National Republican., 1885-02-28

ing enemy with every cannon and
rife that could be brought TO bear. |
Now, had the first charging line |
Of tho enemy been closely followed by a |
second aud third in close order they
would havo had better show for break
ing tho confederate line and taking II in
flank and rear, but this was not the case;
or had the attack been made at a. m.,
rs intended, IL might have gone hardly
with us; but II seems las we afterward
lcarned) that tho explosion which was
ordered for 4 n. IN. was deferred by defects
In tho fuse leading TO the mines from mis-
management. and possibly, as more than
one federal historian hints, by cowardice
on the part of some Of the subordinate Off
GERS who were selected to make the charge
which would cut Lees limo In two, put
Petersburg at their mercy, aud compel
Lees retreat. Had the programme been
fully carried out, ] don't know what
would have been the issue, but from what
follows IL can be easily seen that Gen.
Lee had one of his best divisions massed
within striking distance for Just such q
contingency as he was actually called
upon to meet. Although some Of the
first line gained the crest above the
crater, numbers sheltered themselves
within the sunken ground from the
the storm of cannon shot and bullets that
was now being poured into them. For
at this juncturo Gen. Mahone's division
came sweeping forward TO the rescue.
Gen. Lee had brought Malone up. u
night or two before in expectation, l be-
lieve of Just such an attack as this
which was delivered.
This division and Pickett's wero the
only two distinotively Virginia divisions
in tho army-that Is to say. composed ex-
Clusively of Virginia rogiments-snd
Mahone's was now fighting literally for
their homes, for his regiments wore
raised in the Southside. The division
always fought gsmely. but thoy outdid
| themselves, so to speak, on this day.
Whatevor may be thought Of Gen. Ma
homes course politically since tho war
| land with that have nothing to do as
far Is this article is concerned
HE WAS CERTAINLY SPLENDID
FIGHTER.
There Is no rubbing that out. Well,
two other federal divisions charged
In support of the first line (one q col
ored division) ut intervals, and they met
the same fate. Those OF them who did
not break and seek to run back to their
own lines were huddled together in a
confused mass within the crater like rats
in pit, while the confoderates poured
upon the writhing mass pitiless storm
of bullets. They wore trapped, for they
could neither got back to their own lines
nor come forward to surrender, owing to
the fierce hre which was maintained by Ma
homes men aud the confederate batteries
To cut 1t short, the entire well-laid plau
had boon miserably executed by tho fed
eral generals, and had utterly failed, at Z
cost Of over 5000 mon to Gen. Grant,
army In killed, wounded, and prisoners
This was the first time that had seer
any oolored prisoners. A large number
were brought to the provost narshaPs of
fee in Petersburg, and it was pitiable II
witness the state of terror in which tn,
poor devils wore They no doubt expected
to be led out for immediate execution, ant
tho blackest of them had turned asl
colorod from fright, while many Of then
were
NUMBERING LIKE WHIPPED school,
BOYS.
They were immensely relieved whel
Mai. Bridgeford, the provost marshal
, called fellow with sergeant's stripes oi
from the line and said to him. what ar
you all blubbering about2" 1--WE ar
afraid we will be killed." was the repl >
"Go back" said Bridgeford, "and tell you
gang they shall be treated just the Sam
as arc the white prisoners" And so the
were, but tho white prisoners, I,must say
were disposed to kick against being pu
|, in the same room in the tobacco factor.
used as D prison with their colcred fello'
soldiers. They had to swallow the dose
however.
Gen. Grant gave us good rest afte
this fight, and 1t will be remembered tha
!, the result of 1t was the resignation I
Gen. Burnside and other generals,
. whom the execution Of the plan had bee
intrusted. THOMAS j. MURRAY.