Benjamnin F. Butler, Butler's Book: Autobiography and Personal Reminiscences of Major-General Benjamin Butler

[684] that he concluded to stop for the night. I peremptorily ordered the tugs to proceed, whoever said anything to the contrary; and they did proceed.

I examined the pontoon train as it went up the river to ascertain the provisions for anchoring the bridge. The tidal current opposite the fort where the bridge was to be built, was very strong both ways. The engineer officer had nothing to hold the boats but ordinary grapnels of a few pounds in weight, and inch warps, about sixty feet long, to each boat. I saw that those, the moment the boats were pressed down, with the current running, would not hold, and

Despatch boat Greyhound.

that the bridge would give way, and the troops, and especially the artillery crossing it, would be lost.

Here was a dilemma and what to do I did not know. But remembering there were quiet a number of large sized sutler schooners anchored at City Point, I turned my boat to Bermuda Hundred, called for the provost guard, and seized as many schooners as were necessary. I had them tugged down and anchored stem and stern across the river in two rows, leaving and interval between them wide enough for the bridge, and also leaving an opening for a draw that the bridge would give way, and the troops, and especially the