The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1917-09-27
EXPLOSION OF MINES
FEATURE or GREAT WARS
PLAN USED IN CIVIL WAR TO
BREAK DEADLOCK IN
THE TRENCHES.

Mines as a feature Of siege opera.
tons have been employed in almos,
all great wars since gunpowder came
into general use. In modern times
they figured extensively in the allied
siege of Sebastopol QS54-55), ant
We're used in the civil war in the sieges
of Vicksburg and Petersburg. Until
the Russo Japanese war ordinary
gunpowder was always the explosive
says the New York Sun.
The mine by which Grant on July
80, 1854, tried to pierce the confeder-
ate works and take Petersburg, the
key to Richmond, exhibited in its con-
struction and operation striking par
alel to mining operations on the
western front in the present war, es-
pecially to the mine explosions which
began the English offensive last sum-
mer at Messines.
| AS in Europe, the federal and con-
federate works before Petersburg were
largely intrenchments, and close to-
gether with a No Mans Land be-
tween, and distractions there corre-
spending to the modern barbed wire
entanglements. AS in Europe, Grants
mine was a stupendous one for its
tday; also the assault made by way OF
it's crater was prepared for with an
artillery bombardment much of the
barrage type.
1.-THE operation was successful, but
the patient died" The mine worked
perfectly and might easily have pro.
duced the planned effect and resulted
in the capture of the town but fol
Misunderstanding and incompetence
on the part of Burnside, the fedora
general Immediately in charge and hi
subordinates.
Mining Petersburg.
After the battles of the Wilderness
SpOttsylvania and Cold Harbor Gran
skilfully got his army across thu
James and went straight at Peters
burg. Beauregard, in command be
fore the town, had no force viii
which to defend it at the time ant
besought requirements of Lee, wht
delayed them until he could be con
WINGED of the fact 'of the federal move
ment.
In the middle of June Grant. nigh
have taken Petersburg out Of hand
al, Iac a I'D M
want of cooperation among his gen
erals aborted the opportunity. Beau
regard was reinforced; an enginee
by profession, and good one, h
made his position secure with stronl
works. and matters settled down to ;
tedious deadlock, resembling the lonl
chronic state of the lines In France
and Belgium.
On June rs General Burnside, corp
commander, began in his front thu
work of tunnelling under the enemy
intrenchments to place the great mine
The plans were those of Iientenan
Colonel Henry Peasants, Forty eight
Pennsylvania infantry, practical Goa
miner, as were all his men. Gran
and General Meade both examined
and approved them, says Grant in hi
Memoirs, "as a means of keeping tn
men occupied"
The time came when he decided l
was necessary again to attack, ant
for the attack he awaited himself o
the mine.
The tunnel was 500 feet long, will
cross gallery of so feet under tn
confederate works. In this CALLER,
were eight chambers, each designed
to be charged with one ton Of powder
In all about 10000 pounds were actu
ally used.
The work took a month to complete
There does not seem to have been an,
confederate attempt to countermine
although they had wind Of what wa
going on.
1--WE had learned through deserter
who had come in that the people ha
very wild rumors. They sal
tersburg; that they were resting upo
a. slumbering volcano and did nc
know at what moment they might ex
Ipect an explosion.
II somewhat based my calculation
upon this state of feeling, and expect
ed that when the mine was explode
the troops to the right and left woul
flee in all directions, and that on
troops, II they moved promptly. coul
move in and strengthen themselve
before the enemy had come to a real
ization Of the true situation"
The mine was to be exploded 6
$3.50 a. m. Trouble with the fuse dc
lay the explosion till o'clock. On
hundred and ten cannon and So MOI
tars. covering the ground to the rigf