[SOPO Editor’s Note: From time to time I like to publish editorials from the Richmond papers if they deal wholly with the Siege of Petersburg.  This is one such case.]

One peculiarity of the people with whom we fight, is the fact that their publick journals have been and are accurate indicators of their General’s intentions.  Details they have lately latterly succeeded in suppressing; but the general plan of future military operations may always be ascertained from their newspapers.  That people put into their papers all the ideas they have—Each General has his pet journal, and with it a representative in his camp; and he can not fail to know very nearly the leading objects in view.

For the last month the Northern press have consoled its publick for the “apparent inactivity” of General GRANT by grandiose (illegible) notions of some immense thing that would happen in this neighbourhood “before the 30^th of July”.  That they had grounds for their expectation, and what they were, we now know very well.  In the designated week GRANT was, indeed, in full motion.  He threw a large army to the northern bank of the James.  Whether the movement was a feint to distract attention from Petersburg, or whether he really intended to attack Richmond while Lee’s forces were engaged in repelling the assault on the former place is a question which cannot be answered on present information:  but it may be assumed as probable that if he had not found an ample force on the lines of Richmond, his troops would have kept the line of battle which they formed, from Deep Bottom to the Chickahominy, and attacked on Saturday [July 30, 1864].  But they found an army on this front which not only make an attack hopeless, but rendered their own safety precarious; and the troops appear to have been nearly all withdrawn, on Friday night [July 29, 1864].

On the next morning [July 30, 1864] the nature of the brilliant, and wonderful, and brand new scheme for the taking of Petersburg was definitely explained.  On that morning the ground beneath one of the batteries burst asunder as if a volcano had opened a crater—the enemy had sprung a mine.  The assault succeeded in good time and overwhelming force, and although the Confederate troops displayed perfect discipline, and made the assailants pay a tremendous price, they could not prevent them from gaining possession of position and introducing their cannon.¹

But such success is of no avail where the opposing army and generals are like those who hold Petersburg.  The greater part of their acquisitions was immediately wrested from the enemy, and in the counter assault which followed as soon as our troops could be concentrated the entire line was retaken, and with a general officer, seventy-five commissioned officers, all the cannon, our own and the enemy’s; and the whole force which had established themselves in the batteries was killed or taken prisoners.²

Thus the mine, like everything that GRANT has tried, was a total failure.  It was not, however, a failure because ill executed.  It was a perfect mine, and perfectly exploded; the assault was powerful; the whole attempt was as formidable as such a thing could be.  But the day of the mine has gone.  Under the old system of fortifications it was one of the most effective and dangerous means of siege; and in spite of ‘fougasse’ and ‘camouflet,’ countermine and gallery, the advantages of the system were, to the last always greatly on the side of the attack.  But that new theory of defence, which was first brought into common [usage?] at Comorn³, and afterwards exhibited on a grand scale at Sebastopol⁴—detached and advanced earthworks, erected with even more ease and rapidity than the batteries and parallels of the besieger—has greatly diminished the utility of mines.  They could easily make an irretrievable breach in a rampart of masonry, and a town defended on the old system was turned inside out when entered.—But an earthwork blown up affords but doubtful advantages.  It is quickly commanded by another, and the new system partakes so much of the nature of fluid operations, that a position so gained may generally be flanked by the army within the lines, surrounded and captured.⁵

But we have not yet seen the end of GRANT.  Although he has sent off a large force to meet EARLY, the next fortnight’s operations in this neighbourhood will probably be active.  He has doubtless learned with accuracy the nature of the country and the climate in which he is living.  He knows that the periodical [illegible] sickly season on the tidewater streams of Virginia, withal,  begin about the middle of this present month; and then his army will be [illegible] little til the latter part of October.  He will doubtless feel the necessity of using what little time that remains.  We do not anticipate the destruction of his whole force by ague and fever; [illegible] before Syracuse, or the several armies which have buried themselves around Rome.  We have no such thing in Virginia as the malaria of the Campagna or Sicily.  But we have what will make two thirds of GRANT’S army very sick, and sick for a long time, as he will [find?], if he is outside of the town a month more.⁶,⁷

SOPO Editor’s Note: This article was transcribed by Jackie Martin.

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Source/Notes:

GENERAL GRANT’S ARMY.

—–

The Weather and Roads—Scarcity of Water—A Night Alarm—No Damage Done—A Reconnoissance—General Smith Busy.

