New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1864-08-05
ors condition Oh, the horrors Of war But the grand
old American Union must be preserved at all hasards
IIINoIYH
Abou, the nine-The Rebels mt Our Game
Col. Thos. A. smy'h--Onr Wounded
at City Peint-Tbo Commissfons'
From Our Special Correspondent

!
at City Peint-Tbo Commissions.
From Our Special Correspondent
In FnoNT OF PETERSBURG, Va,
Wednesday, Aug. lbti.
| II may be interesting to the readers OF 1Hf
TRIBUNE at this time to peiuse II not minute a
leas, correct description Of the mine sprung on th'
morning OF the 3Oth ult In front Of Burnside's corpe
No one will refuse to admit that IL perfect sue
cess and all will DO ready TO ascIibe to its protector
Lieut. Col Henry Peasants Of the 46th Pennsylvania
Veteran Volunteers all praise for the ingenuity OK IT.
conception the rapdity Of the construction. and the
full accomplishment Of the object intended viz the
complete destruction Of formidable Rebel fort. That
we failed from some cause to avail ourselves Of the op
poftuny 90 temptingy offered for the achievement oil
great and signal victory cannot of course, be attrb
uted 10 the nine which did It's allotment OF the WORK
with fidelity and completeness for exceeding the e1
pectaions of ts protector and constructor An invos
cation presided over by Ma. Gen. Winfield B Han
cock is now pending and viii determine who is cuira
BILE In the matter Until then criticism on the conduct
Of any particular officer officers must be deferred.
Meanwhile the people. from what has been published
already ere at liberty TO draw their inferences
Soon sitter the several army corps were placed In po-
tion in front Of Petersburg the pracced eye of Col
Peasants discovered opposite the position occupied by
Potters division Of the 9Th Corps an opportunity for
tho excavation of nine underneath large Rebel fort
opposite mounting al that time lie heavy guns short
and narrow ravine deep depression in tho ground
70 the rear Of our line Of earthworks afforded rare
facility for dsposng Of the eIcavated earth and sug
eested the location Of entrance to the tunnel or gal
ery leading to the mine glance at the formation OF
the ground satisfied Col p Of the feasibility Of success.
fully mining the Rebel work, and he Immediately laid
bis plan before Gen. Potter. his division commander
vLo referred the subject to the consideration OF Gen
Durn side who. on a thorough Inspection OF the Plan
also approved IT, and In turn referred 1t to Lieut. Gen
Grant.
AZ stated IN previous letter majority OF the Reg
ular engineers opposed the adoption Of the pssn re-
garling Il o. chimerical and wholly impraoucsble.
Gen. Grant however. saw fit TO indorse It, and gave
Col Peasants his permission to commence tho work.
As considerable tmo must have elapsed before TIE
necessary mining tools could have been obtained. CoL
Pleasante nodesily refrained from asking for them
but with ordinary pioneer implements on the 18th ut
began Che excavation. His own regiment most OF us
members being practical miners from Schuylk County
PENNSYLVANIA and hin self ciyiiand mining engineer
being detailed for this special duty divided into
eight ress Of three hours EACH and. under tie dreo
ton Of the Colonel Immediately set to work.
To Illustrate the Disadvantages under which they la
bored II is only necessary TO state thst the e1cn'sted
earth instead OF being taken to the rear In The usual
way on a small running 10 sand iro on wooden
track was brought back 10 the entrance In small hand
barrows and boxes with temporary handles attached.
AS the gallery which about four and half feet IN
hight and about the In width at the bottom being
narrower a, the top progressed. supports were placed
inter- prevent the falling OF the earth and every
prccsuon taken TO prevent accident or delay In the
oompietion OF the work. The inclination upward.
though slight, was gradual for 200 feet when water
being found. greater ascent was unavoidable.
Accordingly the direction Of the gallery vas turned
upv ard stiu more, forming an inclined PLAIN 81 one
hundred feet In length. when, no obstacle being en-
oountered, II was again pushed forward nearly on
parallel line with the first section for two hundred and
ten feet where, being underneath the srhsnt ~ the
Rebel work the construction of lateral galleries or
mino proper was commenced A the suffice Of the
Rebel fort was but twenty-five feet above, and the
sounds occasoned by the movements OF enemy were
audible from below the greatest caution wss exercised
TO prevent the discovery Of our operations.
The sound Of digging was also heard near the lon
wing Of the Rebel fort and believing that shaft vas
being sunk to cIcumvent Col. p, instead OF direct
lug the right literal gallery underneath the parnpo oil
that wing eyosvsted further toward tho center and
rear knowing that the explosion would az efectuaiy
do Its work that point at any other The length OF
the right chamber was thirty eight. and Of the lef
which, in part was situated directly beneath the Rebel
parapet thirty seven feet
On the 25th ut everything vns In readiness FOR the
charge consisting of COO pounds Of powder not I2oo
pounds as has been eroneousy stated. which was
placed in eight different chambers. each containing
! l. 900 mounds Between these chambers was the
tanning OF sand.bag, and logs. the latter placed
degoaaly across the chambers On the sprngpg OF the
mine three ordinary fuses each split and all tightly
tied together. we're need The loading charging Of
the mine occupied six hours and labor requiring
the utmost caution as candles and lamps in the gallery
were necessary 10 the prosecution o: the labor.
Tie work which wes commenced at 4. was uccom
psbed without accden: at p. and Oh the 26'h ut
the mine was ready for explosion A few days were
necessary however for the consummation OF piece OF
strategy which. although completely successim In it
ob,e.t ultimately jailed to accomplish moro than the
destruction OF a Rebel fort, with most Of Its inmate
the CAPTURE OF an uncomfortable number Of the enemy
with a loss side Of nearly 1000 In killed and
wounded The LOIS OF the enemy II we admit the truth
Of their own statement but 800 and although thciI
casualties probably larger than that number Il
could not have equaled ours.
The movements Of the ed Army Corps to Deep Bot
tom the James, and Its subsequent return on FRIDAY
night to the front opposite Petersburg. have alread!
been given in detail as has also the disposition 0
troops along tie entire line on the morning Of tn
attack.
Several days bad elapsed since tho charging Of IN
NINE and the feelings Of Col p. during that time
be imagined. II such thing Is possible. "Eo one,
said the Colonel In recent oony creation can tel thl