Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1903-06-20
June IS. 1868


mana grenades and shells over The para
pet into the trench and mouth of the
shaft. In order to save the lives of the
Loulslanians stationed in the doomed
work all but mere handful were
drawn back to second line of works
built in rear Of the fort.
The hour for the explosion had been
hxed at ) O'Clock p. m. Grant mar
shaled long columns Of infantry be-
hind the works nearest the scene
ready for advance the moment the
breach was sprung. The general, with
MS subordinate commanders, stood to-
gether at the naval guns, the highest
position between the lines. At the ap-
pointed hour the din Of $50 Federal
cannon, accompanied by the rattle Of
0OOOO muskets, ceased on the instant,
only few of the tens of thousands
watching and waiting knew what was
to come.
Suddenly the earth trembled, and
the crown of the fort, with the out
work adjoining, seemed gently lifted
from the foundation. Great assures
appeared in the rising mass, which
gradually settled back, with the ex-
ceptlon of the very center, where a
column Of fine earth, mingled with
smoke and fire and solid objects, great
and small, rose high in the air. AS
suddenly as they had ceased firing the
cannon and muskets opened with re-
neWed fury. Intense excitement fol.
lowed the explosion, Grants waiting
columns being no less surprised than
their foe
But there were hundred bluecoats
close to the crater who were not sur
prlsed. They comprised volunteers
from the Twenty-third Indiana and
Forty-tifth Illinois, who. trained in
their part. dashed into the smoking
crater. Not hand was raised to pre-
vent the stormers from entering the
breach, but the instant they scaled the
debris which barrcaded their advance
beyond toward the heart Of the citadel
they met a storm of bullets and shells
from the COnfederates in the rear Of
the fort. The moment hand or head
was exposed above the crest it was
riddled with balls. Finally two lines
were formed on the slope of the debris,
and while the rear line loaded muskets
the men in front fired at random over
the crest
But the Confederates soon recover
ed from their surprise and were mas
tiers Of the situation. They climbed
the other side of the slope and tossed
j lighted shells and hand grenades into
the ranks of the stormers. That was
an hour for the fiercest human pas
sions. TO the assailants the prize was
within their grasp. and they reached
! for it at any cost. The Confederutes.
stung by the discovery that they had
been outwitted, were equally savage
in their determination to destroy their
foe.
The muskets of the Federals firing
over the crest became too hot to hold.
and they were exchanged for fresh
! ones. Shells and hand grenades were
| brought up to give the enemy as good
| as he sent. \ volunteer from the First
| United States regulars-William Laz-
arus-tossed twenty Of these missiles
over the crest and was himself killed
by one thrown from the other side.
| Desperate as was the situation for
the Federals fighting from the debris.
they succeeded at last in checking the
enemy's fire. Elevating the heels Of
their muskets, they fired bullets down
the other slope upon the Confederates.
and these, with the hand grenades and
shells tossed over, proved too much for
the Louisianians. Meanwhile the Fed
eral engineers hauled some heavy tim
Der out Of the debris and built case
, mate at the base Of the slope. which
! was proof against the enemy's fire. At
the same time a parapet was thrown
up back Of the case1nate where the
Federals who had dashed into the era
ter found shelter from the grenades
and shells.
/ But the valor of the stormers was
wasted. The crater was too narrow
for more than a few men. and these
few could not hold it against the big
odds. During the night the troops
were WlInOTa"u, anu tue miners sci
to work to lay new galleries of powder
under the parts Of the fort that still
def1ed them. A second explosion took
place July I which opened large
breach, but there was no attempt to
charge into the crater. In the first ex.
plosion only few Confederates were
; lost, and these were miners at work
underneath the fort. One Of the min.
ers who came out alive was negro.
He said he felt as though he had been
lifted about three miles. He landed
! unhurt in the Federal lines and served
General Logan to the end Of the siege.
! On the day of the Fort Hill affair
the Confederates exploded two, of their
.countermines, engulfing the rollers OF
the Federals at work over the mine
and filling in their trenches. A day
or two later the Confederates rolled a
barrel of powder containing a slow
fuse down upon timber screen used
by the besiegers to cover the work OF
digging. The charge Of 125 pounds ex.
ploded on the mark and sent the tim.
bers and other material high in the
| >,,31k }o h.