| Engineer's Office |
| Department of East Tennessee |
| Knoxville |
| April 5, 1863 |
| |
| Maj. J. G. Martin |
| Assistant Adjutant-General |
| |
| Major, |
| In compliance with the suggestions of
the letter from Col. B. S. Ewell, assistant adjutant-general,
expressing the opinion of General Johnston that the works in
progress for the defense of the bridges in this department are
"too extensive," I have reduced their extent at Charleston
(Hiawassee
River) {East Tennessee &
Georgia RR} as much as possible. When completed, the works at this point can
be fully manned by 100 men. Unless both ends of the bridge are
attacked at the same time, 75 men would be ample for the defense.
Provision is made for two pieces of artillery only. |
| At Loudon (Tennessee River)
{East Tennessee & Georgia RR} the stockade at the east end is now nearly complete. At the west
end the work, as originally designed, is as contracted as I think
will afford a sufficient defense even against a raid. I would
urgently recommend that the works at this point be completed as
originally designed. The bridge is the longest and most costly on
the whole line of road. To man the works fully, 400 men would be
required, but unless the attack was made at both ends of the bridge
at the same time, 200 men would be sufficient. A foot-way is to be
prepared through the bridge for communication. |
| At Strawberry Plains (Holston
River) {East Tennessee &
Virginia RR} the works at the east end are already far advanced, and the timber
for the entire work is nearly all provided. Owing to the peculiar
construction of this bridge, I do not think the force for its
defense can, with safety, be reduced to less than 300 men. At each
end there are a number of small piers, not more than 20 feet high,
located on dry land, any one of which an enemy could climb and fire
the bridge. To prevent this, I propose a small shelter for three or
more men on each pier in the interior of the bridge-truss, with a
footwear communicating through the bridge with the block-houses at
the ends. This bridge, like those at Loudon, Mossy Creek, Carter's
Depot, and Zollicoffer, is one of the form known as "deck
bridge," trains running upon the roof or upper chord instead of
the interior or lower chord, as is the case with all others on this
line. |
| At Flat Creek, Mossy Creek, Lick Creek,
and Limestone {all East Tennessee &
Virginia RR} the works are very small, and are already far
advanced. The estimate of force required for these points was very
full, allowing one man for each linear yard in the outline of the
works. The number can undoubtedly be much reduced with safety, as it
is very unlikely, and in most cases impossible, that at any point
the works will be entirely surrounded, and attack made from all
directions at the same time. |
| At Carter's Depot (Watauga
River) {East Tennessee &
Virginia RR} the works are very nearly completed. For the same reasons as
expressed above, the force at this point can be reduced with safety
to 200 men. |
| At Zollicoffer (Holston
River) {East Tennessee &
Virginia RR} the work will consist entirely of blockhouses. The estimate of
force required (300 men) was for fully manning them, and for the
same reasons as given above the force may be reduced one-half. I
would not, however, recommend that it be done, as it is a point much
exposed to cavalry raids. |
| Very respectfully, |
| W. F. Foster |
| Captain and Chief Engineer Department of East
Tennessee |
|