Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1864-08-10
THE PErKRsBURGu FIGHT FROM AN
EYEWITNESS.


Don E. Scott. a brother of Rev. Mrs.
Bailey of this place, to his mother.
Young Scott is native of Fairfax, but a
member of N. H. regiment. His regi-
ment lies close by the 18th VT, and both
took part in the 6ght:-
There is (or was) fort directly in
front of our division in the enemy's first
line of defenses. and at point where the
two opposing lines are not more than 100
yards apart This fort we have been I'M
dermining since the LIST Of July. The
sap was commenced in a ravine 100 feet
or more in rear of our front line. and
bushes were placed about the entrance to
screen the fresh dirt as it was thrown out,
from the sight of the enemy. The length
of the sap was 600 feet. After the fort
was reached, there were branches running
tothe right and left. under their ride-pits
connecting with the fort, so that the sap
underneath the fort. had the appearance
of letter L. There were three mines
placed under the fort, containing powder,
variously estimated at from 2 to 5 tuns.
All day Friday the 29th, extra guns were
being placed in position, magazines in
our forts filled to overlooking. and other
things done preliminary to an early move.
The night of the 29th and 30th, was en-
ployed in marching and counter marching
troops aud massing them in the ravine
before mentioned, just in rear of our
front line and in a cut of the Petersburgh
and Norfolk R. R., and still farther 10
the rear was one division of the A. G,
and the 18th corps, screened from the
sight of the enemy by woods and raising
ground In the front line and the ravine
our brigade was massed. In the rear of
that, the st brigade and in rear of our
division, LIST division. Behind the
9th corps was one division of the
10th and the 18th corps. Thus we lay
at 8 A. NJ. on the 3Oth. waiting in breath
less silence fer the explosion of the mine.
The plan was to have the mine sprung at
8 o'clock precisely. and that was to be
the signal for all the guns and mortars
that could be brought to bear upon this
portion of the line to open. The fuse
connecting with the mine was spliced
twice, but was badly done and twice went
out. The third time sergeant ventured
in to re-light it, and before he could get
out the mine was sprung, but fortunately,
he was not injured. This, of course, oc-
casioned delay, and it was A. NJ. before
we felt the ground heave under us; |
saw the air filled with dirt and smoke,
and one great sheet of flame. Almost
instantaneously 20 mortars and so guns,
2 of them 32-pounders, burst forth in
one deafening blast, and upon the instant
our brigade sprang over our pits, and
we're the first to rush upon the rebel fort.
Our advance to the fort was made under
heavy fire upon both TANKS as we'll as in
front, and we lost heavily. By this
movement we succeeded in breaking the
enemy's lines only at the fort and few
rods on each side, 50 that when we we're
inside the fort and their pits, they could
fire right down their pits from either side
upon us, and also upon all who should
attempt to come up to the fort from our
lines. While in the fort a part of the
negro troops in our Corps came up, and.
together with our brigade, occupied the
traverse-pits in the rear. "a traverse.
pit is a riAe-pit running at All angle with
the main line of pits.) The rebels still
occupied some of the traverse. pits. and
the negros were ordered to charge them,
which they did and carried them. Soon,
however, the rebels rallied in their main
line Of works and jumped upon them sud-
denly with perhaps inferior numbers but
there were so many in the pits, that they
could not work to advantage, and being
new levies they fell back in some confu.
sion, jumping down with fixed bayonets
upon our brigade, which was lying in the
traverse in their rear as support. The
pits we occupied were already filled to
OVERLOOKING, and when they Jumped down