.

If you are using a current version of Norton AntiVirus and you have the most recent virus definitions, and a full system scan with Norton AntiVirus set to scan all files does not find anything, you can be confident that your computer is not infected with this worm.  (I have scanned my computer several times with Norton's latest virus definitions and I do NOT have this worm or any of it's varients.)

For more detailed information go to:  http://securityresponse.symantec.com/avcenter/venc/data/w32.klez.gen@mm.html

Correction......In the last issue, a letter to the magazine mentioned that the 54th Mass. was not at Olustee.  I have since received information that stated..."I patrolled the line between the spectators and reenactors at Olustee this February and the various units reenacting the 54th Mass, and the 35th and 8th USCI did participate in Sunday's battle".

New Web Site To Look At......David Glenn with the 8th United States Colored Troops (USCT), Co. B. http://www.angelfire.com/pa5/8usct "The 8th USCT, Co. B. is a Tampa Bay/Pinellas County volunteer organization dedicated to the preservation and portrayal of African-American history and heritage during the Civil War.  Over 180,000 African-Americans joined the Union Military, many serving in the Florida Theatre of Military Operations."

Promotions.......Calvin Greathouse to Sgt. 10th Tenn. Co. A. (dismounted cavalry) and Don Mann (artillery) to 2nd Lt. 10th Tenn. Rices Battery.  Congratulations, gentlemen.

Chaplin Impression......I got word from Walter Patt Jr. that he has just finished his Doctorate in Theology and will be changing his Civil War artillerist impression to that of a chaplain.  He wants to start doing some preaching at some reenactments during the next season.  Congratulations on your Doctorate and good luck with your new endeavor.

Olustee Civil War Museum......The Olustee Battlefield Historic Site Citizens Support Organization (CSO) is continuing to work on the Civil War Museum it plans to build on the site. A  recent meeting included the primary cooperators: Brian Polk, Florida Park Service, Bureau of Natural and Cultural Resources, Susan Kett, U. S. Forest Service, Valinda Subic, Florida Park Service, Park Manager and John Thrush, Olustee Battlefield CSO President.  They resolved that the State would own the building pending lease requirements. The site is tentatively located on USFS property, west of the current Interpretive Center. The Florida Park Service Bureau of Design and Recreation Services will serve as Project Manager For Planning and Construction. The CSO will fund the project through grants, private fundraising, PIP program, etc. Estimated project cost is a minimum of one million dollars. Staffing will be worked out between the Florida Park Service and the US Forest Service, however the facility should be designed to be self guiding. An entry fee could be collected also a parking fee. Subsequent information on the project should be solicited from the Florida Park Service Bureau.

Donation to Olustee CSO......On April 6th, during Civil War Day and Cleanup - a national event organized in conjunction with the Civil War Preservation Trust, the Olustee Battlefield Historic Site CSO received a donation of $200 from the Southeast Federals. The funds were presented to John Thrush by Ken Giddens. The Southeast Federals consist of the 48th New York, commanded by Ken Giddens;  the 7th Connecticut, commanded by Jose Suarez; the Salt River Rifles, commanded by Jim Butler; and the 21st Ohio, commanded by Dick Ramsen. The money was left over from a fee collected for rations for a march the Southeast Federals held at the annual Battle of Olustee reenactment. Thank you folks for the money, it will put to good use. - John Thrush, CSO president

Resaca........Capt. Rick Brass of the 10th Tenn. Co. A. and some of his men attended the Resaca event.  Below is a brief report of what he saw and did.  He wrote.......

"I never saw so many Federals in my life!  We were outnumbered two or three to one both days.  The first day we reenacted "the angle" and were completely wiped out, hand to hand combat.  I was in a position to see the whole thing as we were getting "wiped out, at that point it was us 12 against 50 or 60 Feds, they just kept coming and coming like a steam roller.

Day #2 was  real "ass kicking " We started the battle right in front of the crowd of about 500 spectators, we moved out with the mounted and held off the Federals until they got their 600 blue bellies in place then we went behind the "works" on the left flank and held off six cavalry charges. Later we were moved to the extreme right to plug a hole when the Feds attempted to break through the woods. We were at point blank and we did not back down and blasted them back as they fell down running backwards. General Rambo said we did an outstanding job both days and now he knows who we are and what we can do.

