Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-10-26
William n. Stewart.


Lieut.. Col. William H. Stewart. late Of tho
61st Virginia Infantry, c. S. A, who was
second in command of the men in gray
of that noted brigade.
"Over forty-one years have passed. says
Col. Stewart, "s:nce that most desperate
hand to-hand struggle occurred over the
earthworks, which had been uprooted by
the explosion of 5000 pounds of gunpowder
in the mine under Elliott's Salient on the
defensive line of the army of northern Vir-
ginia, near the old Blanford cemetery at
Petersburg, Va. and the vivid, flashing,
terrible bloody scenes are still fresh in my
memory
Colonel Stewart says his little fly tent
was in that graveyard, only a few yards
in rear of the breastworks, where a high
traverse was located to- protect the con-
federate soldiers from an enfilading cannon
fire.
Il was sleeping quietly, undisturbed by
uncanny dreams" continues Colonel Stew
art, when deep rumblng sound, followed
by tremor that seemed about to rend the
earth in twain, startled me out of my
sweet slumbers In an instant I beheld a
mountain of dust and curling smoke as
cending toward the heavens.
The whole camp was aroused, and all
were wondering whence came the mysteri-
Gus explosion. The drums commenced
rolling off the signals, and the captains
were shouting Fall in" After the regi-
ment was dressed in the breastworks the
long Tom shells came whirring over to
search for US. This was Saturday morn
Ing, July 80, 1864 at 4:44 o'clock.
Mine Had Been Sprung.
The long talked of mine had been sprung.
Pegrams battery of four guns had been
blown up, and about 27s sleeping soldiers
were buried beneath the upturned earth.
Immediately bau
had recovered from the scare of the ex-
plosion, the leading columns of the 9th
Corps of the United States army COM
manded by Brig. Gen. w. F. Bartlett and
Col Z. G. Marshall pressed forward and
occupied the excavation and the confed-
crate breastworks for a distance on either
side which had oeen left bare by confed-
crates escaping from the heaving volcano.
"A great thunder of artillery sounded on
every side. Two hundred cannons roared
with one accord, as If every lanyard had
been snatched by the same hand. The fiery
crests of the battlements shone out for
miles to our left, and sweeping together
formed one vast range of gloom, rising
gradually with slanting apex toward the
azure sky.
1T was a great gun conflict, with thun-
dering, booming. flashing, blazing, smok-
Ing, shrieking, thudding crashing, males
tic terrors of war. The sun arose bril-
lantly and the great gun duel continued I'm
all its grandeur and fury. An occasional
shell would swoop down in our camp and
ricochet down the line to our right, fore
ing US to hug closely the Notifications for
protection.
AT last Capt Tom Bernard courier for
our Gen. William Malone, came rapidly
riding on his white horse, halted at the
headquarters of Col. D. A. Weisiger, who
was commanding the brigade by virtue OF
seniority, and delivered the fateful order
The men were directed to retire from the
earthworks into a cornfield in our rear
There the five regiments constituting the
Malone brigade, reorganized for the march
"A large part of Gen. Lees army had
been sent to the north side of the James
| river to meet an attack on that flank and
| only about 1900 troops were left south OF
| the AppomattoX to meet the great and sud
| den concentration of Grants forces for as
Sault after the explosion, aggregating ar
army of between $500 and $4,000 men.
Charge of the Crater.
Thus 1t fell to the lot of three brigades
of Mahone's division to make the charge OF
the crater. We were required to drive back
the federal troops, who were then holding
and within the very gates of the city OF
Petersburg. Our soldiers faltered not but
moved off at quick step for the seat of
war indeed.
"Wright's Georgia brigade and our vir-
ginia brigade numbering less than 800 mus
kets. and Wright's, not SO many, constitut-
ed the first force detailed to dislodge the
enemy, VINO nelQ the broken lines with more
| than 1900 men. closely supported by an
army of 5000. Our regiment, the 61st Vir-
| ginia, which / commanded, did not exceed
| 200 men, rank and file, and am quite sure
this was the strongest regiment in the two
| brigades.. The distance from Wilcox farm
| to the Crater in an air line is about one
| and one-half miles. By the circuitous
route taken by our brigade It was about
| TWO and one-half miles distant.
After We had marched about half mile
we were halted in a field near some apple
trees and ordered to strip for the fight. We
| laid aside all luggage except ammunition
/ and arms. Fighting trim was the order.
The men recently from the hospital and
| those least able to endure the charge were
| detailed to guard the piles of knapsacks."
| Col. Stewart then describes the march To
| the crater, during which his men learned
| that many of the troops ahead were ne
| 81 oes, and this" he said seemed to In
| spire the little band of men in gray with
| impetuous daring as they pressed forward
| to the fray.
| LAS my regiment filed to the right con.
| tnued Col. Stewart. for the position to face
the enemy, 1 met Gen. Malone, who said
" Colonel, see that all of your men ge,
out of the covered way into line of battle
| then order them to reserve their fire unit
] they get up to the ditch
THE excavation caused by the mine ex
| plosion and upheayal was about twenty,
| five feet deep, sixty feet wide and $50 fee
| long, funnel shaped inside, with It's cres
| about twelve fet above the outside ground
| The crater, long deep ditch and a number
| of caves, were literally crammed with fed
| eral troops. Official reports show that FIVE
| federal army corps Can aggregate of 6.53s
| mem were massed to aid in the assault or
the lines broken by the explosion. Thu