Special Correspondence of the Inquirer.

NEAR PETERSBURG, VA., SUNDAY, June 26th [1864], 8 P. M., via Washington, by telegraph.

Affairs to-day [June 26, 1864] have been very quiet. Men must keep quiet in such weather, for under such an intense heat as we are now enduring existence itself seems a task. The light sandy soil, pulverized fine as flour by the tread of numberless feet of men and beasts, seems to have exhaled the last particle of water from the surface, and has become as light as ashes. A perpetual dust cloud floats in the atmosphere, impregnating it so thoroughly that it is almost impossible to get a single inhalation of pure air within a quarter mile of any road.¹

This evening [June 26, 1864] I noticed a belt of what appeared to be a white mist stretching over the dark tops of an extensive tract of pines, and contrasting strongly with their deep and somber green. It marked the courset of a road through woods. A column of troops in motion is absolutely concealed from view by the dust which its many feet stir up. Imagine what a march must be under such circumstances. We have the population of a large city, its constant whirls and motion, but neither its sprinklers nor its hydrants; and under such circumstances dust is, of course, inevitable, and we may make up our minds to suffer this, one of the Egyptian plagues, for an indefinite period.

To add to what the army suffers from heat and dust, there is a great scarcity of water. Men take their horses to water frequently one mile, but fortunately this trouble is not irremediable, for although there are few springs, and little surfaced water of any kind can be found the earth is a cool fountain, which needs only to be tapped to yield abundantly. At a depth of only six or eight feet from the arid surface you strike a layer of pure white sand from which water at once oozes, clear, cool and refreshing. To-day [June 26, 1864] I have seen men digging everywhere, and henceforth there will be no lack of good water so long as we remain in this vicinity.

Late last night [June 25, 1864] we were startled by the sudden opening of heavy volleys of musketry. It was after ten o’clock when it commenced, and a continuous roll was kept up for nearly an hour, with considerable artillery firing. We are accustomed to night alarms, however, and never judge of effects by the amount of noise we hear. It turns out in this instance that notwithstanding the tremendous fusilade, which did not entirely cease for some hours, scarcely a man was hurt. It occurred at a point where two lines of intrenchments are very near together, and the firing was from behind breastworks on both sides. Our men were constructing an abattis in front of a portion of the Ninth Corps [IX/AotP], and the object of the enemy in opening fire was probably to bring their labors to a close.²

The firing commenced on the left of the Ninth Corps, and gradually extended along its entire line, and to the next division on the right of it. It is, of course, known on either side, that whatever is done in the way of posting new batteries, constructing new works, &c, must be done at night, and if any sound indicating work is heard by the enemy, it immediately draws their fire.

Yesterday [June 25, 1864], General [David A.] RUSSELL, First Division, Sixth Corps [1/VI/AotP], sent out Lieutenant-Colonel [William H.] LESSIG, with about two hundred men of the Ninety-Sixth Pennsylvania, to reconnoiter in the direction of the Weldon Railroad, near the portion which was destroyed on the 23d [of June, 1864]. He found a strong skirmish line of the enemy on this side of the road, and was not able to penetrate to it, but was near enough to ascertain that parties of men were busily at work repairing the damages done.³

The enemy cannot afford to lose the use of that [rail]road, and will, of course, make every effort to get it in running order again as soon as possible. To-day, General [William F. “Baldy”] SMITH [of the Eighteenth Corps] has been very busy, and we may shortly look out for active work in that quarter.

About 5 P. M. we had thunder and lightning, and the gathering of clouds gave promise of a drenching shower, but the clouds have passed away without dropping any of their moisture, and the parched earth and we must make up our minds to endure the heat and dust for a while longer.⁴

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Source/Notes:

FROM THE [PETERSBURG] FRONT.

—–

THE MOVEMENTS OF YESTERDAY [JUNE 22]—YANKEE BATTERIES SILENCED—A SUCCESSFUL FLANK MOVEMENT—GLORIOUS RESULTS—SIXTEEN HUNDRED PRISONERS AND FOUR PIECES OF CANNON CAPTURED—ALSO EIGHT STAND OF COLORS—THE FIGHT PROGRESSING, ETC.