Kathy Heitman (Secretary of the Village) wrote about the ceremony....."On behalf of the entire Membership of Yesteryear Village I would like to extend a heartfelt THANK YOU to all the reenactors, North and South, and their families that attended the Memorial Service at the Old Veterans Home Civil War Museum in Yesteryear Village during our annual Pioneer Days Festival on Sunday, May 26th, Memorial Day.  It was very kind of you to take time from your busy schedules, as we know some of you had to travel quite a distance to participate.  A beautiful, new 5ft. X 8ft. Confederate 1st National Flag was dedicated and run up the flagpole at the Confederate Veterans Monument that is in front of the museum.  Appreciation is also extended to the James Patton Anderson Sons of Confederate Veterans Camp #1599 who conducted the memorial service.  The service began with reenactors gathering in front of the museum, speeches were given about not only the Civil War Veterans, but those who gave their lives in defense of what they believed in from the Revolutionary War to the present day War in Afghanistan.  The old flag was then brought down and the new 5ft. X 8ft. Confederate 1st National Flag was run up the pole.  A volley was given by the Infantry regiments, both north and south, followed by several impressive artillery volleys.  It was a nice service.  We thank you and salute you."

Pvt. Jimmy Shirley (7th Fla. Vol. Inf. Co. B/Lt. Commander SCV Camp 1599 James Patton Anderson) attended the Yesteryear Village event also.  (All photos below are by Betty Tzoumas) He wrote......

On Sunday, May 26, Memorial Day weekend, at about 2:30 P.M.,  the local SCV Camp 1599 James Patton Anderson held a Flag raising memorial service. Held at the Yesteryear Village on the South Florida Fairgrounds in suburban West Palm Beach, Fla., a 40 sq. ft. First National Confederate Flag, "The Stars and Bars", was unfurled and then placed on a 30 ft. telescoping flagpole. The flag pole, located in front of the Civil War Museum, rises behind the Confederate Memorial which was dedicated during the South Florida Fair back in late January. Painted Rebel gray, it is a concrete structure which features a large display area where small plaques, containing the name and regiment of a Confederate ancestor, may be placed. This Memorial was the brainchild of Sgt. Major David Rose of the 7th Fla. Vol. Inf. Co. B. and a SCV compatriot. The ceremony was also attended by the many people who came to the Pioneer Days at the Village, an annual event for Memorial Day at the Village.
  Rob Anderson, Commander of Camp 1599, gave a rousing speech, heralding the valor and sacrifice of the Southern soldier during their attempt to create a new nation. I felt a surge of Southern pride, as I'm sure others did, during his speech and had me wishing "for old times there are not forgotten".
 Wesley Frank, Commander of the SCV Camp in Ft. Pierce and a reenactor, also graciously addressed the crowd.
  Nathaniel Terrel, a fourteen year old from Okeechobee, recited his award winning composition "Freedom Isn't Free".
  I would be remiss if I did not acknowledge the different reenactors groups that attended in support of this event.
  Confederate:
  United Daughters of the Confederacy
  Sons of Confederate Veterans Camp 1599 James Patton Anderson
  7th Fla. Co. B
  8th Fla. Co. C
  Rice's Light Artillery, 10th Tenn.
  10th Tenn.Co. A
  Union:
  7th Conn. Co. G
Many of these men traveled quite far to demonstrate their support for the South and a fellow reenactor, and we are very grateful and indebted to them. I also must say that I was very proud that they showed up because they added a huge amount of pageantry to the ceremony, with their uniforms, guns and cannons. The cannons were a real crowd pleaser and some folks were asking if a reenactment could be held at the fairgrounds somewhere in the future. (something to think about, y'all)
   Lastly, but not least, I want to thank the ladies who came dressed in their Southern finery because, without the ladies to complement us guys, where would we be? At all the reenactment events, the ladies add so much more to the general presentation that would be sorely lacking if they weren't there. Thank you, Ma'am!
I think most folks enjoyed their time at the Village. I know that we did.

   Highway 42 is a well-traveled road in southeast Marion County.  Motorists on this path are likely not aware of the significant place they pass.  I myself have journeyed on this road many times and not known of Linadale Cemetery until recently.  This small cemetery is located near the intersection of Highway 42 and Highway 450, and is nestled among trees in an open field a few hundred yards south of Highway 42. Within the cemetery are several American veterans.

   A small crowd gathered here recently in commemoration of Memorial Day.  Organized by the Private William Riley Milton Camp 741, Sons of Confederate Veterans, the memorial service honored all American veterans and law enforcement officers, while focusing on one person in particular.

   Private Richard Baxter Ervin was born in South Carolina in 1839.  A school teacher by profession, Ervin responded to the Confederacy's call for troops by enlisting in the "Pickens Guard", which would become a company of the 6th South Carolina Volunteers.  Ervin would see action at First Manassas and Fall's Church.  During McClellan's Peninsula Campaign in Virginia in 1862, Ervin would be in the engagements at Seven Pines, Gaines Mill, and Frayser's Farm.  At Frayser's Farm, he received a severe wound while bearing his unit's colors.  In January of 1863, he was discharged from the army.

