The National tribune., 1884-01-17
THE PETERSBURG MINE.
A Pennsylvania Veterans Account of How the
Work Was Carried On.
n NATroNAL TRTRuNE:

garding the mine at Petersburg, Va.
No feature of the siege of Petersburg was
more interesting and no undertaking more I'M
portant than the construction of the mine
under the rebel Notifications. So extensive
was this work, SO difficult the Instructions
overcome. so complimentary It's success to the
genius and perseverance of our soldiers, that
more than passing notice is due it.
After the investment of the city, about the
Goth of June, 1864, when our further approach
was disputed by the formidable character OF
the rebel works our officers began to look about
them for the means of accomplishing with the
least possible sacrifice Of life what then would
have required the most desperate and bloody
valor on the part of our troops, viz, the sue
cessful assault of these works. The eXpeolent
of mine originated with Lieutenant-Coionel
Henry c. Peasants, Of the 4Sth Pennsylvania
regiment mot that others did not think OF 1t,
but by most of our engineers the idea was not
entertained.
The distance between our first line and the
nearest and most important rebel force was
over four hundred yards-too great TO hope Tor
success when all the difficulties to be encoun-
tered in the way of quicksands, underground
marshes and discovery by the enemy were
taken into consideration. Colonel Henry Z.
Peasants however, cherished the idea. The
rebel fort doomed temptingly up in front of his
line and being man of much natural energy
and possessed Of much practical experience IN
mining operations, aud knowing that he would
be ably supported by his regiment, which was
mostly composed of miners from Schuyikiil
county the coal region of Pennsylvania, he
secured permission to commence operations.
The work was commenced on the 10Th OF June,
1864, and such was the secrecy with which 1t
was conducted that for long time the project
was unknown even to those at whose side 1T
was going on 1t is true that reports were in
circulation concerning it, but nobody could
speak with certainty Of the matter. One sol
der IN the breastworks by whose side ventl-
lating shaft emerged, told his comrades IN the
most surprised manner that there were lot OF
fellows under him ADDING something" lie
knew there was, for he could hear en- talk ..
To guard against indiscretions on the part of
the pickets and prevent any meeting OF our
soldiers with rebels wheTeat the secret of the
mine might be boastingly or imprudently dis
closed, our pickets were ordered 10 fre con-
tinaally. Hence the neyer-ending fusilade on
the front OF the 9th corps so incomprehensible
TO the other corps, and which YVES often referred
TO in newspaper paragraphs. The enemy
doubtless suspected at first that the under
mining was going on, bat when several weeks
elapsed without any demonstration their sHs-
picions began to vanish, especially as their
engineers must have thought the plan I'M
feasible.
DIGGING THE TUNNEL
The progress of the work was necessarily very
slow, and it was not until the 18th OF July,
1864. just one month after its inception, that IT
was completed. At the outset one Of the most
important points was to ascertain the exact
distance and bearing of the rebel fort. Work
/ ing under ground is literally working in the
1 dark, but the distances were laid of upon the
I ground behind our works and from these lines
as bases, and with the angles formed by lines
extending in the direction of the fort, simple
Z geometrical problem was formed. the solution
of which gave the required distance. The
different triangulations gave a result of 510
feet The excavation was commenced In the
side Of the hill where0n our exterior line OF
works ran. The tunnel, or, to use the tech
meal term. gallery" was about four and a
half feet high nearly as many feet wide al the
bottom and two feet wide at the top. The
( usual army pick was not suited TO the work,
as its aukes were too broad 70 permit their
swinging in the tunnel. This difficulty was
easily overcome, however, by fling down the
iinkcs TO the size of the regular mining picks.
Water was met with not far fran the entrance,
and for 6 tir8e gave no iiszs tFxussse The
I floor. however, WIS pianked and the sides
and ceiling shored up. A guieke2nd was also
met with and 10 obviate it the range Of the
tunnel was curved upward so that the latter
half was several feet higher than at the en-
trance. TIE cozing Of the water formed mud
IN several places so that the regiment came
from their daily labors bespattered and stained
In fact. ii was easy during the time from june
. 10 July p to recognize a 45th man by HI:
muddy boots. The earth, as fast as il was ex
cayated, was conveyed in hand barr0ws, made
OF cracker boxes or half-barreIs 10 the mouth
where it was esnpticd into bags, which wer,
alterw ards used on the top Of the breastworks
IN this manner a suspicious accumulation Of
earth was avoided. The ventilation OF the
tunnel was most ingenieusly effected. Jus
within our exterior line Of works shat
was sunk 10 the side Of the tunnel, at it
Junction with which fireplace was built
with a grating opening into the gallery; on
cad Of a series Of tubes made of pine boards
WAS inserted through the earth into this fire
place. where, as the air became rarihed and
assembled Il created a . suction or draft in tn
tubes connecting with the gallery. As fast a
the tunnel progressed. additional tubing wa
jopted on, and followed the worknlen step by
step. The smoke from the fire could not O.
course be concealed: but TO Withdraw a:ten
ton from il. fires were kept burning at variou.
points along the line. The lighting Of the fun
mel was effected simply by placing candles o.
lanterns along TIE walls at a distance of abou
ten feet apart.
AZ length the end WIS reached, and the tri
aneulation was sbundaqhy verified by TIN
noises heard overhead. The mailing of tilabe
and planl1s caaid be distinctly heard and lei
no doabt that the men were directly beneath
the rebel fort The enemy were eyidentl,
, making flooring for their artillery. As sool
as II became apparent that point direct,
uHter fae fort had been reached, the e9nstrue
5 ton OF the mine was commenced. Tho angle
Of The fort projected toward our lines, ant
} under this angle tie tunnel diyerged into tw
galleries each running as near as could be as
certaiHed. under each side 1t was the inten
ton that the aine should consist of eigh
magazines placed at intervals along thes
branch galleries. 50 that the entire length o
tie fort might be blown mp in place OF one spot
either branch gallery They we're two by twe
; explosion OF the magazines was effected throug
{ tubes Of pae wood. SIX inches square, hal
filled with ponder They ran along the bot
!, tom OF tide innnei, and entered the magazine
/. through openings made for them Betsee
0 each pair Of magazines and over the tubing WI
0 the tamPing of sand bags aad logs. Th
t8bes extended only one hundred feet from til
e milne: thence they were connected with th
7 month Of the tunacl by flses-the regula
5 " sure-Gre" coal aiming Of Pennsylvania.
The mine was charged on the 21th day
July, lS5i- The quantity of powder used wa
n six tons Pause. and think Of it. SIX tons
i twelve thousand ponnds} Imagine eight dr.,
e goods boxes tic magazines reseInbled them
: SIG % aapo iiiied with powder. and you wi
. haze an .aca Of tie mine
j VAS member Of the 4sth regiment, an
a worked IN the mine from the day 1t was con
! nseacsd til II was completed.
e 4SrH RECT Pa. INF. Vols
4 PoFEsgELLE, Pa.