comprehensive words:

"For industry and energy displayed by him from the time of
his reporting for duty at these headquarters, in organizing
the Engineer Department, and for his skillful execution of
the movements at Brown's Ferry, Tennessee, on the night of
October 26th, 1863, in surprising the enemy and throwing a
pontoon bridge across the Tennessee River at that point, a
vitally important service necessary to the opening of
communications between Bridgeport and Chattanooga."

Certainly no language could be more clear and unequivocal than this,
and yet, as though General Thomas wished to remove all chance of doubt
as to whom the highest credit was due, he declared in a later and more
formal official report:

"To Brigadier General William F. Smith, Chief Engineer,
should be accorded great praise for the ingenuity which
conceived and the ability which executed the movements at
Brown's Ferry."

While even the best memory so long after the event is but little to be
depended upon for details, it may serve especially when supplementing
the records, to strengthen the conclusions therefrom. In this instance
it should be stated that it was perfectly well known to the late
Charles A. Dana, then present at Chattanooga as Assistant Secretary of
War, and also to myself, who was serving at the time on General Grant's
staff as Inspector General, and was in daily contact with all the
leading officers, that it was General Smith, and General Smith alone,
who conceived and carried out the plan actually used for the capture of