   Ervin returned to his career as a school teacher and moved to Florida.  He settled in Marion County, purchasing a general store and 40 acres near Moss Bluff (near Ocala).  In his personal writings he mentions, "Soon I had a store,  farm, and a school house."  On December 8, 1868, he and Mary Thomas were married, and the two would raise a family of five sons and three daughters, though three of the children died young.  Ervin died on January 31, 1913.

   On May 25, 2002, Private Ervin was honored at the memorial service at Linadale Cemetery.  One of his descendants, Richard W. Ervin, a former attorney general and retired Chief Justice of the Florida State Supreme Court, was unable to attend as expected, though many of the Ervin family were present.  The re-enactor contingent was comprised of twelve Confederate soldiers in the color guard who posted five flags, three Southern artillery troops with one cannon, a few Sons of Confederate Veterans members in uniform, and six ladies in period clothing.  Some 120 spectators attended, including the family of Private Ervin.  The service included music, prayer, and several speakers including members of the Ervin family.  The service concluded as muskets and cannon fired in salute, and the notes of Taps and "Dixie" sounded  across the quiet grounds.  Soon Linadale cemetery was once again left in solitude, attended only by the sentinels of the silent trees.

   The holiday of Memorial Day has come to have many meanings for people.  Yes, this is often a holiday for family gatherings.  But more importantly, the day is to remember those who made the supreme sacrifice for our country.  Many Civil War re-enactors often participate in Memorial Day services.  This is particularly fitting, as the Civil War helped create this holiday.

   General John A. Logan was a Union volunteer who had risen through the ranks, led a regiment from Illinois, and commanded a corps during the Atlanta campaign and briefly commanded one of the Union armies.  Following the war, Logan made efforts to set aside a day to decorate the graves of the soldiers who fell in the conflict.  On May 30, 1868, his work helped result in the inauguration of Decoration Day.  This would become a holiday to honor all Americans who gave their lives for their country, and would be known as Memorial Day.

Throughout time the common river, whether large or small, has been an obstacle to mankind.  Humans and even some animals (primates) and insects (ants) have solved this problem by constructing all types of bridges.  A bridge can be as simple as a log across a creek or as incredible as the Pontchartrain Causeway bridge that spans over 23 miles.  The common and often unnoticed bridge becomes a prime target or a much sought after asset during a war.  Without bridges, supplies and troops cannot move at all or move much slower due to detours around or risky crossings through the river at less than appropriate places.  Men at war have had to cross rivers quickly to either gain a tactical advantage or make a hasty retreat.  In the absence of existing bridges, the armies in conflict have to rebuild or repair the bridges damaged by war.  There is seldom enough time or materials to build permanent bridges so a solution to this problem was needed and the simple pontoon bridge was the answer.  These quickly assembled and easily transported bridges are not a concept of modern war.

The pontoon bridge has been used extensively throughout history.  The earliest known use of a pontoon bridge for military gain took place when the Persian King Xerxes invaded Greece in 480 B.C.  Xerxes planned his attack for three years and assembled an army numbering over 100,000 men.  A military force this large could not be moved by ships and they would be discovered by the enemy if they marched to war across the country.  The king needed a bridge across the strait of Dardenelles (almost a mile wide at its narrowest point) in Turkey (Hellespont on the Black Sea) to enable his men to move quickly into battle.  King Xerxes came upon the idea of building a bridge for his army to cross but how could he build one that long?  The King ordered his engineers to solve the problem and they came up with a new, unique type of bridge.  Today we call it a pontoon bridge.  The engineers decided to use the Kings two largest ships as anchors at each end of the proposed crossing and move 300 small ships into place between them.  The two main ships were anchored and the other small ships moved into place.   All the ships were chained, bound with hemp and lashed together.  Next they started building a crude roadway across the ships.  As the roadway over them was being constructed, a fierce storm rolled in and destroyed their yet to be completed bridge.  At this point, King Xerxes was enraged with the Black Sea and keeping in the manner of the times he ordered the sea to be beaten into submission.  His "enforcers" gave the waves 300 lashes (one for each ship) with their stoutest whips and then the King threw a symbolic pair of shackles into the water.  Next, King Xerxes ordered the water branded with hot irons.  In his arrogant perception, the hissing sounds were the water’s cries of pain.  He also blamed the bridges failure on his engineers and the King had them beheaded for their incompetence.  Within hours the weather cleared and newly appointed engineers started to rebuild the pontoon bridge.  The second attempt to build the bridge was a success.  It took two weeks to build the bridge and an entire week to move the men across it.  When the King's troops were assembled on the other side, they attacked at Thrace.  Their invasion was successful and they continued pushing forward for a full year until they met with the combined forces of Greece, the Hellenic League.  King Xerxes had to quickly withdraw what was left of his men to the point of their original crossing.  This time there was no bridge and with the Greek army close behind, they were forced to disperse and get back to Persia as best as they could.  Soon after his return, King Xerxes was murdered by his own palace guards.

