The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1891-04-15

works was another line vi confederate
works, and few minutes after the explosion
of the mine Gen. Mahone's division, which
was q short distance in the rear, moved tor
ward at double-quick and poured into the
line in the rear. The Federals having Ma
homes division in their front pouring a
calling fire upon them, rushed. ID thell
Confusion and aismay, pell NELL into the
exploded works, placing themselves "noei
fearful right and left flank fire of the Con
federates, who were gallantly holding the
lines to the right and left of the exploded
works. The Confederates IN the meantime
had moved several of their small mortars te
the line held by Mahone's division, and be-
p.u to rain mortar bombs upon the FEEDER
ais with telling effect This fire was 50 no,
and terrible to the Federals that great
many of them took the risk and tired te
reach their lines. running in squads o.
twos and threes and more. 1t was as mucE
chance one way as the other. and looked
like certain death to the Federals elthel
way.
The Federals in this undertaking lost II
killed, wounded. and prisoners (accorsdlns
to the Confederate report) over four thoo'
sand men. The loss Of the Contederates
was small compared to that of the Federals
It would not be claiming any too much 70
say the Federals' loss, as compared with tne
Confederates, was at least four to one.
THE 22SD SUFFER GREATEST LOSS.
The 23rd was in this battle, and had sew
eral killed and wounded. Company had
three killed and several wounded, some two
or three severely so.
The 22nd S. c. Volunteers sustained thu
seYerest loss Of any regiment OF Elhotts Bri
eade, This regiment was Of the troops thai
occupied the part of the line the mine was
sprung under. It was said that two hun
dred at least of this regiment were destroy
ed BY being buried. In the explosion the
ground burst open, causing them to fall IN
the exploded space, and the falling back IN
on them of the dirt completely buried
them. In this affair Gen. Elliott was
wounded, and at the time it was thought ne
was mortally, but I believe be eventually re-
covered and lived several years afterwards
After this affair the Yanks became qulet, OF
at least preferred to stay in their lines rath'
er than to try to take the Confederates.
THE CRATER.
This explosion of the Confederate line
produced crater about one hundred and
fifty feet long, sixty feet wide, and twenty
feet deep. The place was always afterward
and believe is still called the 'crater. The
Confederates soon had this part Of the line
restored, and still held possession OF 1t till
its evacuation the next April. By the e1.
plosion there was considerable body of
dirt thrown up a little back OF the Confed.
crate first line of works. This elevation OF
dirt the Confe6erates soon turned to aovan-
tage, They were not long IN making ar
rangements on it for sharp shooting. 1t
made q good breast work for the sharp
shooters, placing them above the Confeder-
ate lines, and giving them q good chance to
pick of any Yankee in the Federal lines
that was not overly cautious. There would
be every morning detail made from the
23rd as sharp shooters, who would be up
there all day. When night came there be-
ing no use for the sharp shooters to remain
upon this position, they would leave 1t and
occupy the trenches till daylight. and then
resume this position again. This point Of
elevation the 23rd called Petersburg
Heights"
The 23rd remained in this part OF the
trenches till about the first OF September
About that time Elliott's Brigade was Or
dered to move down little on the left,
which put the 23rd in a position ABOUT tour
hundred yards to tie left of the crater,
though on the same lines. The sharp shoot
ing and cannonading continued regular on
both sides, and had continued, 1t may be
said, from the time the lines were establish
ed. While the 23rd was occupying this
part of the line an order was sent to the
troops on the lines from Gen. Lee. telling
them they must every man keep close IN the
works the next morning. for the Federals
rurposed to oopeu taoir hattarieo upon our
whole line at sunrise the next morning.
The boys treated the order with little
question, how had Bob managed to find out
all this. Others would say they wondered
if Bob Lee had had conversation with the
Yanks that evening to find out all these
things. But Gen. Lee had been taking
notes from the Federal signal points on the
lines and had thus found out all this.
GENERAL cANNoSADNG.
The night passed off with the usual fusi.
lade of small arms. sharp shooting and an
occasional rife and mortar shell thrown in
to some part Of the line as reminder from
the Yanks that they hadn't forgotten as.
The morning came. sun rise, and yet every
thing as usual The sun had not got very
far on it's days journey, however, before we
heard the Federal signal gun on their right
and our left. In few moments after the
report of this gun was heard. the Federal
batteries were in full blast along their whole
line. and for an hour or more their shot and
she'll was flying and bursting on every side.
Many of their mortar shells fell and burst
in our lines. After this was over like all
storms there was calm. It was so while
at least. do not remember whether the
23rd suffered any casualties from this fire or
not. The troops some little distance on our
left suffered to some extent by some of the
mortar shells falling in the trenches among
them. A short while after the Federals had
ceased their fire the Confederates opened
fire along our whole line. and for sometime
Confederate iron rained in the Yankee lines.
I have no doubt but the Federals had to
hold their breath too for awhile under that
heavy fire.