[SOPO Editor’s Note: This is a lengthy and fairly detailed account of William Mahone’s division-sized  June 22, 1864 flank attack against the Union Second Corps, Army of the Potomac during the Battle of Jerusalem Plank Road.  Mahone skillfully utilized a ravine to his advantage to fall upon the exposed left flank of Second Corps, routing them back to the Jerusalem Plank Road and taking for the first time ever some artillery from this unit on a field of battle.  It was a disastrous defeat for the proud men of Second Corps and a brilliant victory by Mahone.  The attack was prevented from being an even larger victory by Confederate Division commander Cadmus Wilcox, who was facing the Union Sixth Corps further south and was supposed to cooperate with Mahone. He failed to provide support that could have caused an even larger stampede.  Currently, there is no good monograph of this day of the battle or of the Second Offensive as a whole, but John Horn is planning to rectify this situation in the near future. For now, see A. Wilson Greene’s first volume of his Petersburg Trilogy, pages 234-243, with a map on page 237.]

The unusual quiet which prevailed along our lines at an early hour yesterday [June 22, 1864], was the subject of universal remark through out our streets. At early dawn and until nine o’clock, scarcely a heavy gun was discharged, and if the pickets continued their shooting, the rumbling of heavy wagons, and the busy hum of the populace, prevented its being heard in Petersburg.

This state of quiet prevailed until nine o’clock, when heavy cannonading was heard on our extreme left, and upon enquiry, it was ascertained to proceed from a Confederate battery admirably posted in Chesterfield. This battery had obtained the range of two of the enemy’s twenty-pounder Parrotts, planted at batteries Nos. 1 and 2, on Jordan’s farm, and by the admirable aim and precision of our gunners, rendered admirable service. In less than thirty minutes after our battery opened, the enemy’s guns were effectually silenced. Repeated attempts were made during the day to reopen these guns, which for several days past, have been throwing shells into our city, but every attempt was met by a hot fire from the Chesterfield Heights, which prevented the accomplishment of the enemy’s purpose. Our city yesterday [June 22, 1864] enjoyed a remarkable exemption from these annoying missiles of the enemy, and many were surprised at the amiable disposition which seemed suddenly to have taken possession of our uninvited visitors.¹

About 2 o’clock, p. m. [on the afternoon of June 22, 1864], heavy firing was heard on our extreme right, to the rear of Wells’ old place, in Dinwiddie, about two miles from Butterworth’s Bridge. The firing was rapid, and the discharges of musketry were plainly heard by persons residing in the suburbs in that portion of the city. The report that a fight was progressing in that direction, spread rapidly through the city, and many hastened where they supposed they would be enabled to witness the battle. In this, however, they were disappointed, for the country was too thickly wooded to see the conflict, without exposing one’s person to the flying balls and bullets. All, however, could hear the firing, and listened to the exciting sounds with breathless attention. The enemy had advanced an entire corps [actually two Corps, the Second and Sixth] around to this extreme southwesterly direction during Tuesday night [June 21, 1864], for the purpose of seizing and holding the Weldon [Rail]road, and our Generals were on the qui vive at a very early hour. Shortly after mid-day [on June 22, 1864], a flank movement which had been planned, was put into process of execution, and this brought on the fight which had attracted [illegible].²

It soon became evident that our gallant boys were driving the invaders, and before four o’clock [on the afternoon of June 22, 1864] it was ascertained that we had gained a very decided success. Three brigades, under the command of General Mahone, had by the skillful manoeuvering of their officers, succeeded in getting to the front, right and left of a large body of the invaders³, before the vandals were fully apprised of the danger of their situation. Their front was protected by a heavy line of breastworks, which had been thrown up during Tuesday night [June 21, 1864], but this did not deter Confederate troops from their duty, for no sooner was the order to charge given, than our boys rushed forward with one of those characteristic yells, which for the second time lately has been distinctly heard in Petersburg. Simultaneous with this charge in front of the enemy, the two other brigades mentioned opened on both flanks, and between the three fires, but a few moments sufficed to end the conflict, the great bulk of the vandals throwing down their arms and begging for quarter.⁴

The results of this admirably planned and no less admirably executed movement, are: The capture of sixteen hundred prisoners, eight stands of colors, four pieces of artillery, and two formidable lines of breastworks. But better than all, we relieve the line of [Weldon] railroad, and still maintain our communications with the South.⁵