The pontoon bridge is really a very basic, easy to build structure consisting of multiple floating waterborne "pontoons" linked semi-tightly together.  The photo above shows the pontoon bridge at Bull Run.  This type of bridge floats on the water and has no landborne piers or any other type of permanent under supports.  No nails were used in this bridge's construction; everything was lashed together to make the floating bridge flexible, easy to build, dismantle, move and reuse.  In one sense, this string of floating components is not really a bridge at all.  This "bridge" will get you across the water, but there is often very little space between the pontoons thus making it a floating structure.  A pontoon bridge is designed to move (slightly) with the current so it will resist being broken.  The entire bridge consists of just a few parts.  The most important component of this bridge is, of course, the float or pontoon.

The floating pontoons used in the Civil War era bridges were actually small boats but other ideas were tried.  Some early war pontoon bridges were first made using wood frames covered with tin or copper.  These were tested and quickly discarded.  The first successful type of pontoon experimented with was made of India-rubber.  The pontoons were rubber bags shaped like a torpedo.  They were inflated and tied together in twos.  These pairs of floats were placed and secured side by side across the water and the bridge deck was laid on top of the rubber floats.  This type of float was most notably used in the western army by General F. P. Blair's division in the Vicksburg Campaign of 1863.

The wood pontoons used by the Army of the Potomac followed the French style.  They were 31 feet long with a flat bottom and squared ends.  These floats were very strong and held up well to the rigors of war.  The problem with this type of pontoon stemmed from the fact that it was very heavy and hard to transport.  In addition, it was hard to repair when damaged.  These heavy wood pontoon boat "floats" were used most often in semi-permanent applications or in places where the load to be carried over them and the traffic upon them was heavier than normal.  When a long distance was to be crossed such as the Chickahominy, James, Appomattox and the Rappahannock rivers, the wood floats were always used.

In the more common applications, the cumbersome wood pontoon soon gave way to the lighter and easier to work with cotton-canvas float.  The cotton-canvas covered pontoons required more maintenance but were light weight and easier to work with and transport.  This type of pontoon soon became the standard and replaced the wood type in most applications.  The common cotton-canvas float was 26-foot long, 5-foot 6-inch wide, 2-foot 4-inches deep.  There was also a smaller 21-foot long size with the same width and depth as the 26-foot type.

After unpacking the pontoons from the wagons, the wood frame was set out with the cotton-canvas material laid out under the frame.  The tenons of braces and uprights were fitted into mortises, gunwales and endpieces like a giant puzzle.  The canvas was pulled tight and lashed in the center then wrapped around the stern and bow, pulled tightly and lashed down again.  The entire structure was then soaked in water to make it watertight.  The drawing here on the left shows the pontoon after the wood frame has been put together and before the cotton-canvas material is tied on.  The drawing on the right shows the completed pontoon ready to be floated and placed in preparation for the top deck.  The top deck would equally distribute the weight across the floats and make the surface or "roadway" of the bridge.  It may seem at first that these canvas boats would not stand up to much abuse but in fact they were quite strong when properly rigged and set.  General Sherman used the cotton-canvas type almost exclusively.  When he left for Savannah, he assigned one pontoon wagon train with nine hundred feet of bridge material to each of his four corps.

Before going any further with this article, this may be a good place to mention one very unique characteristic of the pontoon bridge.  When completed, the bridge due to its construction methods, materials, location and the laws of physics could become unstable and break apart if troops marched across it in step.  With the men marching in unison, the walkway would tend to heave up and down.  As proven by mathematicians, the reason for this is shown in the equation :

In order for the upward buoyancy forces to be exactly equal to the downward force of the load, the pontoon has to sink into the water just enough to provide the extra flotation force.  Consequently as the load reaches each floating part of the bridge, that pontoon and each before and after, has to sink to gain the necessary buoyancy and recover when the load has passed.  It may seem odd, but the bridges were stressed to their limits by the infantrymen while there was little damage caused by the artillery or supply trains.  To prevent sinking or damaging the bridge, men and animals had to cross over at a walk.  A guard of engineers was posted at each end and they barked out the command "Route step!" every so often to remind the men.  In addition, bridge sentries posted at intervals across the bridge would repeat the order and stress caution.  If the warnings were heeded, the bridges were as safe and secure as walking on land.  The photo at left (sent in by Roger Ragland) shows the Union's Irish Brigade crossing the Rappahannock in a scene from the movie Gods and Generals.  The pontoon bridge set was built at White Tail, Maryland.

