The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1864-08-12
The Federal Disaster at Petersburg
Correspondence of the n Y Herald.

Correspondence of the N. Y Herald
/ will endeavor to givs you the real yer
sion of the late failure before PETERSBURG
-Four or FIVE days prior to the explosion
Gen. Hancock's "a Army Corps crossed
the James River. accompanied by Sheri-
dams cavalry corps-some twelve thous>
and men. Hancock was across, and after
little fighting took Malvern Hills and
four large siege guns, placed there by the
rebels.
Two days afterward Torbert's livisi N
Of cavalry whipped division of rebel in
fansry-a thing unheard of in the annals
of this war. Hancock then established
himself within eleven miles of Richmond
What was the effect Of this crossing on
the rebels +? They sent over Hills and
Longstreet's corps-their two largest corps
imagining We had abandoned Peters
burg and were making flank movement
on Richmond.
On the 29th July the 2i (regular) di
vision of the 5lh Corps received orders
about ten o'clock This division ,fcur
thousand eight hundred strong) being in
reserve was ordered TO strike camp and be
IN the cut Of the Petersburg and Suffolk
Railroad at three O'Clock in the morning :;
that the mine on Burnside's right would
be fired at half past three o'clock, and to
hold themselves in readiness 10 charge af-
ter Burnside and the 18th Corps.
The orders also enjoined tha. no fires
should be lighted; :; but Burnsde's men dis
regarded this, and constructed large fires.
AS the lines are very close 20 bis front, the
rebels could plainly see the men in Burn
sides corps, taking down their shelter
tents and packing their knapsacks. This
! fortunately still further carried out the de-
lusion that we were about to cross the
James, and accordingly the rebels were
running trains all night and hurrying men
away.
Owing to some hitch at Burnside's the
mine did no. explode until twenty minutes
past four
At 2 o'clock Gens. Grant and Meade
were, with their Stats, a, Burnside's bead
quarters. Immediately on the explosion
Of the mine every gun and mortar on our
whole line opened, and the grandesl artil
lery firing (al on our sideJ began that
! have ever heard.
The rebels rose from their beds in the
| greatest hurry and Consideration. Down
went their shelters, and, finally, feeble an
swers came from few of their batteries
We sienced all their batteries bu, one,
which, owing to its peculiar position, we
could not get an accurate range of As
sc on as the mine was blown up, which en-,
gul'ed seven companies of the rebels and
four cannon, the nj ggers and a brigade of
white men we're to charge.
Five minutes delay took place in moving
up after the mine had gone up. The rea
son was the cowardice Of the niggers.
The brigade in advance, which was
composed of niggers, laid down their arms
and refused to charge. Gen. Ayres, in
speaking of this afterwards, was heard to
say that if he had been in Burnside's place
he would have Iun down two guns, Goub-
lie shotted with canister, and given them
the alternative of charge of canister or
of making a charge. The second brigade
Of niggers (three thousand five hundred
strongl marched over them, followed by
a brigade of white men one thousand two
hundred strong.
Up they went to where the mine had
been blown, and which was on the rebels
| front line, meeting no resistance save a
few shells rather wildly thrown from rebel
batteries on tie tianks Forward they
went, and planted their colors on the sec
ond line.
When they reached the second line a
mete squad Of three hundred rebels made
their appearance, and the niggers, wiihout
firing single shot, by showing to the
lett, pushed the one thousand two hund-
red white men on their left into the mine,
and then turned tail and ran away till
they got clear back into our lines. These
one thousand two hundred men drove
back twice these three hundred, first bv
themselves, and then when they came
down reinforced. For these one thousand
two hundred men there was no retreat. -
Their position was in rear of the rebel
main line, SO that the rebels were between
them aud US. Thus, you see, they were
surrounded on every side. They fought
like tigers. They dug up out Of the mine
two of the rebel guns and fired them on
their right and left. But every rebel bat
teTy aud musket was now turned on .bese
devoted few. They tried to run through
but fell in crowds at every attempt
Where is the 18Th Corps wonders every
one! Where are the other divisions OF
Burnside /! They did not stir foot when
these men went up to charge. They
should have followed Immediately behind
them, and our troops rushed up in masses
through that breach, and the rebels would
have been at their mercy, the guns cap
tuEed, and Petersburg in our possession
But about these twelve hundred Nc
aid went near them. One of our Generals
it is said, saw the rebels craving up or
hands and knees, like assassins, TO shoe,
at these men in the mine. You mus,
know that owing to the explosion and the
consequent scattering of earth the grount
where the mine or fort bad been was five
feet lower than the rest, and TINS wer,
the brave, gallant men assassinated ant
slaughtered, while our whole army, from
their parapets looked on and saw how fee
bly, they answered our artillery and pickle
firing, and all over could De heard. -
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