The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1896-06-18
BATTLE or THE CRATER.
Thrilling Experience Of South
Carolina Command In that Fearful

BY request OF his comrades Capt. G.
G. Halo, Of Camden, has given the fol-
, lowing account Of the battle OF the
Crater on the both Of July, 1864. At
that timo he was First Lieutenant Of
Company A, 23rd Regiment S. G.. ",
commanded by Col. III. l.. Benbow,
lIllotts Brigade, Bushrod Johnson's
Division.
On the day previous to the explosion
we occupied that portion Of the line
which was blown up, at u four gun
battery situated on an elevation, at an
angle OF the breastworlls said to be the
nearest point to the enemy's lines.
| We moved to the right the day before
just far enough to make room for
another Regiment, 22d S. G. ", Col.
| Fleming, which occupied tho grOu nd
that was blown up. Capt. Shedd, Of
| Fairfield, one of the officers or the 22d
Regiment, that was blown up, occupied
tho same position | did the night be-
fore tho explosion. lie was PARTIALLY
buried on tho right edge of the Crater
lie crawlcd out where he had retired
TO sleep. fell in with our regiment,
barcfOOted without coat or bat. re-
manned with us during Tho battle,
| rendering all the assistance he could,
having lost his company IN the explos-
| ion. Adjutant Fleming OF tho same
| regiment, also rendered good service,
| who was brother Of the Col, who was
buried in the explosion.
About dawn Of the 30th of July the
| explosion occurred, blowing up the
battery and the grcater portion Of the
23rd Regiment. throwing one or two
OF tho canOnS over in front of our line
about fifty feet. The guns were
brought back and mounted again.
This WAS accomplished by means of a
windlass and ropes over a covered
Higzag course which was dug for the
purpose, and SO constructed for con-
ccalmcnt and protection from the
plosiOn had just started OF TO get
some ammunition for the sharp
shooters, vino had nearly exhausted
| the supply. The enemy was prepared
to make charge Immediately after
the explosion during the excitement
and confusion created thereby. We
Immediately formed line Of battle and
held the enemy in check. AS they
attempted to cross the line at the
crater we poured vollcy after volley
into their ranks and drove thcm back
into the Fit, or crater. which was u
protection to them for the time, but
when our line of mortcrs in the rear
OF our position opened Oh them, throw
ing shells over us into the crater, they
were awfully slaughtered. They were
held IN check until late in the after
noon. Our regiment leaving no field
officers for duty on that day, Capt.
ltufus White, of Charleston, was in
| com mmand. He was wounded early in the
| carly part of the battle. Lieut.. Stone,
OF Chester, was next in command Ho
the regiment then dovolvcd on me, |
being tho next ranking officer. inn
mcdlately ordered charge, as we
were exposed to u cross fire front and
hank At that juncturc, we wcro re.
inforced by Gen. Mahone's Division
just in time to mako a simultaneous
charge. We charged on the crater on
the right; Malone on the left, where
the enemy had entered our lines. We,
the BIRD Regiment, lost heavily, in
cluding three color bearers. The ne xt
day h0stlllticS wore suspended by
mutual consent for several hours, in
order to remove and bury tho dead
The two armies formed line in front OF
! each other, whilst Il detachment from
. each was engaged in removing the
. dead. Some OF the officers met ant
" convorscd about tho battle. The
= enemy stated, according to official re
ports, that their loss in killed, wound
q q cd and missing amounted to 5000. Gu
I |
which statement is verified by history
. Company A lost heavily, as it was cX
s posed to q cross fire from front and lcf
Hank. Only 10 mon reported for dut
:, after tho battle. | was ordered b
. Gen. johnson to take surveyor
chain, furnished by one of his sta
v officers, and ascertain the dimension
10 of tho crater, and draw IL diagram c
- the same, including tho adjacen
- angles Of tho breastworks, and repol
., to his headquarters, | did as ordered
~ but DO not now remember tho cxaC
~ dimensions, which were about 30 fec
~ IN diameter and about 20 or 25 fec
~, ~ deep. Thorc was n lump or ball of ella
- 2hnut . or Il feet in diameter that fc
40 IN the orator. 1t was pierced a
~ around with minnie balls. Tho soldier
Of made quito number OF dirt pipes o,
VI of tho clay from tho crater as relick
~ made by myself, with the dato OF ti
'fI ~ battle carved upon it. "July 30tb, lS6
vi Crater, Petersburg, Va"
m Iho enemy continued to shell til
if crater every evening for Il considcrab
M time alter we got in possession of
is Company II, ono Of the companies
1 our regiment, which had no comman
'T. ing olliccr, occupied that portion
-! the line on the outside OF the brcnc
49,, WILL t bcliipoiiiy DIctSL WORK bnrON
'"S9 up. | was ordered to take command
Gu ia this company during the time it W
10 stationed at this place. Tho cncu
- commenced shelling soon after toe
~ command, | ordered the men not
H., expose themselves, but seek protc
,,y tion rs best they could from the shcl
y" wv and cannon balls as tho enemy was o
,,i OF reach OF small arms and we cou
49, effect nothing; and one OF tho soltlc
~ would keep on the lookout as sentinel
W, During the timo Of shelling one strut
'"t the broastworks about q foot or tv
~ ~; below tho parapct and throw up pc
y, tion Of tho top Of the breast wor
~, which fell upon my head. Anoth
nSS exploded just over and in the rear
~ "u where | stood. Tho firing soon aft
nT ceased for the day.
vi y "SECOND HAND PRESIDENT."---
-, Is said that Nicc-Prcsidcnt Tyler, {
'n his promotion after the death OF Pr
H.