The Great Farini

Shane Peacock
Biographer, Novelist, Playwright, Journalist, Screenwriter
Author of The Great Farini - The High-Wire Life of William Hunt

The Lives of Farini-Hunt - At War (Part One)

At some point Hunt was lured to the Civil War taking place in the U.S.  It was likely that he was looking for more adventure. He ended up in Washington and ultimately joined the Union States forces under the command of Colonel John McLeod Murphy. Murphy commanded the 15^th New York Engineers Regiment. The Regiment was instructed by General McClennan, "to find a way to transport large groups of soldiers across rivers”. Murphy was impressed with Hunt’s “inventive mind” and asked Hunt to work on a way to accommodate McClennan’s wishes. It took Hunt/Farini three weeks to come up with a solution. The “solution” was demonstrated before a distinguished group, including the General and the President of the United States, Abraham Lincoln. Here is how Shane Peacock described the demonstration, “When all the officials were assembled the engineers quickly laid a pontoon bridge across the river, to much approval from the audience. Then it was time for Farini. First he had his portable “skirmish rope bridge” put over, a device which could be carried up to a river bank, quickly brought over the river and then used to transport troops much faster than the enemy could move. This too met with approval, especially when he raced over the bridge himself, firing his gun to give things “a little life”, as he put it. Then, in response to anticipated questions about how the bridge would be anchored on the other shore, he delivered his coup de grace".

NOTE: Mr. Peacock has written several books. His latest series is about "The Boy Sherlock Holmes" This is a wonderful look at the legendary Sherlock Holmes, in the beginning! To learn more about Shane and all of his works, please visit his website at www.shanepeacock.ca.

(To Be Continued)