The National tribune., 1907-01-24
WASHINGTON c. THURSDAY JANUARY a.

and by holding the barrel end with
both hands 1t afforded me some rest
held my weight up. When the explo-
sion did occur We were not in line for
charge. Some confusion occurred,
the ground heaving and rocking like a
great earthquake, throwing men to the
ground. The failure to notify the troops
of the fact that the fuse was now ready.
by those in authority, was one of the
many blunders committed that fatal
day.
In reply to Comrade Davis's fourth
question l will quote from the War of
the Rebellion Official Records, Vol. 40,
Part 1, page 541. 1t is from Gen. Gill
bert P. Robinson's Brigade Report, as
follows:
Headquarters Second Brigade. First
Division, Ninth Corps. before Peters,
burg, Va, Aug. 3. 1864.
go The first line of battle con-
sisted of the I'd Pa. Provisional H. A,
Col. B. G. Barney. The second line
consisted of the 4th n. Y. Fl. A., Capt.
T. D. Jones. The third line consisted of
the Sd Nd, Col. G. P. Robinson"
In the same Brigade Report (War of
the Rebellion Records) Col. Robinson
says:
"At 4:5O a. m. (July 80. 1860 the
mine under the enemys fort was ex-
ploded, and the Second Brigade (First
Division, Ninth Corps) advanced in the
order stated. BY keeping a strong right
oblique We arrived at the crater formed
by the explosion. to the right of which
the orders for the assault had directed
us to form. Thru this crater and $50
yards in advance of 1t the I'd Pa. Pro-
visional II. A. charged. The 14th N. Y.
II. A. diverging somewhat to the left
stopt in the crater, and coming upon
two cannons and their magazines buried
nv the earth h11t 6pSfrnVe6 which
they dug out and prepared for service.
The I'd Pa. Prov. H. A. having been
heavily flanked by the enemy, still re-
naming in the intricate works abound
ing the exploded fort, the sharpshooters
of the Sd Md. were detailed to cover
their flank and protect their retreat to
the works we had gained. By this time
the troops in and around the crater
were very much mingled together"
] wish to say that if the troops who
stopt in the crater to right the cannon
would have followed my regiment out
on the plain in support, reformed and
then made the dash for Cemetery Hill,
near Petersburg, the result might have
been different.
low me to quote from Gen. Burnside's
report regarding the mine explosion
battle, as follows:
"On reaching the crater their regi-
mental organizations were broken, and
the officers undertook to reform them
before advancing. The I'd Pa. H. A.
advanced some 100 yards beyond the
crater, but not being supported by the
other advancing regimetns, the I'd Pa.
II. A. fell back into the works gained"
In this charge my Colonel tB. G.
Barney was most severely wounded.
My regiment charged beyond the rebel
which were still filled with the
Confederates, they turning about-face, |
and delivered sharp fire directly to-
wards our backs. If Gems. Meade and
Grant would have allowed Gen. Burn |
side to carry out his original plan of
this battle there is no doubt but what
the mine battle would have been a
success. Decentralization pervaded the
whole Ninth Corps from the moment
Meade interfered. late in the afternoon
of July 20, on the eve of the battle, and
Gen. Burnside's well-1aid plan. !
Let history record this fact as the di-
rect cause Of the failure of the mine ex-
plosion battle, and not smirch loyal and
Gen. Burnside and the
rank and file of his corps-the Ninth.
My regiment, the I'd Pa. Prov. H. A.,
entered the Wilderness 1,400 strong, and
on Sept. 4, shortly after the crater fight
and after the hardest campaign of the
war with Grant thru to Petersburg, we
were relieved from the trenches at
with only $50 men left. The
morale of my division on the morning
Of July 80 was not of the highest order
on account of the many murderous
we had made from Cold Harbor
to that time. reducing the regiments In
killed, wounded and prisoners to an
extent.-Henry ). Lawrence,
I'd Pa. Prov. Ut A., Soldiers Home, Los
Angeles Cal ..- .. |