Moving these bridges was not an easy task.  A typical bridge train consisted of thirty-four pontoon wagons, twenty-two chess wagons, four tool wagons, and two forge wagons.  This train employed a minimum of 368 horses or mules not including the spare animals to take the place of those killed or injured.  Enough men were needed to drive the train, build the bridge, maintain the wagons, and take care of the horses.  As you can see, the pontoon bridge wagon train is almost an army all by itself.  The bridge train and crew would always travel at the end of the army on the move.  If the bridge was needed, it was called to the front.  When in camp, the pontoon train was located near the headquarters.  Below are examples of the two most common wagons.

The pontoon wagon.....Shown in this drawing is a wooden pontoon boat of the French style.  A single pontoon was mounted upon a wagon frame. The pontoon boat's cable and anchor were placed inside the boat.  The oars, rowlocks, boathooks and ropes were lashed under the rear axle.  This wagon required that six horses be hitched to it due to its weight.  In order that the horses not be overtaxed, the boat and its accruements were all that was allowed to be carried within or upon this wagon.

The Chess Wagon......The chess wagon can be loaded one way only.  Notice in the drawings below.  The chess planks were loaded tightly together vertically with two layers consisting of twenty planks to each layer.  Above the first layer, five planks were laid horizontally and another vertical row of twenty planks were laid on top of them.  The chess wagon also carried two cables and was drawn by six horses.

Chess Wagon

The Other Wagons......The tool wagons would carry all the other necessary items for the construction of the bridge and the abutments.  These wagons carried the entrenching tools, spare cordage, bridge hardware and carpenter's tools.  The forge wagons would carry extra iron for the bridge and anchors and would help care for the horses and mules.  This entire bridge train would be followed by its own supply train.

The construction of a pontoon bridge had six specific steps and six distinct crews of specially trained men to execute each of those steps.  You may reference the drawing at the bottom of this article to help clarify the steps of construction that follow.  Utilizing well trained crews of men, these bridges went together quickly.  As an example, the Union army built a 2,200 foot long pontoon bridge across the James River in only five hours utilizing 450 well trained men.

Building The Bridge........The first step in the bridge's construction is to determine the best location on the river that is closest to the point needing to be crossed.  The width of the river and its current must be considered first; then secondly, the nature of the river's banks.  While all the other crews and wagons were getting ready, the abutment crew took the first steps to cross the river.  They quickly began preparing the approaches to the bridge on both sides.  Sometimes the abutments could be made by just dropping a large timber at the edge of the river and leveling dirt to its top.  Unfortunately, that was not always the case.  In order to get a proper approach, yards and yards of fill dirt may have to be moved in or perhaps a corduroy road had to be built through a swampy area or maybe the river's bank would have to be cut away.  At times, the approaches and abutments were more trouble to construct than the bridges themselves.

The wagons were pulled up to the river's edge as closely as possible and the boat crew jumped into action.  They began to unload the heavy boats or assemble the cotton-canvas ones depending on what type of pontoon was to be used.  After at least one, usually two, pontoons had been constructed, and while the abutment crew was still working to finish their job, six men boarded the pontoon boat and rowed out onto the river.  The boat crew would row upstream and drop an anchor from their boat.  The boat would drift downstream towards the bridge approaches as the men paid out anchor cable.  As the bridge was being built and when completed, each pontoon was secured in line by upstream anchors but only every other one was secured with downstream anchors.  When the first boat was in its proper place along side the abutment, the men unloaded and got into another boat, made ready for them by other members of the boat crew, to repeat the procedure.

Almost before they could go ashore, the balk crew had already started to place the balks from the firm ground of the abutment and across the first boat.  Balks are crosstie-like wood "spacers" that were locked into place on the pontoon's gunwales.  In addition to acting as spacers, the balks did double duty as the floor timbers for the bridge's deck.  The bulk crew consisted of ten men who would carry five planks, two men to each plank.  The balks which had cleats to hold them in place were set with six inches hanging beyond the gunwale on the shore side of the pontoon boat.  The next boat was pushed out by pushing on the ends of the balks.  Each "bay" of balks completely spanned two pontoons.  The pontoons were normally set and held 20 feet apart by the balks; however, the space between the pontoons could vary depending on the circumstances.  When the end of the balk was reached, they turned the job over to another crew.

