| From the Lynchburg Virginian |
| September 8, 1864 |
| |
| New River and Otter Bridges {on
the Virginia & Tennessee RR} |
| Editors Virginian:
Articles have appeared in several of the papers in this State on the
rapidity with which the Va. & Tenn. Railroad was again put in
order after the extensive damages done to it by the enemy on the
advances of Crook and Hunter in May and June last, which do not
justice to all the parties concerned. |
| New River bridge, 800 feet
long, was rebuilt in 19 days, from timber standing in the forest, by
the engineer forces of the department of West Va., and the railroad
forces jointly, all under the direction of Capt. R. C. McCalla, C. S.
engineer, by virtue of an order from the brave Gen. W. E. Jones, then
commanding department as a military necessity. Maj. Goodwyn,
Superintendent of the railroad, neither planned or directed that work. |
| In the first place, extensive
facilities had to be established, for the transshipment of freight,
passengers, &c. across the broad and rapid river. This engaged the
engineer forces nearly a week's time. They then built two-thirds of
the bridge in the balance of the nineteen days, while the railroad
forces built the other third in the entire time. |
| Nor is the entire credit for
rebuilding the Otter bridges due the railroad company and their
superintendent. It is true that they exercised, with great energy, the
lesson they had learned at New River on bridge building. Besides,
Capt. McCalla, with his veteran engineer troops, was there also,
"boiling in the hot sun," to the extent of any one, none the less
useful again with his skillful appliances than with the heavy blows of
his large mechanical and laboring force, and teams, &c. |
| West |
|