Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1864-08-20
rrom N. ThIrty-Seyeuth Regiment,


Anriety of COnvaIesce1sts-Pdrt taken By the
37h-CL HdTTma1l-List Of LOsses-Gal-
Lasstyy Of Indian Soldiers.
Correspondence Of the State Journal.
NEAR PErERssgRe, Va, Aug. l, '64.
have another bloody scene in this great
war panorama TO recount TO you, though not
myself personal actor in the same. The
S7th has, however, been again called on to
take an active part, and has, as its list OF
killed and wounded and the testimony of all
who witnessed the action show, done its duty
well and truly. On Thursday, the 2lst, left
the field hospital and took up my quarters IN
our convalescent camp" about two miles IN
the rear of our advanced lines, but within
plain hearing of the picket firing on the
front. We passed several days here in quiet,
undisturbed by any unusual uprOar, desul-
tory picket firing and occasional artillery
skirmish alone breaking the sultry stiffness of
the long, hot summer DAYS.
On the morning of the 30th this quiet was
broken in on by the din and uprOar OF as
fierce and determined battle as any that has
vet taken place before Petersburg. On that
morning, Just as the run rose above the East
ern horizon, glowing red and angry through
the morning mists, like ball Of molten met
al, we were aroused by the sound of three
heavy guns fired in rapid succession from
battery on the left. This was quickly follow
ed by a dull, heavy roar, perceptlbIe con-
cussOn of the air, and trembling OF the
solid ground on which we lay. This was sue
ceeded by the opening of every battery along
our whole lines, said to number four hundred
pieces of artillery, of every size, from the
:. light I2-pounder field piece" up to tho 100
pound Parrot and six and ten inch mOrtars.
The reports of these pieces were almost con-
tinuOus. and from this time till u O'clock did
the hellish uprOar continue. Sleeping was of
course out of the question, for we had no oc-
casion to ask what had happened. We could
tell well enough that the mine which for
weeks past we had heard was being run I'M
der large rebel battery in front of the 9th
corps, had been exploded, and the question
In our minds was "what next?"
But We we're not long left in suspense, the
sharp vOllies of the rifles in our front, and
the cheers-Yankee cheers-risiDg above the
din of the cannOnade, told Us that our Corps
was advancing. Hastily shatehing mouth
full or two of hard tack, we crawled out, three
of US, as far towards the front as our strength
would permit, and there, in painful anxiety,
waited news from the front. Our feelings
will not attempt to describe, but you can i'm
agine them. l know that a more anxious
morning / never passed in my life. We had
not long to wait for tidingS, soon, but too
soon, the long line of ambulances came roll
ing in from the front with each Its CHASTITY
load of hacked and bleeding humanity
From them we learned that the mine under
the Fort had exploded, completely tearing
the work TO pieces and burying hundreds OF
rebels and several cannen in its ruins. That
our Brigade had advanced with the rest of
the Corps and was holding the ruins and the
first line of rebel works; and so the fore
noon wore away, the day was still and sultry,
and the hot sun was shining down fierceiy on
the dry sandy battlefield where the wounded
Law in their agony, praying for water, and,
but too often, in vain. And now, towards
noon. as our artillery fire slackened, we could
hear the wild shrill yell of the rebels as they
charged, maddened with liquor, in vain at
tempts to retake the works we had so well
won in the morning.
Towards four o'clock, however, in the af-
ternOOn, they were strengthened by reinforce
mcnts from their. left, and our men having
become completely worn out by their exer-
tiOns, added to the impOssibility of procuring
water, and their having been without food
since the evening before, a final charge on
the fort compelled our men to fall back to
the line of rifle pits they had left in the
morning. The position, indeed, was one that
no number of troops could have held success
fully for any length of time, being complete
II commanded by the fire of two forts and
three lines of rifle pits which the rebels still
held.
Had it been possible TO have got battery
into position in the fort, something might
have been effected, but, so whitening was the
cross fire from the rebel lines, no men nor
horses could have dragged guns into an effec
g. Tia Of arr tbs
9th Michigan, and some belonging to a heavy
artillery regiment succeeded, after some
heavy digging, in unearthing couple of the
rebel guns which had been buried by the ex-
plOsiOn of the mine, and getting them to
bear on one of the rebel forts, silencing its
fire for a time. But their ammunition soon
failed and the fort again reOpened its fire.
The main credit for the accomplishment of
this scheme, which saved the lives of many
of our men, is due to Col. Hartman and
Adjutant MiltimOre of our regiment, and to a
sergeant and corporal of the I'd Penn.
Heavy Artillery, the two former having orig
mated the scheme and the latter rendering
valuable assistance in giving directions as TO
working the guns, &c.
About four O'clock the order was unwilling
" given for our men to fall back, which they
did, leaving many killed and wounded on the
way. The same night our brigade was re-
lieved, having been on continuous duty in
the front line of works for thirteen days.
Our loss in killed and wounded amounted to
I4I, being considerably more than half of
the number of men engaged.
The explosion of the mine is reported by
those who witnessed it to have been fearful
sight, the air being filed, to the height of so
feet, with fragments of timber, human beings,
gun carriages and general debris, while vast
cloud of dust and smoke hung high above all.
Nearly two hundred rebels were dug out of
the ruins by our men, over one hundred of
whom were alive and brought prisoners into
our lines. They stated, in my hearing, that
nearly 500 men of South Carolina Regi-
ment, lying round the Fort, and not in it,
we're buried by the sand and dirt thrown up
BY the explosion.
This, the third, action we have taken part
in, has reduced our already decimated ranks
sadly. On dress parade this evening we re
ported 95 men fit for duty. The boys, how
ever. feel good and cheerful, aud their conf
dence in Gen. Grant is mistaken, and a re-
ported advance of our lines on the right a
distance of three miles adds to their conf
dence.
What our next operations may be, we of
course cannot tell. RumOrs are rife of our
corps being ordered to Kentucky, but this is
probably mere camp gossip. l enclose list
of killed and wounded, and remain
Respectfully yours, X. Q. E.
List of casualties of tie 37h regt. WIS. Vols.
ia an attack oa Petersburg, Ia. July 80, ga.
COMPANY A.