The lashing crew was waiting with material in hand and started to lash everything together as the balk crew left to retrieve another "bay" of balks from the wagon.  The bridge started firming up as the assembly thus far was lashed to the abutment and several pontoons had been spanned.

The chess crew moved up to cover the balks with flooring.  The chess planks being 13 feet long were laid at a 90 degree angle to the balks and to within one foot of the pontoon.  While all this is going on, the boat crew is still launching and anchoring more pontoons as the abutment/approach crew is finishing up their work.  Sometimes the chess crew would lay dirt, hay or brush on the bridge to muffle the noise of the crossing wagons and horses and provide a slight barrier of protection for the chess boards.

Once the chess crew's work had progressed across three pontoons and started the fourth, the side rail crew began placing the rails.  The side rails are like curbs and were laid on top of the chesses over the outside balks.  The side rails are lashed to the chess planks by passing the lashings through the inside spaces down and under the balks then back up on the outside and fastened in place.  These bridges seldom had hand rails but if they were needed they were made from whatever was at hand and put on the bridge by the side rail crew.  When the bridge reached the opposite bank and while the final touches were being applied to it, the boat crew was still busy tightening lines, straightening boats and making sure all was well with the pontoons.

 
 

The Rappahannock Bridge

Although pontoon bridges were used extensively in the Civil War, some stand out more than others.  Perhaps the most famous one was the bridge that was built across the Rappahannock River at Fredericksburg.  That bridge and the battle are depicted in the painting below, "Essayons: Engineers at Fredericksburg" by Don Gallon.  General Lee was attempting to hold ground to delay the Union advance into Richmond.  Lee's Army of Northern Virginia was spread out along the Rappahannock waiting for Burnside.  General Barksdale was holding Fredericksburg and trying to slow down Burnside long enough to allow Lee the necessary time to regroup.  Gen. Burnside ordered two pontoon bridges built across the river in order to attack and take Fredericksburg.  Gen. Barksdale's marksmen sighted in their rifles and sniped at the working engineers.  The work crews were taking heavy losses and the bridge's construction fell way behind.  The Union artillery opened fire on the city with 150 guns but the defending Confederate sharpshooters just temporarily retreated to the cellars and alleys and suffered few causalities.

As soon as the engineers went back to work, the Confederate shooters would cut them down again.  General Hunt, the Union artillery General, suggested that Gen. Burnside send some of the Federal infantry across the river in the pontoon boats to clear out the enemy sharpshooters.  At first his idea was rejected, but soon Burnside saw that there was no other way.  The Union men boarded the pontoon boats and set out to establish the first beachhead under fire in American history.  The Union was successful in their crossing of the river and landing on the opposite shore but the Confederates of the 8th Florida and the 21st Mississippi refused to give up and fierce building to building combat ensued throughout the afternoon and into the night.  Late that night, Barksdale ordered a retreat and his men left Fredericksburg.  The Confederates were successful in holding the Union back and the time they allowed Gen. Lee was used wisely when he perfected his defenses.

Above is a painting of the Union General Burnside's pontoon bridge under construction with the Confederate sharpshooters firing away at his bridge crews.  This painting shows all the stages of the construction of a pontoon bridge.  You can see that the bridge's parts are neatly laid out to the right.  The chess boards are stacked just below the cables and anchors and the balks are to the left.  The abutment crew has finished their work and is helping lay out the material for the other crews.  Notice the boat crew rowing out to set in place another pontoon while the balk crew positions their timbers.  Look closely at the end of the bridge and you can see that the chess crew has laid the chess boards to the second from the end pontoon and the side board crew is just behind them.  The lashing crew is all along the bridge fastening everything into place.

The pontoon bridge is a high maintenance type of bridge.  It was necessary to frequently check and clean the area around the bridge and the bridge itself.  Depending on the length of the bridge and the size of the river, anywhere from six to twenty men with at least two boats were constantly servicing and repairing the bridge 24 hours a day, seven days a week.  Why is the pontoon bridge such a high maintenance bridge?  Keep in mind in order to make the bridge, it is necessary to place the pontoons close together with their anchor lines running up and down stream and therein lies the problem.  Any debris, either natural or launched by the enemy, floating downstream towards the bridge's location would almost certainly become entangled within the anchor lines or around the pontoons themselves.  This debris had to be removed immediately or it would pile up around the bridge and the force of the river's current would cause the eventual destruction of the structure.  Even if the river was relatively free from floating debris, the anchor and guide lines still needed to be constantly checked and repeatedly tightened.  Men walked the length of the bridge constantly checking the floats.  Both the cotton-canvas and wood pontoon floats leaked and had to be bailed out often.