Among the prisoners are fifty-seven commissioned officers—but none higher than Colonel. The men belong mainly to the 2nd and 4th Brigades, Birney’s Division, Hancock’s Second Army Corps.—We captured no general officers, Cols. [John] Fraser [of the 140th PA, commanding 4/1/II/AotP] and Custard⁶, both commanding Brigades. Some of the prisoners taken, say that the movement towards the railroad was generally regarded as hazardous, and Gen. Hancock, was unfortunately taken sick just on the eve of the expedition. Birney was in command, of whom the prisoners do not speak at all complimentary. They say he invariably manages to get them into trouble.⁷

As usual, all nationalities are represented among the prisoners, and many of the men say, that they left the trenches around Washington twelve days since. A majority of them express great satisfaction that they are now prisoners of war, and declare that they have no heart to fight.—A somewhat matured son of the Emerald Isle, whose head is heavily sprinkled with grey, upon being asked where he was from, promptly responded, “Ireland, by Jasus, and would to God that I were back there to-day.”⁸

LATER—THE FIGHT STILL PROGRESSING

At nine o’clock last night [June 22, 1864], a gentleman just from the vicinity of the front, informed us that the fight was still progressing, and that we were driving the enemy rapidly.—We had forced him from the vicinity of the railroad back to and across the Jerusalem Plank Road, a distance of four miles. It was discovered as we moved, that the enemy had many lines of breastworks, extending easterly from the main line around the city, to prevent flank movements, but from each of these he was handsomely driven.

After being forced from the two first lines, the enemy were reinforced and made an effort to recapture them; but our boys turned their own guns upon them, (many having left their muskets when they fled,) and repulsed them in gallant style.

Batches of prisoners continued to arrive up to the latest accounts; and a gentleman who left the vicinity of the battle at dark, thinks our total captures will reach 2500.

A large number of the enemy were killed and wounded, all of whom were left in our hands. Our casualties will be heavy, but the most of them, we are pleased to hear, are only slightly wounded.

Military men with whom we have conversed, regard the affair of yesterday [June 22, 1864], as one of the most brilliant of the war, the numbers engaged considered, and not a few are of the opinion, that it may bring on a general engagement to-day [June 23, 1864]. Should such a result be brought about, we can only say, that it would be gladly accepted by our army, for never have we known men more “eager for the fray,” and more sanguine, that by the help of God, they will conquer.⁹

A RAID UPON THE WELDON [RAIL]ROAD.

A large body of the enemy’s cavalry, estimated by many as high as four thousand, made a dash at the Petersburg Railroad yesterday morning [June 22, 1864] between the hours of six and eight o’clock, at Reams’ Station, ten miles distant from Petersburg. They cut the telegraph wires, burnt the water tanks, wood sheds, and office, and tore up about 150 yards of the railroad track. The entire party is said to have taken the old stage road to Dinwiddie Courthouse upon leaving, and are of course aiming for the Southside and Danville Railroads. A large body of Confederate cavalry are in hot pursuit, and not more than two hours in their rear.¹⁰

We learn that the telegraph on the line of the Southside Railroad ceased to work at 4 o’clock yesterday afternoon [June 22, 1864], and it is supposed that the advance guard of the raiders have reached this line of travel. It is generally hoped that these raiders many be captured, but all such hopes have been so repeatedly disappointed, that we must prepare ourselves for a failure. In the event of success, it will be all the better when it comes.

VANDALISM OF THE ENEMY.

All accounts from Prince George represent that the country is being thoroughly scoured by the worse than vandal foe, who now invade that section. Every house is visited, and not an article of any value is overlooked. The enemy’s cavalry horses are turned into large fields of wheat, corn and oats, and allowed to trample and graze the crops as they like.¹¹

Yesterday [June 22, 1864] among the prisoners captured, was one cut-throat looking fellow, who fell into the hands of Charlie W. Grant, of the 45th Georgia. This Union-restorer, had on his person, the Family Bible of Mr. Geo. M. Browder, a well known citizen of Prince George. Mr. Browder resides near the Plank Road, about 4 miles from Petersburg, and fled from his home a few days since to escape the vengeance of the despoilers. We saw his precious Bible restored to him yesterday evening at the office of the Provost Marshal, and we witnessed the joyful emotions which a sight of its sacred and familiar pages produced. Mr. Browder [illegible] to hear form his wife and dear little ones who remained. We trust that his fearful anticipations may not be realized. Who can measure the depth of degradation to which these incorrigible scoundrels have descended, when they actually steal the Word of God, and that too under circumstances, from which any but a Yankee would revolt?¹²

This article was transcribed by Brett Schulte.

