Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1902-09-27

peared in the st. Nicholas about the
negro who was "emancipated' by the
explosion Of a mine in Vicksburg. care
rul inquiry was made as 10 the truth
or that incident. The inquiry resulted
In finding out that the late Theodore
*. Davis, well known as artist and
war correspondent during the Civil
war, was present at the explosion and
saw the negro fall 10 the ground.
The incident is referred to in the
novel The Crisis by Winston
Churchill. Mr. Davis's letter follows;
Dear ST. Nicholas: Yes, it is true
that colored slave escaped unhurt
and became a freeman when a ton of
gunpOwder was exploded under one of.
the forts built by the Confederate sol
dierS for the defense of Vicksburg, and
after short explanation of the situa-
ton will tell you exactly how it han
pened.
The city of Vicksburg is built on very
hilly ground ON the east side of the
Mississippi river. and when it became
one of General Grants tasks to capture
this strongly fortified city. Grants
army was camped in Louisiana, on the
west side of the Mississippi. After
much planning. General Grant man
aged TO move his army across the river
In steamboats,, and then to be success
rul in the hard battles fought against
General Pembertons army. which tried
hard TO drive General Grants men
pack. Unable to do this, Pemberton's
men hurried back to their strong forti
ncations about Nicksburg, followed nv
Grants army. which, after unsuccess-
Iully trying TO fight its way into Vicks-
Durg. went to work building earth forts
and trenches called rifiepits The sol
dierS of each army We're busy shooting
cannOn-balls. rifle-bullets, and mortar
Shells at one another, and these dan
gerouS things came so thick and fast
that soldier on either side ran n great
FISK whenever he showed his head or
even his hands above the protecting
earthworks. The digging and shovel
ing and shooting went on, and Grants
men steadily pushed ahead with their
zigZag roads, which were sunk deem
enough in the earth to screen the toll.
ing soldiers from the sharp ewes aud
whizzing bullets of Pembertons men.
who could not safely reach I'D to look
over to see exactly what was going ON
although they knew that Grants men
llad dug away on their approaches. or
lsaps, as the zigzags are called. until
they could walk into the ditch of the
fort. And they also knew that Grants
men were probably burrowing away
under the fort, which was exactly
what they had dOne-for a long. mar
row tunnel had been dug. at the end
Of which a cave or chamber was
seooped ont large enough to hold. in
several distinct piles, nearly three
thousand pounds Of gunpowder-each
pie connected to the others by trains
OF loose powder and fuses. The tun-
mel had been tamped. or filed. and at
three O'Clock on Friday afternoon,
June 26, 1863. the fuse which led out
into the ditch of the fort was lighted
aud General Logan, commanding the
division of General Grants soldiers at
that point. ordered everybody back
safe distance from the expected explo-
Sion, which was probably to blow most
Of this particular fort out of existence
1t was my duty ana wish, as war cor
respondent, to see precisely what hap
pened, and to be present at the attack
that was to follow, SO ! did not 90 back
far. Boom! Two more booms, nearly
together. A great round cloud of
snowy white smoke broke from the
crest and side Of the fort. followed in.
stlntiy by n vast cloud Of earth and
dnst 1t was like tornado. and out
Of it something whirled eastward over
the trenches. and presently struck on
the side of a sap between two gahions
fortiflcati0n Baskets, then fell into the
sap 1t was "A mans body. Poor fell
low" | thought, another Of wars vic
Tins" ] turned TO look again when.
starting to follow the attacking party.
now rushing forward to gain the crater
made By the explosion, | saw the sun
posed victim travelling with surprising
rapidity-his lick again-tow
safer locality than his IandiHg-place.
Most Of the earth thrown out by the
explosion had fallen. a barrier. The
fort was not destroyed. but lodge
ment had been gained towards the
crest. The stars and stripes aud stars
and bars waved with only the scpara
ting space Of a few yards Of earth. II
was AT n point directly between the two
flags as l learned later, that the ny-
ing man lad been digging when the
Elhc was fired
The incident Of the afternoon was
oger so ] started back through the hoat
and dust Of the hither and thithrr 70
ing saps 10 the navy Eattcry. whose
Zig guns Numbered away. hurting
shOrtfused shells over the saps into
the Notifications beyond and above
them. Finding General Logan ut hls
headquarters near by. asked concern
ing the sky-rockct man.
Come see him" said the general.
'BRile has him Huuo-- contra l,n yd 8,