The removal of the pontoon bridge depended entirely on one relevant fact:  if the owners of the bridge were the winners or losers of the battle.  If the bridge's builders had won the battle and were in no hurry, the bridge was disassembled in the exact reverse of its assembly and loaded neatly on the wagons.  If a fast retreat was called for and the enemy was close behind, the disassembly took on another aspect.  The quickest way to remove the bridge was for the boat crew to row out and just cut the anchor lines starting on the far shore side and working toward the near side.  The bridge would then slowly drift to the desired side of the river where a hasty disassembly could be done.

The 32nd Indiana Volunteer Infantry Regiment has displayed on their web site (http://w3.one.net/~edp/pontoon.shtml) a copy of an original drawing plans of a pontoon bridge by the Army of the Potomac, 50th New York Volunteers, dated March 3, 1865.  These blueprints are divided up into smaller segments and can be enlarged for a more detailed viewing.

References:
Time Life Books
American Civil War
Hard Tack and Coffee
Time Tables of History
More Civil War Curiosities
History of Greece (third edition)
Portland State University Library
Bridge Watching by Edmund Jupp
Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 1898
Arms and Equipment of the Civil War
Athens and the Persian Wars Lecture 11
Engineers at Fredericksburg by Dale Gallon
National Archives American Civil War Images
Gardner's Photographic Sketchbook of the War. (Vol. I)

                Let me recap the first part. Heat injuries can affect all of us, there are no exceptions. Hot temperatures, bursts of heavy exercise, dehydration and isolation like our wools are all contributing factors. It can come on rapidly and can, not only ruin a reenactment, it can be deadly. Common sense is very important.
                History books abound with accounts of soldiers dropping but the wayside on long hot marches due to heat, exhaustion, and illness. The soldiers would litter the sides of the road with discarded coats, packs and gear. They would do whatever they could to make their loads easier. If one studies old photos of soldiers doing fatigue duty, it is noticeable that they are not in full uniform. Usually they were in shirtsleeves. In most cases, artillery went into action in shirtsleeves in hot weather. Many Florida militias used white duck pants. The engineers at Ft. Clinch, during the hot weather, only worked in the cool of the morning and they used white cotton coveralls. The writings of the soldiers of the Civil War and the Indian Wars indicate that before battle they would remove their packs, coats and   all non-essential equipment and leave it behind under guard.
                The point here is that these men that we represent as reenactors, used the clothing that they had and that which was appropriate for the climate and job at hand. They and their officers were more accustomed to the out of doors then us. Full dress uniform is for dress parade and not always battle. It is not farbee to act or dress as they really did. Your clothing will have a lot to do with your health and well-being and safety at a reenactment.
                There were a number of handbooks written for the soldiers of that period that advised them to drink sparingly. They believed that thirst was good for the soldier and helped them build immunity to heat. This attitude of the military brass, we know to be wrong. By the time you are thirsty, you are already dehydrated. To help prevent heat injury, drink plenty of water. The present recommendation is two to three 8 ounce glasses of water one hour prior to heavy exercise. During an event, keep drinking. Do not wait until you are thirsty, by then it is too late. Do not take the field without a full canteen, no sharing. Drink whenever you can. If you run low get a corpsman or one of the Medical Corp’s Ice Angels. A simple way to put this is that if you do not have to urinate frequently, you are not drinking enough. If your urine is dark, then you are dry. You must drink. Water, juice, or sports drinks are good.  No alcohol. It will increase the risk of dehydration.
                Prior to taking the field, avoid sugary food and drinks. In order to digest sugars, you will pull water into the gut and away from vital organs. This will aggravate any dehydration. Save the sugars for after the battle when you will need to replenish your calories. Avoid sodas. You need water not gas. If you are prone to heat cramps, then 1 or 2 salt tablets may help prevent a problem. However if you are on any heart or blood pressure medications, or have any medical problems, check with you doctor first.
                Officers need to look after the safety of their men. Make sure they are dressed appropriately for the conditions and their canteens are full. Encourage your men to get help if they begin to feel sick. The Medical Corps would much rather care for make believe wounds then real injuries. If any one gets weak, nauseated or dizzy get off the field. Take a “hit” and get to an aid station. Do not lie on the hot ground and in the sun. Heat stroke can come on very fast. Take no chances with your health. If you feel you are really in trouble call for a “MEDIC” not a corpsman. The term “medic” is our signal that someone is really hurt.
                In this world of liability if we let our friend get hurt, it will eventually put an end to our hobby. I believe that, with common sense, we can keep reenacting nonfarbee and safe.

Warren Feldman M.D.

