The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1867-06-18
THE BATTLE GROUNDS OF PETERS
BURG.

The New York Times of Friday contains a
long aud Interesting letter from Petersburg, the
writer of which is doubtless Mr. Swinton, the
historian OF the late war, whose works have
been received as we'll at the South as at the
North. He has lately been on visit to Peters
burg, where he received many courteous atten-
tions, and spent several days in examining the
old battle grounds, in company with former
Confederate officers. The letter is too long for
republication in our columns, but we cannot
pass it over without making some extracts:
"Were the battle fields around Petersburg
situated in some remote corner of Europe, |
dare be sworn they would be visited by more
Americans than do now visit them, accessible
as they are and intensely interesting as they
ought TO be to every lover of his country. But
even of those who do come here but few obtain
any intelligent conception of the siege, of the
character of the tremendous defensive works
which cover the country around Petersburg, of
the true nature of the military operations here
carried on and indeed the only attentive OBJ
servers have noticed here are some English
visitors, come all the way from across the water
to see the famous battling ground of Grant aud
Lee. l hope the time will arrive when juster
appreciation will bring many to look with wonder
and admiration upon spot invested with SO
deep historic interest. 1t is very certain that
long those very features that lend the greatest
charm to the country around Petersburg will
have Disappeared; and already, what with the
action of the elements and mans destroying
finger, many of the lines and works have crum-
bled to decay.
Of course no man visits the lines without
making the "Crater" an object of special atten-
ton. The account is lengthy, but it will be
read, and continue to be read, with never-f flag
ging interest:
"After ride of a mile and half over very
rough ground, which, thanks to our sure. footed
and admirably trained horses, we travelled safely,
We reached the "Crater." This, it will be
readily remembered, is the scene of Burnside s
famous mine; and in examining this and other
parts of the line, I have had the advantage of
the company of Gen. Malone, the most skillful
and enterprising of Lees commanders, and the
officer who figured on the Confederate side in
this as in most Of the other operations during
the long siege.
''The fort under which the mine was con-
structed, and of which all that now remains is
the "crater," IS placed on what was consider
able salient of the enemy's front. The hostile
fronts here also we're extremely close. Now,
between Burnsdes position and the site of the
fort, the ground dips midway into a ravine, and
from this it rises into bill of perhaps forty or
fifty feet, on which the work which it was desig-
mated to blow up stood The ravine, which was
guarded by the Union pickets, afforded perfect
cover to troops in the operation of mining, and
the tunneling was begun at the base of the hill
When the galleries were completed, and all was
in readiness, the mine was exploded on the
morning of the 30th of July. 1t is familiar to
all that after the explosion, which was perfect
success, the assaulting column went forward;
but owing to great mismanagement the troops
were allowed to huddle into the crater instead
Of going forward, so that they were finally driven
out, captured or killed. As these things are
we'll known, there is no occasion to reeite them
in this letter, the object of which is to put on
record such new facts as / have discovered 10
the course of my intercourse with many Con-
tederate officers who took part 10 the affair.
"On the morning of the explosion the fort,
the rife trenches to the right and left were
held by brigade of South Carolina troops
The work was defended in addition to the in-
fantry, by battery of four Napoleon guns,
under Captain Pegram, an officer l have met
here. The fact that have met him here at all
is due to the circumstance that on that particular
morning he was at his camp mile to the rear;
for as to bis command they we're all blown into
eteroty-all save two that were dug out. Be-
sides this loss Captain Pegram informs me that
of the South Carolina troops in the fort and in
the works to the right and left. abou. hundred
were killed. fact which believe is now known
for the first time. Having occupied the breach
made by the explosion, it was the design that
the Union troops should without halting press
forward to height in the rear of the fort known
as Cemetery Hil but this purpose was not car
ried into execution. Had it been doIe, it has
been claimed that Petersburg would have fallen,
and have little doubt this would have been the
case, for standing here on Cemetery Hill, one
readily sees that it takes in reverse everything
the enemy had, both to oppose this adyance-at
least, not more than hundred or two of the
South Carolina brigade, who had been holding
position in reserve Sc paralized was the
enemy that this state of facts continued for three
hours; and it is plain to see that only such
shameless mismanagement on the part OF the
officers, as was developed by the inquiry which
General Grant instituted into the affair, banked
complete success. Finally Lee recovered him
self, and Withdrawing Malone from, bis position,
a mile and half to the Confederate right, he
sent him to recover the ground That officer,
riding over the scene with me, has pointed out
to me whence he came-how he brought his
troops round unperceived under cover of a hill
how, striking a-raving little to the (Union)
right of the fort, he brought his men forward
toward the position and advanced, hidden by
some low ground. "When I arrived" (togaitur
Mahone), 81 counted eleven battle flags along
the parapets; eleven times two are twenty-five
Counting two hundred men to regimeut)
twenty-five hundred men; bat then reflected
that many of the eolors were run forward simpls
to bring up the men, and saw that there could
not be that many: Disposiog the troops tbu'