ugh failures of the pontoons to do their allotted
work; while, on the other hand, a morbid desire to insure absolutely
trustworthy solidity of construction must be restrained from imposing
needless burdens, which may habitually make our crossings Fredericksburg
affairs. Between these extremes lies the right road. American skill has
hardly exhausted its resources on this problem. The suspension-bridge
train, a description of which General Meigs has published, is deserving
of consideration for many cases in campaigns. General Haupt's remarkable
railroad-bridges thrown over the Rappahannock River and Potomac Creek,
the latter in nine working-days, were structures of such striking and
judicious boldness as to justify most hopeful anticipations from the
designer's expected treatise on bridge-building. Our national eminence
in the art of building wooden trussed and suspension bridges is proof
enough that whatever can be done to improve on the military
bridge-trains of Europe may be expected at our hands. We shall not lack
inventiveness; let us be as careful not to lack judgment, and by all
means to be fair and honest in seeking for the best system. When the
experience of this war can be generalized, a more positive
pontoon-system will be exacted for our service. It is fortunate that
this matter is in good hands. While hoping that the close of the present
war may, for a long time, end the reign of Mars, it behooves us never
again to be caught napping when the Republic is assailed.

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FOOTNOTES:

[Footnote A: The phrase is General Taylor's. When Santa Ana brought up
his imm