A hero of the Battle of Gettysburg and a veteran of many other American Civil War battles, Washington Roebling assumed the duties of Chief Engineer of the Brooklyn Bridge only a few short years after the war ended. This report was written by Roebling and his staff six years before the completion of the famous bridge. It contains fascinating details about the construction methods, material selection, and materials testing that are easily understood by any lay person. Roebling suffered a debilitating injury from decompression sickness due to time spent deep in the bridge's caissons. His wife Emily was essential in helping him finish the project while viewing it from his apartment windows. She was a critical link between her husband and his engineers on the construction site, as well as helping him write reports.