The National tribune., 1910-09-15

fess than the length of an ordinary city
block, yet il was felt that an assault
was hopeless. particularly as the Con-
federate works bent back sharply, CIV
flank heavy cross-fire. This was a
substantial basis for the distrust by
Meade and his engineers of the plan.
That part of the enemy's line was
held by Elliott's Brigade, and the work
known as Fort Elliott. 1t was just be-
low the crest of Cemetery Hill. and this
eminence commanded a full view of
Petersburg. Toward the foot of the
hill our line had been established, and
as the works rose they screened from
the enemy above them what was going
on behind. At the foot of the hill was
a deep ravine, thru which ran the
Norfolk Railroad, and there Col. Pleas
ants and his men began work, June 25.
Progress of the Work.
The work was prosecuted with graft
flying rapidity and success until July 2,
when extremely wet ground was en-
countered. The timbers gave way and
the top caved in. This was overcome,
but soon a bed of mari was encoun-
tered of puttylike consistence. To avoid
this the gallery was sloped upward,
rising 131a feet in 100 feet July IL
the main gallery was completed, $40
feet long. This reached the center of
the fort The next thing was to branch
out in side galleries, TO make the de-
struction as complete as possible. These
laterals, about SS feet long. branched
out to the right and left under the fort.
All this involved the hardest and most
incassant labor on the part Of everyone
in the regiment. When we know that
the men carried out in the cracker
boxes $4,000 cubic feet of earth, or
enough to make a bank one foot high
and one foot wide for three and half
miles, We get some conception of the
mere physical labor To keep the air
pure a shaft % feet deep was sunk. A
plank conduit, eight inches square, let
fresh air into the mine, and the foul
air escaped thru the shaft. at the bot
tom of which fire was kept burning
to increase the draft.
Every precaution was taken TO keep
the work a secret. The earth taken out
was covered every day by brush, to
keep 1t from being noted by rebel look
outs in the trees. The pickets in front
of the Ninth Corps were ordered to
keep up constant fire, so as to prevent
any communication with the enemy. In
spite of this Beauregard got some ink
llng and began a countermine. Col.
}leasants and his men were on the
lookout for this. Experienced miners,
they knew every sound in the earth
and quickly detected the noisy efforts
of the counter-miners, which sent the
EounO OF tncr voices and their blows
thru the ground. Work on our side was
stopped until July is, when the enemy.
having stopped, ii was resumed, and
the work completed July % at 6 u. m.
The practicability of the work having
been thus splendidly demonstrated,
Gen. Meade yielded, and gave the or
der TO supply the powder. This took
about four tons-320 kegs of rs
pounds each. Col Pleasants began put
ting in the powder at 4 p. m. July 27,
and by 10 that night had il all iE. See
ing the near completion of their task,
his men worked with even more enthu-
siasm than before.
The blasting charge was divided into
eight magazines. connected by wooden
tubes, half filled with powder These
Joined similar tube in the main gal
lery, and from this three fuses. 9S feet
long each, ran to the entrance AS no
fuses long enough could be obtained.
these had to be spliced. which caused
the only flaw in the perfection of the
arrangements Tamping the charge
was completed at 6 p. m., July 2S, and
Col Pleasants received orders TO fire
the mine at $3.50 a. m, July 30.
As usual with the rank and file and
their immediate officers of the Army of
the Potomac. Col Peasants and the
4Sth Pa. had done their work perfectly.
The troubles were always higher up,
and now we were to have a most pain
full demonstration of this
(To be continued)