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Source/Notes:

CAMP NEAR PETERSBURG, Va.,
Nov. 8, 1864.

The vote of the Brigade [3/2/V/AotP] is as follows¹:

………………………………………….Lincoln                 McClellan

157^th [PA] Regiment        58                          11

190^th [PA] Regiment        150                       55

191^st [PA] Regiment         122                       70

210^th [PA] Regiment        261                       186

…………………………………………..591                       322

…………………………………………..322

Lincoln’s majority             269

Our [210th Pennsylvania] Regimental vote stands thus:

………………………………………….Lincoln                 McClellan

Company A                        18                          34

Company B                        14                          27

Company C                        19                          14

Company D                        27                          25

Company E                        27                          14

Company F                        33                          14

Company G                        52                          13

Company H                        24                          18

Company H                        74                          18

Company I                         30                          12

Company K                        17                          15

…………………………………………..261                       186

…………………………………………..186

Lincoln’s majority             75

I saw no electioneering whatever, and but few of the men voted an open ticket or boasted on what side they intended to vote. There seemed to be no external influence used whatever. The men were quiet and orderly-no drinking, nor its consequence (fighting) nor betting being observable anywhere. In fact, people at home may copy from the soldiers’ method of conducting an election. In our Company we lost three Lincoln votes by their being on picket duty and other duty at a distance from the regiment. As there was not a solitary McClellan man thus circumstanced, it took just so many from our company’s majority.

Lt. H[osea]. Hudson.²,³

SOPO Editor’s Note: This article was transcribed by Roy Gustrowsky.

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TELEGRAPHIC REPORTS OF THE PRESS ASSOCIATION.

____________

THE NEWS FROM PETERSBURG. ONE OF THE ENEMY’S MINES SPRUNG—A PORTION OF OUR WORKS TEMPORARILY CARRIED BUT ARE SUBSEQUENTLY RECAPTURED AND THE ENEMY DRIVEN OUT WITH TERRIBLE SLAUGHTER.

PETERSBURG  July 30—The enemy sprung a mine under our works on the Baxter road one and a half miles from the city, this morning about five o’clock blowing up a considerable portion of our works which were occupied by Pegram’s battery of this city, supported by Elliott’s South Carolina brigade [Elliott’s Brig., Johnson’s Div. Department of North Carolina and Southern Virginia].¹

A number of lives were lost.  The enemy at once bounded forward with a yell, driving in our forces and occupying a large portion of our lines.  [Brigadier General William “Little Billy”] Mahone being notified of the condition of affairs, hurried his own [Virginia Brigade under Colonel David A.  Weisiger] and Wright’s brigades [under Lt. Col. Matthew R. Hall] to the scene of action.

On their arrival he threw them forward to retake the works temporarily lost.  They recaptured a large portion of the lines temporarily lost and took forty commissioned officers and four hundred privates, representing four divisions of Burnside’s corps.

Among the prisoners were some twenty negroes.  The slaughter of the enemy during the engagement is represented by distinguished officers as the severest of the war for the numbers engaged.

The battlefield is literally strewn with dead negroes.  The firing ceased at 9 o’clock [in the morning], but it is understood we will renew the attack at 2 o’clock [in the afternoon].

Among the casualties are General Elliott, of South Carolina, severely wounded; Colonel Weisiger, commanding Mahone’s brigade, slightly; Major Woodhouse, slightly; Captain Girardy, Mahone’s Assistant Adjutant General, slightly.

During the fight the enemy’s grape and shrapnel fell thick and fast in the outskirts of the city.

Our loss in prisoners is not believed to equal our captures.

The Yankee prisoners say Grant has been mining three weeks.

[SECOND DESPATCH.]

PETERSBURG  July 30.  About two o’clock today, everything being arranged, General Mahone threw forward Saunders’ [Colonel John C. C. Sanders’] Alabama brigade and which charged the enemy in gallant style, recapturing the rest of the breastworks temporarily lost, and taking about five hundred prisoners, including one hundred and fifty negroes, thirty-five officers, and Brigadier-General [Willliam F.] Bartlett, of the First division,  Ninth corps [he commanded 1/1/IX/AotP], besides two stands of colours and four pieces of artillery lost by us this morning.

