The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1905-11-30

night work, and then divided each shift
into three reliefs. The men were prop
erly provided with drills, short-handled
picks, shovels, etc, and went to work
under the immediate command Of
Lieut.. Russell. Of the 7th Mo-, and
Serg't Morris. Of the 32d Ohio. They
drove a tunnel four feet wide by five
In height straight for the parapet Of
the fort. Each relief worked for an
hour at time, with two men picking,
two men shoveling and two carrying
back the sacks filled with earth to
where the dirt could be dumped. The
main tunnel was pushed forward Al
feet and then smaller one extended
/ 5 feet further. From the head OF the
main tunnel one was run out on each
side for distance Of 15 feet. The soil
through which the tunnel was driven
was of red clay which held well and
required little bracing, SO that in three
days 1T was ready for use, and June rs
the men began putting in 500 pounds
or powder at the extreme end of the
main gallery, with 700 pounds each at
the end Of the side tunnels, making
1900 pounds in all. These mines were
connected with safety fuse, a double
strand being used to make sure OF sue
cess. In all six strands of fuse were
used and all carefully cut the same
length, so as to explode simultaneous
ly. The powder and the fuse were OBJ
eoHiCu TIC navy, dHU was quite
nervous work transferring 1t under the
fire OF the enemy, who had much IN
formation Of what was being done. The
powder was brought up in barrels to a
safe distance behind the works, and
there put in sacks, rs pounds to each,
which man would take on his back
and make a run through the bullets
and hand-grenades for the cover OF the
tunnel. 1t required about 100 of these
ticklish trips to get all the powder in,
but 1t was done without any one being
injured.
The Confederates had also started
counter-mines, and these had reached
so far that the pick blows and even the
words Of the men in them could be dis
tinctly heard by those at work in the
Union tunnel. After the powder was
laid in place and the fuses adjusted the
earth was carried back and packed in
the tunnel and heavy timbers put in as
braces in all directions to increase the
force Of the explosion.
Intense Expectancy.
On the afternoon Of June "a Gen.
Grant was informed that everything
would be In readiness by the following
morning, and he issued an order to each
corps commander to bring up every
body, man the trenches fully, and be
| ready to take instant advantage Of the
Decentralization caused by the springing
OF the mine, which was set for O'Clock
sharp. Gen. Grant, with his staff, took
| up his position in Battery Hickenloop-
| er, and the Corps, Division and Brigade
Generals each placed himself where he
could most efficiently direct his men.
Gen. Logan, whose division was to lead
In the assault, went to the position Of
his leading brigade, that commanded
by Gen. Mortimer d. Leggett. This con-
sisted OF the Goth, 31st, 45th and Hath
Ill. and 23d Ind. The Second Brigade
| was commanded by Col. Manning f.
Force, and consisted Of the 3Oth ILL., and
| the Goth. 68th and 18th Ohio. The
Third Brigade was commanded by
Brig. Gen. John d. Stevenson, and con-
sisted of the 9Th and 81st ILL.,, 7th Mo.
and 32d Ohio. These two brigades were
in reserve. The artillery was under the
command of Maj. Charles J. Stolbrand.
In this were Batteries D, G and L, ILL.,
Art; Battery II. LIST Mich, and the Sd
Ohio.
| The musketry and artillery were to
open up along the whole IL miles of
| investment at the instant Of the ex-
piosion, and under cover OF this terrific
| fire the assaulting column, composed Of
| volunteers from the 31st and 45th ILL.,,
preceded by 10 picked men from the
Pioneer Corps under the charge Of Capt
Hickenlooper, were to rush forward,
take advantage of the explosion and
seize the fort.
From where Gen. Grant stood in Bat
| terry HickenlOoper the sight was one of
but rarely seen even in the greatest
wars. From all over the landscape as
far as the eye could reach came long.
| winding lines OF blue moving to the
front and gathering in blue tides of
ermed men behind the red lines OF