Bridgeport Railroad Bridge

Photo

Ruins of R.R. bridge across Tennessee River, at Bridgeport, Tenn.? (i.e. Alabama) and pontoon bridge in course of construction

Caption provided by Minnesota Historical Society from the NPS Civil War Series: The Battles of Chickamauga: The Confederates destroyed the railroad bridge over the Tennessee River at Bridgeport, Alabama, in their retreat from middle Tennessee. Major General Philip H. Sheridan's Union Division constructed the trestle and pontoon bridge in late August 1863 as part of Rosecrans's advance prior to Chickamauga. An engineering weakness caused the trestle structure to collapse twice during the Federal crossings. In this photo, the temporary bridge is under construction for the first time.

http://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/2012649979/

View this photo at lcweb2.loc.gov

BH Photo #259200

Map

Maps and Databases

Facts

Overview: Lost Howe deck truss bridge over Tennessee River on Nashville & Chattanooga Railway
Location: Bridgeport, Jackson County, Alabama
History: Built ca 1851; Arson planned, but never attemped due to being well-guarded November 8th, 1861; Partially blown up by Confederate General Danville Leadbetter; Remaining spans burned by Union General Ormsby M. Mitchell
Railroad: - Nashville & Chattanooga Railway (NC)
Design: Howe deck truss
Approximate latitude, longitude: +34.95265, -85.70312 (decimal degrees)
34°57'10" N, 85°42'11" W (degrees°minutes'seconds")
Approximate UTM coordinates: 16/618413/3868559 (zone/easting/northing)
Quadrangle map:: Bridgeport
Inventory number: BH 57034 (Bridgehunter.com ID)

Update Log

September 20, 2015: Updated by Luke: Added & corrected history; Added railroad name
July 10, 2013: Updated by Luke Harden: Added categories "Railroad", "Civil War"
July 8, 2013: Added by Ben Tate

Sources

Ben Tate - benji5221 [at] yahoo [dot] com
Luke