Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1864-08-20
A Rebel Mine ut Petersburg.


of the mine explosion by the rebels at Peters
burg that our forces were aware of their in
tentions. 1t occurred at p. m. and was i'm
mediately succeeded by rapid and successive
volleys of musketry. The smoke from the
explosion had hardly cleared away when our
men answered the rebel fire and replied to
the rebel yell with their wild cheer of deris-
ion at the failure of their mining operations
The correspondent also says:
The enemy, in all probability, intended to
have blown up sap we had run out towards
their line and charge through the opening.
They had, however, sadly miscalculated their
distance and the explosion took place five
rods in advance of the head of the sap Not
a particle of debris was thrown into any por-
ton of our lines and the sharp shooters did
not think it necessary to abandon their posi-
tions or men to cease work in the sap. The
explosion could bear no comparison in mag
nitude with that of Burnside, and the rebels
were satisfied with rising behind their works
and pouring in musketry fire.
The rebels developed no new batteries and
fired with far more accuracy than they have
hitherto been accustomed to do. Our losses
are trifling and hardly more than have hith-
erto been sustained through the ordinary
picket firing. That of the enemy must have
been more severe, as they exposed them
selves in firing the first voley, and were in
full range of our batteries, greatly superior
in number to theirs.
REPORT OF THE n. w. SANITARY COMMISSION
FOR MAY AND JUNE.-A beautifully printed
copy of this report for the months of Nav
and June, numbering ffty-two pages, lies on
our table. During the e months the Commits
sion have received 3,20S packages, or boxes,
and shipped 1896. The excess of the ship
ments over the receipts is explained by the
fact that the Commission have expended
Sl4,354.27 during May and June for hospital
supplies, which has been sent to the front
The average value of the boxes of sanitary
stores donated to the Commission is estimated
at $40, which makes the value of the 3,2OS
packages donated them Sl28,320 The cash
receipts for the same time have been ST.
0S5.2S
The report contains great variety of in
teresting matter A very explicit statement
of the present needs of the Commission,
with definite instructions for the preparation
of the desired supplies-an exceedingly in
teresting chapter from the diary OF one of
the distributing agents of the Commission,
who is with Sherman's army, operating at the
front-letters from agents and chaplains, en-
gagged in the work of the Commission, in
hospitals and on battle-felds-a lucid resume
of the legitimate work of the Sanitary and
Christian Commissions, by Rev. Dr. Thomp-
son, OF New York, former editor of the New
York Independent and present agent of the
Christian Commission brief history and a
charming bird's-eye view" Of the late Iowa
Sanitary Fair at Dubuque-and very salts
factory report of Messrs. McCagg and Batch.
ford, President and Treasurer of tie North
western Sanitary Commission, who have made
recent tour of inspection through the field
of operations of the U. S. Sanitary Commits
sion in the West-these are some of the
readable articles embraced in the report. 1t
ought to have a wide circulation, and be read
by everybody, for it contains a great amount
of needed information, and will remove any
lurking prejudices against the noble and pa
triotlc charity, known as the Sanitary Com
mission.