The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-07-24

Getting within ten PAGES OF the ENDS
OF the little bitches or trayerses which
led out permenducularly from the main
trench OF our breastworks some ten
or fifteen PAGES, TO my surprise saw
negro soldier getting up from re-
cumbent position on the ground near
my feet. had not then fired my rite,
and 1 might easily have killed this
man, bur regarding him as prisoner,
bad no disposition to hurt him. Look
ing then directly ahead OF me. within
twenty feet OF where stood, saw IN
the trench Of the breastworks croWds
or men. white and black. with arms
in their hands, as closely TANNED ana
packed as we sometimes see pedes-
trains on the crowded sidewalks of
city. and seemingly in great confusion
and alarm
With my gun still loaded I might
have fred into this mass of men. but ]
regarded these also practically as our
prisoners. Casting my eyes upon the
ground over and beyond the breast
works. there saw large numbers OF
the enemy retreating to their own
breastworks Many. however. were
taking shelter behind our breastworks.
as / could see from the tops of their
caps just over the parapet. Into
squad OF those saw retreating to their
own works I Aired my gun and jumped
into one of the little bitches leading
ont from the main trench. This ditch
was about as deep as 1 was high and
about eighteen inches wide. Proceed
ing down 1t toward the trench or main
ditch. was suddenly confronted by
negro soldier at the other end of
!, IT standing with his gun pointed toward
| me at q ready and looking me in
/ the face with grin on his.
| Just in front of me and to my
| height was large recess IN the earth
| perpendicular TO the little ditch in
/ which l stood and parallel to the main
| ditch or trench Into this recess by
rapid stride made my way and there
loaded my rifle IN the quickest pos
| sible tine-no muzzle-loaded was ever
loaded in less time. / was now less
than five feet from trench full OF
Federal soldiers with arms in their
hand and was 10 a position critical and
| pertlous in the extreme"
John r. Turner Joined Mr.. Bernard
in the recess and they discussed the
propriety OF remaining there or re-
treating They finally concluded to
stay. and they did SO until the situa-
ton cleared UP and the Con<ederates
in larger numbers entered the main
trench and obtained thorough COM
mand of the situation. This was a
sample Of the experiences Of the Peters
burg r!flemen in this battle.
! The Northern Losses at the Crater
have been estimated at over $500
1 killed, wounded and captured. Cen
erai Grant sardonically remarked: The
effort was a stupendous failure, due to
/ ineHctency on the part OF the corps
commander and the incompetency Of
the division commander who was sent
to lead the assault" The Confederate
losses were also heavy. and the sun
did not set on a happy crowd in either
army.
But there was at least one confed .
crate of whom Judge D. NJ. Bernard,
OF Petersburg, wrote as the happiest
man he had ever seen. He Joined the
force in the afternoon. His clothes
was saturated with red mud. made o!
red dirt and sweat. He was barehead-
ed and his hair was matted with the
same red mud and his face was GOV.
cred with it, lie was one of Elliot's
command, who had been buried close
by the side of the Crater after the
mine had been sprung. He had beer
stunned for while. and when he came
to he saw little crack near hin
through which the daylight came. His
arms were pinned down by the weight
OF the clay, but he finally managed tc
, free them. and began to dig himself
out. 1t was not until the Afternoon
that he succeeded in getting free, anc
then he was the happlest man in the
lines.
The Siege.
After the failure of the battle Of
the Crater the Union forces withdrew
and the Confederates entrenched them.
: selves more securely. But there was
all the fighting the bloodiest might
!. want. Apart from frequent Skin.
, mishes and occasionally small pitched
battles, the opposing forces devoted
! most OF their energies to bonabardine
! each other. The Union troops bull
a two forts very near Petersburg
! known by the soldiers as Fort Hell
: and Fort Damnation, and these tw,
/, kept up steady IRE on the belea
q guered city. The Union forces ais
5 laid military railroad outside of Pc
!, tersburg and ran fiat freight cars car
! rying siege cannon and mortars fron
. point to point where they could d
: the most damage. One Of these wa
r the thirteen-tnch mortar Dictator,
). known by the soldiers as the Peters
I burg Express" Tt was readily move
q along the line. and was fired when
q ever required. 1t was very efrectiv
q and annoying to the enemy. for it wa
i, when he put his hand on 1t it WASH
there" When the ,Confederates turne
9 the fire of the batteries on the "Dic
$ tator." the boys would hitch on t
: the car and run 1t along out Of tn
p line of fire and begin pegging ava
. again. This old mortar now stand
S on the Capitol Grounds at Hartfort
/, Conn,
:, The, siege lasted all through til
d winter. It was very severe. and bot
d sides suffered intensely, especially tn
y confederates. who were poorly sup
y piled with clothing and food. B
y March General Les toresaw that
d would be necessary for him to viii,
1t draw when shernhan's army approach
It ed, SO he planned tomove to panvill
i to Join Gen. j. r. Johnston as soon,
the weather should become favorabl
IS To cover his plans and to cause Grar
'g to draw In his left, Lee planned
A. lsortie. This was made on March 2
- but was q failure. ana marked the b