Nashville, Tenn. Fortified railroad bridge across Cumberland River

Well, from the ORs searched for Allan Polk, it was fresh cut timber. There were portable saw mills. Steam driven mills operated around where I lived.

The making of planks ranged from planks for the above bridge, gang-ways, piers and wharfs. But, you can always be safe and compare shade of the wood area with a human face. Brown, yellow brown--would be oak, poplar, ash--hard and sturdy wood that can carry weight.

Just some thoughts.

M. E. Wolf
 
Well, from the ORs searched for Allan Polk, it was fresh cut timber.

Yes, I thought that was the case. Thanks for making me not seem clueless.


There were portable saw mills.

Portable saw mills? I wasn't aware of such a thing. Were these things that military engineers took from place to place, or were these civilian operations that the military let out contracts to? If I ever get time I'll look into that...

- Alan
 
View attachment 5131

Is this the same bridge? I'd saved it from somewhere just because I always save CW photos I come across that I like. Boy, the entire bridge is amazing.

Thanks for this particular picture. I had posted earlier asking the question whether planked RR bridges could be constructed so that both rolling stock and trains could pass without having to remove the planks, then put them back.

Again, thanks.
 
Yes, I thought that was the case. Thanks for making me not seem clueless.




Portable saw mills? I wasn't aware of such a thing. Were these things that military engineers took from place to place, or were these civilian operations that the military let out contracts to? If I ever get time I'll look into that.

Small portable sawmills were called 'peckerwood mills'. They were common throughout the South in the first half of the 20th century. Here's guessing there was a version in the 19th that would have been steam powered.
 
That is some bridge. The middle span looks to be on wheels so as to rotate on the center piling to open for taller ships. You see something like that and clearly realize that the South could have never competed with the resources of the North.
 
I was looking at those as well. I thought that they were telegraph wires too.
I am noting a lack of actual wires, and I do see lightening rods astride the the poles, maybe that is all they were, or maybe this picture was snapped before the completion of the wire.
 
Well in the picture looking into the bridge look at their uniforms or should I say the lack of uniformity. Not to mention the guy leaning against the door on the right. The long overcoat the fellow in the foreground is wearing looks a lot like the cotten overcoats described and pictured in the discriptions of the Ft. Donelson prisioners.
 
Well in the picture looking into the bridge look at their uniforms or should I say the lack of uniformity. Not to mention the guy leaning against the door on the right. The long overcoat the fellow in the foreground is wearing looks a lot like the cotten overcoats described and pictured in the discriptions of the Ft. Donelson prisioners.
Interesting.
 
We need Wilber to zoom in on this one I would love to get a closer look at these men. The guy against the door looks like he might have a rifle on his right side. Also looks like he has a blanket worn as a poncho. Of course they could also be a group of civilians. It is a picture of Nashville Tenn. Though, these could be Rebs.
 
The O.R. report of the first post says it is of Hood's defences before Nashville. I think this could be some of Hood's men. Interesting lack of weopons though. Except for maybe that one guy.
 
When I posted the picture I posted all the info provided on the site with it. From what they said I think it possible it was in the hands of the Confederates at the time of the picture, but it could be at a point of turnover. Not sure.
 
from what i can see it appears to be constructed completely of, um, wood :thumbsdown:
other than the pilings and RR tracks.
 
Looking at the loc.gov website, yeah. Different angle but same railroad carrying bridge.

I'm also in the process of coloring. This oughta be good.

I would say that the wood would be close to the color of a new cut rough lumber. At that time the wood was prob. not all that old.
 
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