El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1899-11-22
VICKSBURG
Another Chapter In the Story OF
the Sieqe OF the Hill City

As promised to give an explanation
of Rrenades. I will now endeavor TO DO
go. Those used by the enemy were
of a metallic substance, about six inches
long, partly pointed at each end and
weighed about four pounds. They
were prepared SO as to explode by
coming in contact with some firm
substance. The confederates soon
caught on to that and two would take
a blanket and hold 1t so as to form a
bag, watch the approach OF the death
messengers, give slack to their blanket
until the shell fell softly down, then
by sudden jerk of the HANDS it was
tossed back to explode among the
Yankees.
The hand grenades used by the con-
fedsrates were in the shape OF q cast
iron round ball-like shell, filled with
powder and various articles. They
prod uced severe wounds and often
death. Their weight was from four to
six pounds. They were ignited BY
fuse of four seconds duration, held In
the hand until properly ingnited. then
passed over the works, creating some
times sad havoc. We were now very
close together, the federals having
sapped right up to within eight feet
of US. They were rapidly forming q
ditch parallel to ours, and by carefully
looking over our works we could
get an idea OF their strategy.
On the left of the turnpike known
as the jackson road was small fort
thrown up hastily OF logs and sand
enemy were cutting q way to get
mine fixed to blow that up. We made
start to meet them or cut them oil
by sinking q shaft twelve feet square,
working with q vim until the men
were not able to throw the earth out.
Then an Offset of six feet was made to
form a shelf, and the earth was thrown
upon that and then thrown out.
Let US now explain the thunder bar
rel. In order TO try and stop the
enemy's progress from un-
General Pemberton suggested to feed
them with q thunder barrel. This ID
thirty gallon iron bound barrel partly
filled with twenty-five pounds OF pow
der, seventy-five pounds OF canister
shot, grape shot, chain shot and every
other kind of shot that would rob
man of his life. It is then set with 9
in q trough made for the purpose.
Then it is placed in position, raised by
two stout men and fred properly.
With terrible Kissing noise it rolled
down among the federals and expiod-
ed.
All this trouble appeared to stop
their progress of winning that little
fort only few short hours, for blow 1t
up they would and blow it up they
did, on the day following the trick Of
the thunder barrel. 1 had read OF
VOLCANOES, shfpwrecks and earthquakes.
The explosion was more like the lat
ter than 1 may ever feel again.
But to go back to that deep dark
hole that the confederates were dig
ging. 1t had sloughed in and the six
poor fellows who were in there at work
were buried alive, and are there to
this day. to remain until the trumpet
call of God brings all nations togeth-
err.
If Grant had been supplied with only
equal numbers to US he never could
have captured the hill city, though he
had said, "Give me the proper full
crum and 1 will turn the world over"
and in the mighty siege of Vicks burg
it appeared that the United States gov
ernment was furnishing that fulcrum.