The National tribune., 1883-12-27
TALES TOLD AGAIN.
What Our Veterans Have 10 Say About
Their Old Campaigns

To the Editor NATIONAL TRIBUNE;
A conlraae asks about it, and win give the
nause Oh the failure rs ! understood IL at the
time. The mine was 9th corps idea. The
engineer corps OF the army didn't believe IN It.
Tirutenast-C colonel Peasants, OF the 4oth
PENNSYLVANIA, bossea the JOB. and his part of it
was a complete success. except the fuse, which
burned about hair AID hour longer than was ex-
pected.
Burnside selected the colored division TO
make the assault The list brigade, under
Colonel Sigfried, were to take the lead, and
were drilled by him in Just the movements
they were expected TO GO through. Immedi-
ately after the explosion, and before the rebels
conid possibly recover from the surprise, this
brigade was to move rapidly TO the crater;
then onc-haif turn to the right and sweep
down the rebel lire in that direction; the
other hall OF the brigade were to turn TO the
left and 20 Us far as they could in That dfrec-
ton taking prisoners and securing the breast
works Every held officer. every line officer,
and every man knew just what he was ex-
pectad to do. The 2d and Sd brigades were to
nav no attention TO the first line OF works.
Their objective point was the battery on Ceme-
terry Hill They were TO make bee-iine for
that battery aud the other army corps were ex-
1leeted 10 .0il0N as rapidly as possible
I'll was q weIl-c0nceived plan, and mad the
franps FIRST selected been placed where they ex-
lected I'd 60 aud where they had made special
preparations Tor going, I believe ii would have
been q success.
Bat The night before the attack, General
Meade consulted General Burnside IN regard to
his plan for the morrow 1t was all satislac-
tory. except the troops selected for the advance.
Meade kicked on the colorel troops taking the
lead One OF the white divisions must take
THAI place, and. as the story went the selection
was made bv lot, and fell 10 General Leaiie.
Now. far the result: The mine was sac
cess. ard / was told by rebels who were IN the
breas works at the time. their line for forty
rods Oh either side 0f the crater was so con-
fused bv Iae explosion. thai Tor that distance
not gun would have been freo had the as
sault bcen promptly made; but Ledlies divi.
sion. when they reached the crater. acted as ].
They hal he idea OF what they were there for
They haaaled around ia gr0aFs. A few tried
70 dig oat some OF the cannon that were hal
buried ana others fired occasional shots al ths
reis On the right and left. Thus the time
passed natl the enemy recovered frOm then
surprise and commenced rnassing their forces
near the point that had been attacked. III,
golden moment for success bad passed, znC
what was u be done n0w2 There had no
been men enough killed 10 make il appear ina
an earnest assault had been made. White
troops were toe valuable 90 be sacrificed ans
rhe c5iarea division was ordered IN The.
wont I'D Earty-iive hundred strong. The,
lzssel tile erater sh8rt distance II the nirec
ti0n of Cemetery Ill., They received a Yoile.
that took every third man. Fifteen hundre'
Cf them ieM no troops c8nAa stand thls, ait
DO further effort was made.
0EE OF TIE FIFTEEN HUNDRED.
AURORA. AEB