The National tribune., 1907-10-17
THE MASSACRE IN THE CRATER.
Personal Remembrance of That Sadly
Mismanaged Affair.


Editor National Tribune: 1t may
seem rather late in the day, As years
after the battle of the Crater before
Petersburg, to be condemning the col
ored troops who took part in that un-
successful affair 1t seems since the
unhappy discharge of the colored bat
talon at Brownsville TO be quite the
fad when party cannot find anything
to hit or scold to make a shy at the
colored troops, but those who condemn
their action on that fatal day must re-
member that it was nearly three hours
after the explosion before they were
ordered in, time enough to get a regi-
ment from New York to Philadelphia,
and the enemy were plenty; they were
right there; anything within Is miles
could have been rushed in during this
time of waiting, and the Confederates
were not slow: they had able Generals.
who were ready for any emergency
Again. the colored division had been
specially drilled to lead the attack. and
expected to until the last moment when
they were ordered back and another
division of the Ninth Corps took their
place. When the time came for us to
90 in the Colonel afterwards brcvetted
Briga Bates, called his
officers together. and among other in
structions to all, he turned to the writ
er, who was in command of the second
company in line the senior Captain
being absent), and said, I'VE will charge
by division, right in front Capt. Proc
tor, you will command the First Divi-
sion.' Our brigade led the division,
our regiment led the brigade and my
division of two companies led the regi-
ment. Even at that late hour the abatis
had not been removed, and the works
so leveled SO that we could go in even
by fours, and before We got across the
field we We're badly broken up. The
enemy were giving us an enfilading fire,
and when we arrived at the Crater our
Colonel, who led, said, Push down the
line, which we did, driving the enemy
out and capturing a few prisoners. One
Of them had flag. All there was for
me to do was TO simply step up and
AXE it, but. like many another, 1 failed
% embrace the opportunity. Another
captain of another regiment coming in
ater saw it, took it. was promoted Ma
Tor for his bravery. and no doubt is Il
Nedal of Homer man. A correspondent
IF yours of recent date says the colored
trooDs only stayed there about ii min
ite. 1t might have been the end of the
division which he saw retreating soon
after they came up, and it might have
been something else. / cannot swear
now long ] was in there. I went in first
and possibly came out with the first:
but I'll try to account for part of my
IL " W.
know, a Yankee is quite inquiSitive at
times, and after stepping over several
dead and wounded men in the trenches.
bomb proof invited, and / stepped in
side, saw blanket or two and a corn
cake, which l tasted to see what the
poor fellow was to have for his break
fact, and what it was like. but only for
a fraction of a minue, when l came out.
The trenches We're almost deserted ex-
cept for the dead and wounded. / soon
learned the reason why the men had
taken cover in the traverses-the enc
my were firing down the line. About
that time the 43d L. s. G. r. came in
over the main line of trenches: and. to
say the least, / was mighty glad to see
them. The Century gives the 43d the
credit of being there first. but my regi-.
ment was in there to welcome them.
Captain of that regiment was hit in
the breast. He gave Il yell. saving. Il
am shot thru" Unbuttoning his shirt,
there was a swelling as large as an egg
and the skin was rot broken.
"No Head to THIS Thing"
Capt. Bosbyshell, 4sth Pa, who was
Acting Assistant AdjutaIt-General on
the brigade staff. came up. ] remember
saying to him, Cant we have some in
trcnching tools to turn these works? We
cannot hold them 10 minutes: the
ground In front is swarmiHg with the
enemy, and their front lines are within
25 feet of u.s." His reply was something
in regard to their being no head to this
thing-nobody to give any orders. Later
a division staff officer. came up and
asked for our brigade commander, and
not finding him gave the order to Col.
Rates. of our regiment, to advance the
brigade. He gave the order, and then
sprang upon the earthworks with the
command, come on. Come ont" He
had not gone five PAGES when he was
met by volley, one of the balls pene-
trating the left cheek and coming out
behind the right ear. We passed him
to the rear, thinking him dying man,
but in less than GO days he was back
in command of his brigade with star,
and is now Medal of Honor man, and
all for what he did in that minute in
the Crater. After this futile attempt
to advance il quieted down. Some one
called, stop firing" ] think it came
from the enemy. / suggested to the
men around me to have their guns in
order, and to be ready to meet the
enemy when they came on. While wait
ing there colored soldier not of my
command, pointing to what / supposed
a dead Johnny, said. THAT man amt
dead: shall i kill him?" Mo- / re-
piled, "let the poor fellow live Upon
which the supposed dead man rose up.
and made very pathetic appeal for his
life. Among other things he informed
me that he was from South Carolina;
that he was always opposed to this
war; that he was drafted into the ser
vice; that he came against his will, and
that he never expected to see home
again. / told the soldier TO take him
to the rear, and that was the last ]
ever heard of either There seemed to
be nothing doing except that some of
our batteries were firing. and the ene-
mics. too. with cannon to right, to left.
in front, and. going Tennyson one bet
ter, cannon in rear of us, voileyed and
thundered: but their fire was centered
on the Crater, while we We're quite a
distance to the right in the trenches.
and failed to get the full benefit. Then
the rebel yell and their whole line
started forward and simply pushed us
out. In the retreat jumped upon the
works and stood there for moment,
and in that moment l saw the enemy's
lire moving forward in good order,
while we were broken and could de-
liver but little resistance and this was
all done in minute, and in that min
ute, besides taking a review of the enc
my's line, / saw Captain of our regi-
ment-Capt. Seagrave, of Uxbrdge,
Mass.-emptying his revolver and re-
fusing to surrender, dubbed over the
head with a musket. He was badly