HOW TO CROSS A RIVER.

3. January 2008 by admin.

Colonel Weer, at the head of his division, arrived at White River, Arkansas, at night and found the stream impassable. The recent snow had gone off with a rain, raising the water very fast, and the whole army was hurrying by forced marches to cross the river before it rose, as it was so low as to be fordable; but, with all his haste, his forces were too slow. Colonel Weer ordered Captain Stockton to cross his battery “as soon as possible.” The captain asked, “Where are the boats?” Colonel Weer determined to beat Gens. Schofield and Herron, who marched upon two other roads, replied: “Make them, sir, the quickest was possible!” Captain Stockton took two wagon beds of his mule wagons, and covered them with tarpaulins, and making a cable out of prolongs was crossing his battery with two hours! The next morning the rope across the stream broke, and all attempts to get across by swimming horses and tying it to mules tails, failed, when Stockton drove a plug into a shell and fired it across! His lieutenant on the opposite shore, ran and picked it up, and all things went on swimmingly again. A trip with this boat was made and loaded in ten minutes! The boat was in constant use four days, and not a single accident happened.

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