Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1864-08-13
The Attack on Petersburg.

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The Attack on Petersburg.
The Times special, dated before Peters
burg July SOth," says:
As soon after day-break as was practicable
for the troops to move in cooperation, an
immense mine, reaching far away under the
enemy's line of earthworks in front of Burn
sides corps, was fred. The explosion was
the signal for the discharge of every piece of
artillery we have in position from the Apo
mattox to our extreme left. The effect was
magnificent. Ninety-fve pieces of artillery
were fred so simultaneously that it seemed
as if they might have been discharged by
pull of one layard. The firing thus opened
was kept up in the same manner with scarce
ly perceptible lull for at least an hour and
a half, when it slackened to some extent
The result of the explosion of the mine was
almost to annihilate one regiment and bury
three guns.
Under cover of the artillery, and pushing
our advantage gained by the suddenness of
the assault the 9th Corps advanced, taking
possession of the works through the gap made
by the explosion and driving the enemy to
the second line, which crowns the hill tops
eastward of the town. Nineteen of the 22d
North Carolina, buried by the explosion, have
been dug out alive, badly burned and
scratched, and some of them doubtless NOR
tally hurt The attack they pronounce sur
| prise.
The mine was 400 feet long, and construct
ed with two galleries diverging from the
main passage, making three chambers in
which a train of powder nineteen inches wide
and deep was laid The effect of the ex-
| plosion was very disastrous.
The grandeur of the artillery fire / have
never seen surpassed The enemy's artillery
played but feebly. Very few minutes
elapsed before the rebel lines were entirely
shut from view by banks of smoke, and our
gunners could only be guided in their work
by having obtained a proper range before.
Many of the shells from the front of the 18th
Corps must have struck far in the streets of
Petersburg. From that direction a heavy
black smoke arose soon after the opening of
our fire, evidently from burning buildings.
After the rebel lines were pierced they made
hurried movement to their left and suffered
heavily from an enfilading fire.
Gen. Ledlie's division of Burnside's corps
led the attack, the 18th heavy artillery hav-
ing the advance. About 100 prisoners so
far have been brought into Burnsides Head
quarters. The cannonading is still hot and
the rebels hold their position obstinately.
The Worlds special says:
The mine was to have been sprung at
o'clock this morning, and the Lieuten ant
General, accompanied by his staff, reached
Headquarters about that hour. Gen. Meade
and staff also assembled at the same same
place at the time appointed for the explosion of
the mine, but for some reason it did not take
place. Everything movable in the way of
troops had been placed in position to move at
the first signal. The entire I'd corps were
held in readiness, but up to the hour of wri-
ting this dispatch they had not been called
into action.
At o'clock cloud of dust was seen rising
from the rebel entertainments. This was
followed by a general upheaving of earth
works, reaching, probably, fifty feet The
whole mass looked like huge fountain of
earth and dust, and formed a most imposing
spectacle. Simultaneously with this explo-
sion, our batteries along the entire line open
ed a most murderous fire on the rebel breast
works, and the infantry, with deafening
cheers, rushed into the embankment of the
enemy. Constant cannonading, lasting now
one hour and twenty minutes, has been GO
ing on.
At o'clock our valiant troops had cap
tured and occupied the first line of rebel en-
trenchments. Prisoners are constantly ar
irving from the 'front.' Several of our wound
ed are also coming in. They report the
slaughter llulCbcu upOu eutIuy UY tut eA-
plosion and accurate ranges of our shells
as terrible in the extreme.
HID Q'Rs PoToMAc ARMY, July 81.
After the explosion at an early hour yes
terday morning, everything betokened a
brilliant victory but soon after matters
assumed a different aspect, part of the at
lacking force having given way, exposing the
balance to an enfilading fire from both artil-
lery and infantry.
The programme was as follows: The mine
to be exploded at A. NJ; the batteries to
open at once along the entire line, immedi-
ately after the explosion, and the 9th Corps
to make the charge, supported by the 18th
Corps, Ayers division of the 9TH Corps, and
the Sd Division of the I'd Corps.
The greater part of the arrangement was
carried out as ordered, although the COM
meneement was later than the hour desig-
mated, ON account of the fuse going out
twice. The explosion took place at precisely
40 minutes past o'clock. The roar of artil-
lery that followed was almost deafening.r 4
At 5 o'clock the charge mas made and the
fort with part of the line and on each side
was carried in a most brilliant manner. The
I'd division, which was in the centre, advanc-
ed and carried the second line, short dis
lance beyond the fort, and rested, holding
their ground with the utmost determination.
At this time the colored division under Gen.
Julius White, was pushed forward and order
ed to charge and carry the crest of the hill,
which would have decided the contest The
troops advanced in good order as far as the
first line, where they received CALLING fire,
which checked them, and although quite
number kept advancing, the greater portion
seemed to become utterly demoralized, part
of them taking refuge in the fort, and the
balance running to the rear as fast as posi-
BILE. They were rallied and again pushed
forward, but without success. The greater
part of their officers being killed or wounded
during this time they seemed to be without
any one to manage them and finally fell back
to the rear, out of the range of the yolleys of
canister and musketry that were ploughing
through the ranks.
Their losses are very heavy, particularly in
officers, as will be seen by the following fig
ures
Twenty Third u s. colored, $50 officers killed and
wounded and 400 men lost including missing.
Twenty Eighth U. Q. ccioTed, IL officers and about