Saturday, January 23, 2016

Diary of 5th Sergeant Alexander G. Downing: Monday, February 27, 1865

The day was clear and pleasant. About midnight last night our regiment was detailed to tear down an old mill to get material for the engineers with the pontoniers to build a bridge across the Big Lynches creek. We worked till 4 a. m., when we came in for a rest. This morning we took the advance again with the teams and worked all day in building corduroy to help the artillery and wagons across. When one layer of logs would go under in the mud, we had to put on another till all the teams had passed over. Our division got across late in the evening and went into camp about a mile beyond the creek.

Source: Alexander G. Downing, Edited by Olynthus B., Clark, Downing’s Civil War Diary, p. 257

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