Just because you have placed the woolens in storage for the summer, doesn't mean you need to stop worrying about mosquitoes biting. In fact, since you are no longer wearing long trousers and sleeves you need to worry even more.  The Florida Department of Agriculture (DoA) recently issued a press release about the incidence of several mosquito-vectored viruses in Florida. Plus the Department of Health issues weekly summaries on virus cases among animals and humans in Florida. Both are posted to the Florida Pest Alert Web Site at http://extlab7.entnem.ufl.edu/PestAlert/.  The DoA is concerned that there have been a number of cases of virus infections in animals already, despite the fact that mosquito populations are currently low.

Because we have not yet entered the rainy period, the DoA expects that when the rains do come, and provide the necessary moisture for mosquito eggs to hatch, that there will be a larger incidence of virus infections than last year. As a result, the DoA is recommending that people stay indoors from dusk to dawn and wear long trousers and sleeves as much as possible at all times when active outdoors. You can read the details of the press release from the Pest Alert site mentioned above.

Last year I was amazed to see neighbors walking after dusk with their children who were often clothed just in a pair of shorts. While healthy adults usually don't experience the worst effects of the viruses, children and older adults do. Last year a nine-year-old boy and two elderly people died in Florida from eastern equine encephalitis (EEE).  If your immune system is down due to a recent illness or current condition, you are at risk. It's a lot easier to take a shower after coming indoors then to recover from West Nile virus, EEE or dengue fever.  For every case of West Nile virus confirmed it is estimated that 100 to 200 other cases also occur, but that these infected adults feel tiredness, muscle aches, and flu-like symptoms instead of a severe medical disability. However, there have already been four cases of dengue fever confirmed in Florida this year. This is one virus you don't ever want to catch.

In addition to long sleeves and trousers, use repellents. DEET and a number of alternatives are described on the Florida Pest Alert site.  Some companies now market mosquito traps using propane. Coleman has just come out with one for less than $200. While very effective, they do not eliminate mosquito populations, no matter what it says in their ads.

In Florida, as well in many parts of the South, we also have the Asian tiger mosquito. This guy breaks all the rules and is an active biter during the daylight hours.  So just because the Sun is high overhead doesn't mean there isn't a threat. This species is an effective vector of several viruses.

For details on mosquitoes and the viruses they vector see the National Public Health Pest Control Web site at http://vector.ifas.ufl.edu/, especially Chapters 2 and 3 of the manual.

Flag Day Services...June 14th....The town of Montverde (just about 15 min north of my house) is having a Flag Day ceremony at their town cemetery to honor the seven Confederate and one Union soldier buried there.  This is a nice ceremony and some of the direct decedents of the fallen men will attend the services.  Lt. Maynard and I did this service last year along with Dave and his 3rd R.I. artillery men and others.  It was a nice, well done event.  The time before the service begins is a living history - question and answer type thing with the general public.  Some local people serve iced tea and cookies and the artillery gives a demonstration.  I will be there with my horse representing the cavalryman buried there and Lt. Maynard will represent one of the infantryman.  The other soldiers will be represented by other men.  Rices Battery (10th Tenn.) will have both of their guns there to fire a salute each time a trooper's name is called.  Union and Confederate impressions are wanted and welcome.  Some locals will provide music.  This is a small town and this is one of their "big" deals of the year.  Afterwards if you don't feel like driving home, you are welcome to camp out back in my pasture or crash on the living room floor of my house.  We can have breakfast and relax Saturday.  The service will start just as dusk falls.  After the service drinks will be served at Lance's house.  Here is the kicker.....The service is on Friday evening the 14th of June.  You may need to take Friday off work to get here if you decide to attend.  We will meet on site or at my house and drive over together if you like.  We need to be there by 5:30 so we will need to leave here no later than 5:00.  If you can attend, please email or call me so I can let the host know how many to plan for.  From Hwy 50 west of Winter Garden take Hwy 455 towards Montverde (north).  When you cross over the bridge and get to the "T" intersection turn west (left)  This is still Hwy. 455 it just makes a turn there.  Go past the Montverde Academy School (the big white school and all its buildings) go just a few yards past the school and turn right on the first street (Porter St.) look on the left and you will see everyone.  For more information email Lance Belcher at lance81@gateway.net

Round Table Meeting.....Thursday, June 27th.  The Greater Orlando Civil War Round Table Will present a program by Sandra Friend the author of Florida in the Civil War A State in Turmoil.  Her program will be called "Researching the Civil War in Florida."  The meetings are held in downtown Orlando at 7:30pm.  It is not hard to find.  For more information contact Ruth Wood at  flrb@bitstorm.net