New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-12-10
Forks Blow the Conederac
This Article in The Tribunes Civil War Series Relates
the Discouraging Accidents That Kept Grant Wait
ing Nearly Year Outside of Petersburg

every nerve and muscle tense. An hour
passed The word was passed along ina
the fuse had died out and an ofncer mao
gone into the mine to relisht H. Ten OF
fifteen minutes more elapsed. 1t was no"
a quarter Of 3. Suddenly the ground trem-
bled. The earth around the Confederate
salient opened. Flame and smoke shot up
ward as II from miniature volcano. II
was followed by a mass of earth and rag
nlents of cannon. caissons, sand bags and
living and dying men. The orders were &c
charge as soon as the explosion occurred
hut the proximity of the falling debris
which seemed about to fall directly upon
the soldiers where they lay or stood wait
! ing for tho order TO go forward, demoral'
| lied them. Involuntarily they fell back, and
ten minutes were required 10 reform them
! Then a fresh difficulty arose. No provision
! had been made for getting them out OF the
Union works. They were obliged to get
over in any way they could. The result
WAS that the troops which were TO rush
! through the breach in tile Confederate
works TO the crest of the hill beyond did
not have an opportunity to reform again
once they got outside between the two
| lines. Running regardless Of order. they
came TO the crater, which was 200 feet long
! 30 feet wide and p feet deep, tumoled into
IL and stayed there.
| Tho Confederates were so stupefied at the
| blast that half an hour elapsed before they
recovered sufficiently to spring into the
breach. Then they crowded toward the
hole I'm which the Union soldiers were
struggling without leader high enough IN
authority to devise a plan for getting them
out and leading them on toward the crest
of the hill beyond which tie spires of the
prize could be seen bathed in the morning
sunlight General Ledlie had elected to re-
main behind In a bomb proof. From both
tanks the Confederates poured a hot fire
into the mass of human beings in the hole.
Potter's and WillcoX's divisions were sent
on either side of the crater, but what prog
Iess they made which was little, was UNI
availing. owing TO the confusion
AZ last the negro division under Fcrroro
had an opportunity 10 demonstrate its
worth Unfortunately its commander. also
thought II the better part OF yalur TO re-
main in the rear. Anxious to prove them
selves as good white soldiers, they
dashed across the lines with fine spirit
Being poorly led, however, they swept into
the crater and lost their formation before
they emerged on the other side. Then they
encountered heavy hrc from the enemy's
infantry and artillery and s,ampeded. flow
ing back In great confusion. They were
never heard aftcrward chanting their song.
Turner'S division OF Ord's corps had man
aged TO set through and take possession OF
about 100 yards of the Confederate works
on the right of the crater. At ihls moment
the negro troops. rushing backward. swept
the division with II. TO send out more
troops could only increase the disaster. The
Confederates now commanded the edges of
the crater and its approaches. II was al
most sure death 20 come Nd out of il.
Their Infantry charged upon the Union
soldiers around and In ,he hole. These
fought back RS wei! as they could lud-
died IN hot, hungry and thirsty mass
among the wounded and the dead. with a
July sun beating down upon them the
agony Of those In the crater became in
tense The Confederates now dashed down
INTO tho hole, and in the hand 10 hand
struggle which followed more than 100
prisoners were tlkcA.
Convinced that the affair va f.,,,,rc
General Meade, in the middle 81 tho Fore.
noon, directed Burnside TO v.itb1r.w rho
troops Tho latter hurried Ia the head