Devils Lake inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, Ramsey Co., Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1905, 1885-10-17
M,aes Before v;cksbure.

90 - ~ - vs. AAeSy HSAA0 Va
terrifying, and pushing forward our
position nearer to the enemy. had been
steadily progressing. At the point on
the jackson road in front Of Ransom's
brigade a sap vas run up to the emo
my's parapet, and by the 25th Of June
WI had it undermined and the mine
charged. The enemy had counter
mined. but did not succeed in reaching
our mine. At this particular point the
hill on which stood the rebel work
rises abruptly. Our sap ran close up
to the outside of the enemy's parapet.
In fact this parapot was also our pro-
lection. The soldiers Of the two sides
occasionally conversedp leasantly 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 times they threw
over hand-grenades, the rebels throw
ing them first, and u men often
catching them In their hands and re-
turning them.
Our mine had been started some dis
tance back down the hill; consequent
ly, when it had extended as far as the
parapet, it was many feet below it.
This caused the failure of the enemy in
his search to find aud destroy it. On
the 10th of June. at 8 o'clock, all b.
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 . crater where
it stood. The breach was not sufficient
to enable us to'pass . column Of attack
through. In fact, the enemy, having
failed to reach u mine, had thrown
up a line farther back, whore most Of
the men guarding that point were
placed. There were q few men, how
ever, left at. the advance line, and 9th.
ers were working in the counter-mine.
which was still being pushed to find
ours. All that were there were thrown
into the air, some Of them coming down
on our side, still alive. I remember
one colored man who. having been
underground at work when the explo.
sion took place. vas thrown to our
side. He vas not much hurt, but ter.
ribly frightened. Some one asked him
how high he had gone up. "Dun no,
massa, but t'ink bout tree MILE" was
his reply. General Logan commanded
at this point, and took this colored man
to his quarters, where he did service to
the end of the siege.
As soon rs the explosion took place
the crater was seized by two regiments
of troops who were near by, unde,
cover. where they had been placed fol
the express purpose. The enemy made
q desperate effort to expol them, but
failed, and soon retired behind his new
line. From here, however, they threw
hand-grenades, which did some execu
ton. The compliment was returned
by our men, but not with so much eff
feet. The enemy could lay their gro
nades on,the parapet, which alone di
vided the contestants, and roll then
down upon US; while from our sid,
they had to be thrown " the para
pct, which was at considerable eleva
ton. During the night we made Of
forts to secure our position in the era
ter against the missiles of the enemy
so as to run trenches along the cute
base of their parapet, right and left
but the enemy continued throwing thei
grenades. and brought boxes of fell
ammunition (shells) the fuses of whicl
they would light with po~rt-tires, ant
throw them by hand into III ranks
We found it impossible to continue thi
work. Another mine was consequent
ly started. which was exploded on tn
LIST of July, destroying al entire redan
killing and wounding a considerabl,
number Of its occupants. and leavin,
an immense chasm where it stood. N
attempt to charge was made this time
the experience OF the 25th admonishin,
us. Our loss in the first affair wa
about thirty killed and wounded. Tn
enemy must have lost more in the tw
explosions than we did in the first. w
lost none in the second.-Gea. Grant
Paper IN the >ept. Century.