Pontoon Bridges in the Petersburg Campaign

Delving into the pontoon bridges of the Petersburg Campaign to provide logistical support for Park Ranger Aaron Rowland's pontoon project.

Overview map showing general area, highlighting importance of connecting the AoP and AoJ with pontoon bridges across Appomattox River at Point of Rocks and Broadway Landing. Later expanding from Jones Neck to Deep Bottom and Strawberry Plains to create an offensive bridgehead north of James River.....

LC 33386. "Pontoon bridge"

LC 1s02796. "A pontoon bridge on the James River; Stereograph showing a man standing near the middle of a pontoon bridge across the James River near Jones' Landing, Virginia." This is the same bridge shown in the following stereograph with the draft open.

LC 1s02797. "Pontoon bridge opened for steamers; Stereograph showing a pontoon bridge across the James River near Jones' Landing, Virginia. A group of men have moved the pontoon boats holding up the bridge out of the way to create an opening which will allow steamers to pass through."

LC 02062. "[Broadway Landing, Va. Pontoon bridge across the Appomattox]," unattributed stereo view, looking north from the right bank. Please notice the dog at this end of the bridge.

LC 01890. "Pontoon bridge across Appomattox, Va., below Broadway Landing, Va.," unattributed stereograph.

LC 01892. "[Pontoon bridge across the James River],"unattributed stereograph.This is the same bridge shown in the previous picture, likely on the Appomattox.

LC 03994. "[James River, Va. Pontoon bridge]," photograph by James Gardner.

A Pontoon bridge on the James River
The boats and timbers forming this bridge are carried on wheels. When the army needs a bridge the boats are quickly launched, and anchored parallel [perpendicular?] with the current, the timbers are soon laid. A bridge is thus formed, strong enough to permit the army to cross with the cannons and trains. The boats are then taken up, placed on the wheels and are carried with the army.

LC 20956. "Rough sketch of cavalry crossing, steamboat beyond bridge," drawing by Alfred R. Waud. It looks to me like a battery crossing followed by infantry. Even many of Waud's "rough sketches" contain accurate details.

Artillery caisson

Artillery limber

Not cavalry crossing. The end of a battery on the left with (perhaps) a forge wagon and two caissons. A mounted officer leading the column of infantry, middle of the bridge. The regimental flags may be seen at the center of the following column. Is the steamboat upstream or downstream from the bridge. Are there clues? Might that be Point of Rocks on the left?

It is not unusual to have a faulty caption on these images. There is no mistaking the artillery caissons. The infantry regiment has its flags at the center of the column, perhaps unfurled for the river crossing occasion. You can see the company breaks in the column. Next question. Where was this pontoon bridge? Not the James River bridge. Deep Bottom? Broadway Landing?

LC 00327. "[Germanna Ford, Rapidan River, Va. Artillery crossing pontoon bridges]," detail of photograph by Timothy O'Sullivan, taken at the onset of the Overland Campaign. For comparing to the above sketch.

Pontoon Bridges at Deep Bottom

July 26-27, First Deep Bottom: "General Hancock and General Sheridan marched in the afternoon of [July} 26th, and about two o'clock in the morning of the 27th, the Second Corps, followed by the cavalry, began crossing the James. There were two ponton bridges at Deep Bottom (the north end of Jones's Neck is so called), one just above the mouth of Bailey's Creek, the other just below it; the creek is about twelve miles from Richmond; it is four or five miles long, running from north to south, crossing the Central or Darby road (at Fussell's mill), the Long Bridge road, and the New Market or river-road. It was impassable near its mouth, and probably from its character there gave rise the the name of Deep Bottom. General Foster of the Tenth Corps held the two ponton Bridges. There was considerable force of the enemy intrenched opposite the upper bridge, but their line appeared to extend only a short distance beyond. General Hancock determined to cross by the lower bridge, and turn the enemy's left flank, while General Foster threatened them in front. The Second Corps and cavalry were over the river before daybreak, and as soon as it was light, moved forward, the cavalry on the right."  --A. A. Humphreys, Virginia Campaign of '64 and '65, pg. 248.

LC 33355. "Pontoon bridge at Deep Bottom, James River, Va.," unattributed photograph, likely Russell. Taken from the right bank, view from Jones Neck to Strawberry Plains. This is suggested to be the Upper Bridge at Deep Bottom, but details link it to the series of photos below. Assembled in August 1864.

LC 33355 detail. This is the engineer crew that built this bridge for the Second Deep Bottom operation in August 1864. They look hot and tired, but proud of their achievement.

LC 33369. "Lower Pontoon bridge at Deep Bottom, James River, Va.," unattributed photograph, likely Russell. View is from north (left) bank of the river, Curles Neck or "Strawberry Plains," to Jones Neck and upriver.

LC33368. "[Lower] Pontoon bridge at Deep Bottom, James River, Va.," attributed to Capt. Andrew J. Russell. The sentry at this end of the bridge is holding his weapon properly at support arms.

LC 33385. "Pontoon bridge across the James River," photograph by Andrew J. Russell. This appears to be a reverse print of the above photo.

LC 33367. "Pontoon bridge at Deep Bottom, James River, Va.," unattributed photograph, but possibly Andrew Russell, see previous photo.

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An Often Misidentified Photograph (Even Here!)

It was pointed out by astute observer Ranger Aaron Rowland that the photograph on the left from the Library of Congress (LC 02736), labelled "Petersburg, Virginia. Pontoon bridge," is likely an image of a pontoon bridge over James River looking from Manchester towards Richmond. The image on the right (LC 02724) is labelled "Richmond, Va. Pontoon bridges across the James, looking toward Manchester." The right-hand bridge in this photo appears to be the same as that in the photograph on the left, the same bridge viewed from opposite banks.