3-021-699 - The Print Collector/Heritage Images

The Volunteer Review at Portsmouth: the 1st Hants Engineer Volunteers constructing a barrel-pier bridge for the sortie at Hilsea Lines, 1868. Illustration of '...the mimic battle, which was one of the most interesting affairs of its kind...The 1st Hants Engineer Volunteers, under the command of Captain Buchan, had constructed, the day before, a barrel-and-pier bridge over the water in front of Hilsea Lines. A pontoon bridge, for the use of the general public, was laid the same day by the Royal Engineers. The first-mentioned bridge was designed for the sortie of the defenders in the mock conflict...The field-guns and the 18-pounder guns of position of the 3rd Middlesex Artillery were dragged up the slopes of the earthworks and into the battery on the top. The Royal Engineers' pontoon-train at the same time began to throw over a pontoon-bridge to the west of the new iron bridge, and between that and the bridge which had been thrown over on the previous day. In ten minutes from the time of lashing the first saddle the creek was bridged and practicable for infantry; and in another four or five minutes the bridge was practicable for field artillery'. From "Illustrated London News", 1868.