The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1932-07-08

mining engineer, Lieut.-Col. Henry Peasants, In
the latter part of June thought it would start
something if it could make breach in the
Confederate line about 100 yards in front of
him, by mining Elliott's salient and blowing it
up. The idea went forward through channels,
received Meades and Grants approval, and
Burnside got orders to put it into effect and
exploit the opening Grant thought enough
troops could be poured through the crevasse to
capture Petersburg
"Ferreros negro division was being trained
by Burnside to lead the assault through the
breach to be caused by the mine, but Meade
and Grant dsapproved this and Burnside had
the storm division chosen by drawing straws.'
The lot fell to Gen. James 81. Ledlie. command
ing the First division of Burnside's corps. This,
it turned out, foredoomed the enterprise to
what Grant in his Memoirs called 'stupendous
failure
ut was brought out then and by congress
sional investigation later, that Ledlie's bad
habits and consequent unreliability were well
known in the Union army. 1t was disclosed
that Ledlie stayed behind in dug-out drinking
throughout the Crater action and could not be
induced to go out and try to extricate the rem
nants of his division from the deathtrap in
which they were being torn to shreds piece
meal. @
"Ferrero following with the negro division,
Joined Ledlie in the bomb proof while his
troops hurried on, soon to be budding with
Ledlies in the fre-swept Crater until all that
could of both divisions recoiled before the rush
ing Confederate counter charge which reestab-
lished their line.
"Pleasants commenced work at II noon, June
25 1864, in the ravine between the hostile lines,
with improvised tools and materials and on
July II the main tunnel, 510.8 feet in length,
was completed. Sounds of Confederate counter
mining caused Peasants to stop. Work upon the
right lateral gallery at the end of the tunnel
was begun at p. m. July is, regardless of audi
BILE enemy counter-mining, and work on both
right and left laterals was rushed to compile
ton July %. A total of $4,000 cubic feet of
earth was excavated.
-Four tons of powder were placed in the lat
erals July q and the miners tamping was COM
pleted July %. Peasants was ordered to ex-
plode the mine at 80 a. m. July 80. and lighted
the fuse at :15 a. m
"The mine failed to explode. Lieut.. Jacob
Douty and Sergt. Henry Rees, who volunteered
to go in and see why, found the fire had stopped
where fuse lengths had been tied together. They
spliced fresh ends, lighted the fuse again, and
at 10 minutes before a. m. the 800 kegs, con-
tanning Is pounds each, blew up.
"Witnesses felt the earth quake but heard
nothing beyond dull defamation. What they
saw, however, was enough. The air above the
spot was filled with a mounting cloud of earth,
men, guns planks and fragments Confederates
near the Crater ran in every direction, the
waiting Union legions shrank back, to escape
the shower of debris. Both sides gazed astound-
ed, appalled,. A great hole appeared in the
ground, 200 feet long, go feet wide, % feet
Deep smoking, dust-shrouded, horrible
"Union artillerymen recovered first. Almost
Immediately they began laying down a fiery
barrage on both sides of the breach. Five
minutes later, blue soldiers in Ones twos and