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
