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
This day’s bridging closed the operations on Virginia Water. With the
exception of seven rafts and the six carriages, the remainder of the
pontoons and stores were packed up and removed to their original
stations at Woolwich and Chatham. The seven rafts, &c., were soon
afterwards conveyed to Staines, in readiness for ulterior service over
the Thames.
On the 27th July another pontoon bridge was thrown, this time across the
Thames, at Runnymede, celebrated alike for its historic claims and
attractions, and for the beauty of the surrounding landscape. The point
chosen was an angle of the river about a mile from the town of Egham,
opposite Ankerwycke House. The operation bore some resemblance to that
which took place on Virginia Lake on the 5th July. The sappers commenced
their march at eight o’clock in the morning, and, proceeding with the
pontoons along the Windsor and Staines roads, halted on the banks of the
river at Runnymede at a quarter to eleven. At once the men set to work,
and under the more natural circumstances of steep banks and a strong
tidal current, unfelt at Virginia Water, threw in thirty-five minutes a
bridge consisting of six rafts of twelve cylindrical pontoons in open
order, twelve feet apart, and two half bays. To allow the operation to
be conducted without interruption, a mimic battle was fiercely carried
on some distance higher up the river, and to afford protection to the
bridge as it approached the Ankerwycke shore, parties of the 79th
Highlanders were rapidly rowed across in punts, which at the time were
lying unemployed and captured for the occasion. Soon the combat was
removed to the pontoons, and a heavy fusillade was for a long time kept
up. Under cover of the guns of the horse artillery, fired from a
commanding position, the troops poured over the bridge in a continuous
stream, and followed the retreating enemy, with all the impetuosity of
enthusiastic pursuit into Magna Charta Island. There the fight was hotly
maintained, and ultimately won by the little band of mixed troops under
the command of Lieutenant-Colonel Vicars.
The troops that crossed the bridge were a battalion of the Guards, 4th
Light Dragoons, the other battalion of Guards, 79th Highlanders, the
Horse Guards Blue, and some batteries of horse and foot artillery.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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