Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1885-11-06
Exploding Mines Before vicksburg.

NACS4 VIC gu Va WAY luo WOlA VI
fottifyihg.;' &d pushing forward ,out
position nearer to the enemy, Shhd, been
steadily progressing. At the point on
the Jackson road in front of Ransom's
brigade a sap was run up to the ene-
my's parapet, and blythe 25th of June
we had it undermined and the mine
charged. The enemy had counter
mined, but did not sttpeed in reaching
our mine. At this PARTICULAR point the
hill on which stood thu rebel work
rises abruptly. Our sap al closeup
to the outside of the eHepy's parapet.
n fact this 'parapet' wAs''Also our ;'Ptro-
tsction. 1.-THE soldiers 6f the two sides
occasionally conversed pleasantly across
this barrier: sometimes they would ex-
change the hard bread of the Union
soldiers for the tobacco of the Confed.
crates, and at other tihes they threw
over hand-grenades. the rebels throw
ing them first, and our men often
catching them h their hands and re-
turning them.
Our mine had been started some dis
lance back down the hill; consequent
ly,ewhen it had extended as far as the
parapet,, it@waS many feet below it.
This caused the failure of the enemy ID
his search to find and destroy it, On
the 25th of June, at 8 o'clock, all be-
Ing ready, the mine was exploded. A
heavy artillery fire along the line had
been ordered to open with the explo-
sion. The effect was to blow the top
OF the hill off and make q crater where
it stood. The breach was not sufficient
to enable VS. to pass a column of attack
through. In fact, the enemy having
failed to reach our mine, had thrown
up a line farther back, where most Of
the men guarding that point were
placed. There were a few men, how
ever, left At the advance line, ahd 9TH
ers were Working in the counteE:mine.
which was gtill being pushed e find
ours. All that were there were thrown
into the air:some Of them coming down
on our side, still alive. 1 remember
n colored man who, having been
underground at work when the explo-
sion took PLACE, was thrown to our
side. He was not much hurt, but ter
ribly frightened. Some one asked him
how high he had gone up. ::Dun no,
massa, but t'ink bout t rec mile" was
his reply. General Logan commanded
at this point, and took this eolared man
to his quarters. where he did service to
the end of the siege.
AS soon as the explosion took place
the crater was seized by two regiments
of troops who weSp near by, under
cover, where they adHbeen PLACED for
the express purpose. hesenemY made
q desperate effort to expo them, but
foilo1 nrI Sron ,,o tirodEkZt;rI E;c .,n.,
line. From here. howeYM they threw
hand-grenades, which did some execu-
ton. The compliment was returned
by men, but notAwit4 SO much CT
feet. The enemy rould lay, their gro
nades on the parapet, which alone di-
vided the contestants, and roll them
down upon us; while from our side
they had to be thrown oxer the para
pet, which was at considerable eleva-
ton. During the night we made eff
forts to ecu our position in the era
ter against the missiles of the enemy,
SO as to run trenches: along the outer
base of their parapetsSs right and left;
but the enemy continued throwing their
greaades. aud brought. boxes of field
ammunition (%sliells) the fuses of which
they would light with port-tires, and
throw them by hand into our ranks.
We found it impossible to continue this
work. Another mine was consequent
ly started, which was exploded on the
lst of July, destroying an entire redan,
killing and wounding a considerable
number of its occupants, and leaving
an immense chasm where it stood. No
attempt to charge was made this time,
the experience Of the 25th %admonishing
us. Our loss in the first affair was
about thirty killed and wounded. The
enemy must have lost more in the two
explosions than we did ia the first. We
lost none III the sccond.-Gen. Grants
Paper IN the sept. Cemtnry.
1t is reported Ivy tho Philadelphia