The Washington herald., 1914-07-30
THE WAR DAY BY DAY
= Fifty Years Ago.
July 3O lS64- Federal, Besgg Petersburg Exploded Min. Uud.
the Confederate Works. Forming Breach Through Which III. Cir
Might Have Been Reached but Throwing Away Advantage b.
Msmanagement

Fifty years ago today the Federals
besieging Petersburg. Va. exploded a
mine under the Confederate works FORM
ing a breach through which Grants army
might have entered the city, but throwing
away their advantage through misman-
agement.
Blame for the failure Of the days oper-
ations which have been described as re-
sulting In "a miserable fiasco"-fell upon
Gen. Ambrose Z. Burnside, commander
OF the Ninth Army Corps and former
commander OF the Army OF the Potomac.
The events OF the day. which cost the
Federals 1000 men, closed the active ca
reer OF this well-known officer, whose
services for the Union, sincerely rendered,
had been distinguished by inefiiciency on
grand scale. In this case Gen. Burn
side was found by a court Of inquiry
to have disobeyed his orders.
Responsibility for the assault that was
to follow the explosion OF the mine fell
to Gen. Burnside because the project Of
the mine had developed in his command
through the suggestion Of Col. Henry
Peasants, Of the Forty-eighth Pennsyl-
vania Regiment, who was a mining en-
gineer. The mine had been completed on
July q and charged with 5000 pounds
Of powder on July .. 1t was near the
center Oh lne -Nlulu SOIpo llho VI "OAA 49,
on the east side Of Petersburg. and sx-
tended under a salient in the Confederate
works held by a brigade under Gen.
Stephen Elliott, jr.. OF South Carolina
In preparation for this attempt to enter
the enemy's stronghold. Gen Grant had
made a feint with Is, 900 infantry and 5000
cavalry along the north side OF the James.
This had drawn obout three-hfths of
Lees army away from Petersburg, and
had left its long line Of works thinly
manned
Explicit Orders Issued.
Every condition, on the morning Of,
July 90, favored the Federal enterprise
Each detail Of the days program had
been weighed by Gen. Grant and Gen.
George G. Meade, commanding the Arny
Of 1.-THE Potomac Nothing had been
overlooked.
Gen. Burnside had received explicit
orders on all points regarding the as
sault and Gen. Meade had taken the
pains to impress upon him personally
the necessity Of quick work In throw
ing the assaulting troops upon the en-
emy's works as soon as the breach was
made.
Gen. Burnside was ordered to form his
troops in column OF assault. at night;
to level parts Of his parapets, In order
to force passages by which the col
umns could move out; to remove the
tangle Of abatis, or felled timber, that
was in front OF the works; TO have his
pioneers or lsborers, equipped to open
for the egress Of artillery and
to destroy the abatis in front Of the
enemy's lines: and to equip his infantry
with intrenching tools, with which 20
effect Judgments in the positions they
were expected to gain.
Practically the entire army was put
under orders to assist in the assault.
Gen. W. s. Hancock's column, which
had made the feint across the James,
was marched back at night to assist in
the program. The Fifth Corps, now un-
der Gen. E. o. c. Ord, were ordered to
form on either side Of Gen. Burnside's
corps. and Join in the assault.
Two weeks before the date set for
firing the mine Gen. Burnside had or
dered Gen. Edward Ferrero. command
Ing a brigade of negro troops in the
Ninth Corps. to drill his men to lead the
assault The negroes had never been
under fire. and Gen. Burnside believed
they would do better than his white |
troops, which had been constantly un-
der h1e, or on the march, since the |
first Week in May.
On July Is Gen. Burnside informed |
Gen. Meade that he proposed to have |
the negroes lead the assault. Gen. |
Meade disapproved. and was. sustained !
by Gen. Grant, on the ground that II !
the assault failed It would appear that
The negroes had been put in where white |
troops would not be risked.
Delay I'm Firing the Mine.
Ordered to employ white troops to lead
he assault, Cen Burnside caused the
hree officers leading his white brigades,
Iens. B. B. Porter, o. B. Wilcox, and |
ames II. Ledlie. to determine by lot |
which should lead the assault. The duty
ell upon Gen. Ledlie.
Beyond assembling the troops in irreg-
liar order in front of the position to be
ssaulted. no preparations were made
" Gen. Burnside for the assault. The
arapets and abatis were not touched.
Tot all the troops were equipped as or
cred.
The hour set for exploding the mine
Fas $50 a. m The whole army was
wake long before that hour. Gen.
surnside had moved his headquarters
o the rear Of a part Of his line occupied
y a fourteen-glfn battery. Gen. Meade
Gen. Burnside's regular head
uarters about a mile from the mine,
which were connected by telegraph with
he rest Of the field. Gen. Grant came
D from City Point and camped near BY.