The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1897-10-07

~ H. gives all credit
. to one General
Gabriel j. Rains
Recently Captain Hunter Davidson has
published for the first time his claim
made before Davis death-to share in
the work greater than that performed
by Rains. Rains had the full confidence
of his government and was given his
way in spite of protests in high places
against his methods as being {: relic of
barbarisnl.
The informal devices were first en-
countered Oh land by our soldiers at
Yorktown, in May, 1862, and asked
General Fitz John Porter, who COM
manded the trenches there, to give his
experience with the Grains torpedo"
Of which we heard so much at that
time and, in fact, until the last ditch
was crossed at Petersburg, three years
later.
MY official action as director Of the
siege of Yorktown in the Virginia pen
Ursula in April and May, 1862, may
have and doubtless did give Rains his
prominence in the Confederate service
and draw the attention of the Rich
mond authorities, including Jefferson
Davis, to his peculiar talents" said
General Porter Grains exploited his
startling inventions before Yorktown at
the time of the evacuation, May 4,
1862, and followed it up next day at
williamsburg. He it was who caused to
be planted there those torpedoes and
sub terra shells referred to in my official
report to General Mcclellan of the ad-
vance Of my soldiers into the abandoned
works and town. In describing the first
steps of the advance 7 said:
'About $50 on the morning Of the 18th, upon
explosions and fires in the enemy's works be-
ing reported to me, directed the generals of
the trenches, General Jameson and Colonel
McQuade OF the Fourteenth New York, to
push forward a force into the works. Before
the order was carried into effect General
Jameson informed me that deserters reported
the place abandoned. The commands desig
mated to enter the town pushed forward rapid
ly. The one on the left was fired upon from
the Red Fort. Those on the right experienced
some losses from shell planted in the ground,
which exploded when trod upon. Many of
these shells were concealed in the streets and
houses of the town and arranged to explode
by treading on the caps or pulling a wire at
tached to the doors.
Some injuries were inflicted and
several lives were lost before our men
learned to detect the hidden danger
and avoid it. One Of my military teleg-
raphers, young Ohioan named La
throp, entered the town with the Skin
mishers and hurried to the telegraph Of
fee to test the circuit The wires had
been cut and left dangling from pole.
Lathrop sprang to the foot Of the pole
intending to climb and make a splice,
but landed upon buried torpedo and
was SO badly injured by the explosion
which followed that he died in few
hours. The incidents connected with
our advance were duly communicated
to General Mcclellan, and in dispatch
to Secretary Stanton, sent the evening
after our occupation of the stronghold,
the general referred to the sub terra
shells, denouncing the practice severely.
His dispatch quickly reached the head
quarters of the Confederate army
through the medium of the New York
press and an animated correspondence
resulted, Rains playing principal part
"Rains was first called to account by
his corps commander, General Long
street, who directed him to cease the
practice OF putting out torpedoes and
shells on the retreat. Rains defended
his conduct in the Yorktown affair and
appealed to the war department over
the head of Longstreet. The command
er OF the army, General Joseph E. John
ston, then took the matter up, using
McClellan's dispatch and the facts re-
ported by us at the time Of our advance.
The case was taken to the Confederate
secretary Of war, and Rains came out
ahead. All the correspondence was
found among the Confederate documents
turned over to the war department. at
Washington, and is now on file"
General McClellan's dispatch was
printed in the New Y ork papers of May
=, 1862, two days after the evacuation
OF Yorktown, and the correspondence
between the Confederate generals, insti-
gated by the dispatch, took place while
their forces were still retreating toward
Richmond. First in chronological order
is the admonition Of General Longstreet
TO General Ra1ns, Who still command
ed the rear guard, to check pursuit by
McClellan's army. Under date Of Nav
II Longstreet wrote:
Tt is the desire of the major general com.
mandlng that you put out no shells or torpe-
does behind you, as he does not recognize it as
proper or effective method of war.
Rains promptly sent the order back
with lengthy Endorsement OF his own,
from which the following are extracts,
and another penned by his Immediate
superior officer, General D. H. Hill:
ENDORSEMENT BY GENERAL RAINS.
"A shell which can be prepared and unpre
pared In moment and sentinel to keep our
own people of are all that is wanted for oul
protection.
These shells give us decided advantage over
our foe invading our SOIL especially in frus
tratlng night surprises, requiring but little
powder for great results in checking advancing
columns at all times.
For their being proper for war, they are as