Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1889-08-01
WAR "REMINISCENCES.
JULY THIRT1ETH, 1889.
Twenty-fifth Anniversary OF the Ex-
plosion OF the Mine &C
Cemetery Hill.

nothlng more than great mine under the
enemies works on Cemetery Hill, the key to
the defenses, and situate about one and one
fourth miles from the city. This work was
begun on the 25th of June and completed
July 26th, and the greatest precaution as to
secrecy was enforced. The works in front of
the 9Th army corps was perseveringly pushed
on toward the doomed fort on the South side
of Snyder's Run, and was constructed of
sand-bags. The distance to be mined was
about five hundred feet-as the work went on
the dirt was brought out and thrown on the
union works so as not to create suspicion.
The tunnel was in usual shape, about four
and half feet wide at the bottom, sloping
upwards, being quite narrow on top; the
ground rose towards the fort and the tunnel
was cut to slope in an upward direction.
come, but the mine was very damp; when the
fort was reached there was about twenty feet
of earth intervening; wings were then con-
structed to the right and left and eight
magazines were made-four in each wing,
the hole carefully tamped or separated.
Sand bags were used for packing; the ventil-
alton was affected by building shaft with a
fire place with grating at the bottom of the
tunnel, and just inside the exterior line of
the main works a fire was kept burning
to cause a current of air to pass through the
mine. The smoke arising from the shaft of
course could not be concealed, but attention
was diverted from it by keeping fires burn
ing at different places along the line to keep
the enemy from obtaining knowledge of
what was going on-intercourse between the
picket lines was strictly prohibited and an
incessant skirmish and artillery fire was kept
up in front of the 9th corps, even while all
along the rest of the line quiet and inaction
prevailed.
The plan of assault was, when the mine
was exploded, to open fire from one hundred
cannons, then before the enemy could recov-
er from the dismay caused by the explosion
and sudden burst of artillery fire, the storm
ing party was to ru,h through the gap and en-
deavor to carry the crest of the Hill overlook
ing the city.
Soon after midnight on the 29th of July,
the 9th corpse, which was to head the assault,
was drawn up in front of the mine, the divi-
sion of Gen. Ledtie in advance, with the di-
visions of Gems. Wilcox and Patters in sup
port and Gen. Feveor, colored troops, in the
rear the 18th corps; Gen. ords was to sup
port the 9Th, with the End corps in reserve on
the right and the 9Th on the left. The cav
airy were to operate on the left. The time
for lighting the fuse was fixed for half past
three in the morning of the Both.
The troops at that hour we're all IN readi-
ness awaiting orders. At the appointed time
the match was applied but the mine did
not explode, the fuse had been spliced and
here the fire had stopped. Two brave men
of the 46th Pa. Regiment entered the mine
and again applied the match-Gens. Grant
and Mead are at the front, it is now nearly
five o'clock, the earth trembles and with a
tremendous explosion a mountain of earth
rises in the air, streaked as if by fire; it was
an awful sight-as we see in mid air timber,
earth, bodies and limbs of men, and the
heavy guns of the fort-two hundred men
blown into fragments; Immediately one
hundred guns open fire upon the ruined fort
success depended upon the promptness of
action.
For some reason which never have heard
explained we we're not moved forward for
some time and when we did move we were
halted in the crater nearly one hour. The
delay was ruinous as the result will show
The scene, when we reached the ruined fort,
cannot be described. In a space two humid
ed the ruins of the works with torn and tat
tered parts of human bodies; some of the
Johnnies were half buried, here hand and
there foot could be seen above ground, and
the cry of "Yank's for Gods sake take me
out, give me a mouth full of water, III
do as much for you some time," could be
heard on all sides.
It is not to be wondered at that yielding
to the claims of hum anity the troops
halted, but as I have said the hating
was fatal, it gave the rebels time to recover
from the stupor occasioned by the explosion.
Returning to their guns on the crest, we'll
directed fire was opened upon US from both
right and left fanks as we'll as from the
front;it was impossible to advance, it was
impossible to retreat; the officers had no
longer any control over their men, the earn
age was awful, it was not the valley of the
shadow of death as it is claimed they had at
Pittsburg landing, but here was the valley of
death itself.
AS early as nine O'Clock Gen. Burnside
was directed to withdraw his troops at the
earliest opportunity, it was two O'Clock be-
fore we could get out, with loss of 5000
men. On Sunday, July 31st, a flag of truce
was sent asking permission to bury our dead
and care for the wounded who were left up
ON the field, but as Gems Grant and Lee had
some misunderstanding as to the burial of
the rebel dead in the wilderness, permission
could not be had until Monday, August 1st,
when an armistice from five until nine
o'clock was agreed to, with the understand
ing that nothing of value was to be removed
from the field by either side.
Many of the severly wounded died from
exposure in great suffering AND the extreme
hot weather and the absence of water to
quench their thirst in their dying moments.
The dead had become SO discolored by the
sun that the remains of white men could not
he told from those of the negroes. A
trench was dug about four feet deep and
ten feet wide and several hundred feet in