History of the Royal Sappers and Miners, Volume 2 (of 2): From the Formation of the Corps in March 1712 to the date when its designation was changed to that of Royal EngineersConnolly, T. W. J. (Thomas William John)
History
History of the Royal Sappers and Miners, Volume 2 (of 2): From the Formation of the Corps in March 1712 to the date when its designation was changed to that of Royal Engineers
Connolly, T. W. J. (Thomas William John)
Great Britain. Army. Royal Sappers and Miners
In accordance with appointed arrangements, a military display took place
on the 5th July, in the presence of Prince Albert and Her Majesty. Early
in the morning about 8,000 troops were marched to the Water, on the
north side of which an enemy was supposed to have established himself,
represented by the second company of sappers and detachments of the
Grenadier guards and 23rd fusiliers. While a sharp and prolonged attack
was being made upon the brigade of Sir De Lacy Evans at Blacknest
Bridge, a body of sappers 125 strong, directed by a captain and five
subalterns of royal engineers, began to form the pontoon bridge, and to
carry out other subsidiary means for effecting the passage of the lake.
The six carriages of the train, packed with twelve pontoons and their
superstructure, were horsed by the royal artillery, and moved down to
the water’s edge, where they were unloaded. The remaining pontoons,
eighteen in number, had already been stored on the margin of the lake in
readiness for the service. The moment the order was given, the sappers
in fatigue-dress launched the pontoons, and with the greatest silence,
precision, and diligence, formed in forty-five minutes a bridge of
thirty cylinders with two bays across an arm of the lake 324 feet broad.
The pontoons were lashed in intermediate intervals of eight feet apart,
which is considered to be the proper adjustment of buoyancy for the
transport of the varied weights of artillery. While the bridge was
booming out, Her Majesty and His Royal Highness Prince Albert, with
their illustrious guests, embarked in a royally-decorated barge, drew
near the bridge and watched with evident interest the movements and
exertions of the men.
During the operation a party of twenty-one non-commissioned officers and
men, under three subalterns of the royal engineers, formed two rafts and
one demi-raft of the India-rubber pontoons, and rapidly ferried across
the lake four companies of the rifle brigade, who took shelter in the
woods close to the edge of the water. This service was executed in
exactly the same time that was occupied in forming the bridge.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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