Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1864-08-04
THE EXPLOSION OF THE NINE !.

oil several thousand OF our most gallant men.
THE EXPLOSION OF THE MINE.
The time assigned for the springng of the mine was orr
ginally hsfpsst three O'Clock but darkness still
vered the earth like the blacklist night postponed
until after four O'clock when still another delay occurred
The fuse had been pced half way in the tunnel and there
ceased to burn. After the expiration of reasonable
amount OF tme of the officers of the Forty eighth
Pennsyv darngy entered the tunnel and ret the
tngushed fuse Not long expectation kept wait
ing Before many minutes there culver, trem-
bling of the ground and slowly for the the
detached OF earth into the air. bearing with it to
height the bodies Of the garrison, the timber and
panking, I'D 8 me say even the guns OF the fort
The noise OF the ploson inconsderabe. greater
shock was expected but the pth at which the mine was
situated-over twenty feetunquestionably had much
do with muliDg the sound While the huge stood
poised for moment in the air it magnificent object
Of contemplation The nterscss wthin-it seemed made
Of layers and shafts of sandwere lit up with the urd
fash OF the exploding gunpowder, and the vaegsted
poet of the wbole-heTe dark there Observation-Disclosures
the pictures Of Mounts Vesuvus and Etna erup-
tion After pausing moment down it sank agsin like
fountain when the water is suddenly shut off, and the air
begsme filed with dust No embarrassing feature of the
moment the dense, sharply defined cloud Of smoke
which ensued upon the explosion and which was then
waited arily through the air.
THE EFFECTS OF THE EXPLOSION.
OF the effects of the explosion we are now informed
through of the victims who escaped with only few
scratches They state that such the terror created
az other parts OF the line that the cannoniers deserted
their Guns and ran away, not knowing which fort was
next TO COUP Some say there We're as many as three
regiments the fort blown up but about this there Is,
think doubt 1t certain however that one req
mpnt--the Twenty second South Carolina-was within
and in the vicinity and that ID almost entirely buried
It's Colonel FemDg reported to have persisted with it,
The garrison asleep at the time with tho excep ion
Of few guard and 1t Is reasonable therefore, to sup
pose that the assault complete surprise.
THE COMMANDMENT
We have been accustomed heretofore TO point to Fred.
ericksburp or Malvern Hill instances of the seyorest
caunonadng We shall future, think speak of that at
Petersburg and make it the basis OF comparison The
explosion OF the mine was hardly when the artillery
bechsd forth First Rodman thirtY-twO FOUNDER on
our front plainly distnci but soon the whole length
Of the line became enveloped in the discharges and the
air was led with the tremendous concusAn. For time
the rebel artillery did respond proof Of the terror
ady spoken OF having been created among the
mere by Che sprDgng Of the nine But their officers raj
lied them and ere Eany minutes the rebel line too was
abaze.
THE CHARGE OF THE INFANTRY.
Under Of the night infantry had been formed
behind the outer works. The charge to have been
made when the explosion took place The brigade Of Col
Marshall Of the fret division had the advance but the
terrific Of earth doomed up suddenly and
them, momentary fear felt that il one of our
forts which had been mined by the enemy The de-
usOn optical one, but still had its effect in re.
straining the impetus Of the fret onset will not say
that The became panic strcken but they hesihated
and the line Of battle swayed At last the efforts Of the
officers prevailed and the brgade-but until some FIVE
or ten minutes had espssd--charged with wild cheer
The first brigade under the gallant Bartlett at their
heels and together, Ledlies whole division charged
through the breach What few of the enemy near
by surrendered without a shot.
The breach filed with rebels, who struggling
TO Chamber out OF the sand These fortunate than
their comrades had been but partially buried detail
rapidly made, and our went to work to e1hume
all they could, really anxious TO dsnter all whom
few minutes before they had been anxious to bury.
Az fast eItrcated the rebels, with the other prisoners
sent to the the wounded to the hospitals where
they arrived with the first # injured Indeed the
one ambuapce wss filled with Upon and rebel sol
ders indscrimnately
Following came the Tbiry-ffth regiment of Massachu.
setts the engineers Of the DIVISION who set TO work with
their tools to the slope of the rebel line Of enrench-
ments and open up covered way to the works behind
Their efforts, however, but vainy employed the
sequel shows.
PotteTs division in Of Ledlie's and followed
into the rebel line, engaging the enemy who still renamed
| 10 position upon the right flank.
Wooxs division went further to the left and occupied
| the works in that direction.
the days work had ended with the capture Of that first
| line.
THE CHARGE OF THE CoLoRED DIVISION
Now the event Of the hour the turning point OF
the day In of I'll main column Of atack the coored
division had been formed with view 10 passing the other
divisions, when they had gained the outer line and
this starting point for the continuance Of the charge
The first DIVISION held the centre with the second aud
third either flank and the fourth advanced beyond
The troops were In two columns each brigade constituting
column Their splendid discipline could not but be OBJ
served and in the early part Of the contest no soldiers
behaved more CALAMITY They charged upon the and
an interior line Of the enemy and for time gained
decided advantages, attested in two rebel battle Gags