Over six hundred of the enemy’s dead are in our trenches.

Mahone’s and Wright’s brigades, besides prisoners captured this morning, took ten stands of colours.

Our lines are now identical as before the fight this morning, all the ground lost having been reclaimed.

Not over one hundred lives are believed to have been lost by the blowing up of the mine.  The losses in Mahone’s division are not over two hundred killed and wounded.

Among the killed are Colonel [John W.] Evans, Sixty-fourth Georgia; Captain [George W.] Rush, commanding Twenty-second Georgia; Lieutenant Colonel [Henry W.] Williamson, [commanding] Sixth Virginia, slightly wounded.

The negroes charged, crying, “No quarter—remember Fort Pillow.”

All quiet to night.²

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Source/Notes:

Black Soldiers Capture Confederate Cannon (Library of Congress)

I’ve collected a lot of information on the Siege of Petersburg in the last decade plus. As you do this sort of collecting, themes often arise in the material.  I’ve tagged my published posts for things like weather, the Election of 1864, Christmas and others.  As I collected more and more accounts, I soon became interested in the controversial topic of the performance of Black units at the Siege of Petersburg.  Remember, in the Civil War, units were not fully integrated.  Black soldiers answered to White officers in the United States Colored Troops (USCT for short). and other regiments composed mainly of African-Americans (29th Connecticut and some others). By my count, there were at least 35 African-American units at the Siege of Petersburg, and they fought hard at such battles as Second Petersburg, the Crater, New Market Heights, Fort Gilmer, and Second Fair Oaks. These fights produced a lot of opinions on both sides.  I have always been intrigued by this facet of the Siege, so I have been “tagging” published posts with the tag “fighting ability of black soldiers” wherever I notice someone commenting.

I have FINALLY reached a point where I have enough examples to be able to publish this page.  Below, you will find every mention I have published of someone (Union, Confederate, Black, White) mentioning how the USCTs did in a given fight from a wide variety of sources (with MANY, MANY more to come).  Keep in mind, at this site I publish EVERYTHING VERBATIM, with no apology.  I believe it is important to see everything to truly understand the past.  You will see offensive and unflattering accounts below.  However, you will also see glowing reviews.  And in both cases they may be coming from someone entirely unexpected.

Opinions on the Fighting Ability of African-American Units at the Siege of Petersburg

• B&L: The Battle of the Petersburg Crater by William H. Powell
• B&L: The Colored Troops At Petersburg by Henry Goddard Thomas
• Book Review: Cold Harbor to the Crater: The End of the Overland Campaign
• CENTURY V34 N05: A Dash into the Crater by George L. Kilmer
• CT AG 65-66: Report of Major Thomas Wright, 31st USCT, of operations June 4-November 6, 1864
• CV: V3N1: The Crater Battle, 30th July, 1864
• CV: V3N2: Alabamians in the Crater Battle
• Account of the Battle of the Mine Explosion… by Silas Stevenson, 100th Pennsylvania
• George S. Gove Letter: August 2, 1864
• LT: August 4, 1864 Anonymous (11th MA Battery)
• LT: August 4, 1864 Henry F. Young (7th Wisconsin)
• LT: August 6, 1864 Henry F. Young (7th Wisconsin)
• LT: August 16, 1864 Theodore Lyman
• LT: November 2, 1864 Reuben P. H. Morris (2nd Michigan)
• MHSM Papers V5: The Petersburg Mine by Brevet Brigadier-General Stephen M. Weld
• MOLLUS IL V2: The Negro as a Soldier by William E. Furness
• MOLLUS IL V3: The Petersburg Mine by Walter C. Newberry
• MOLLUS MA V1: Fourteen Months’ Service with Colored Troops by Solon A. Carter
• MOLLUS ME V1: The Battle of “The Crater” by Captain Horace H. Burbank
• NP: June 20, 1864 Philadelphia Inquirer: The Standing of Black Troops
• NP: June 23, 1864 Philadelphia Inquirer: The Siege of Petersburg, June 20
• NP: July 10, 1864 Sunday Mercury (New York): 12th U. S. Infantry at the Siege of Petersburg, Early July 1864
• NP: August 7, 1864 Sunday Mercury (New York): The 146th New York, Black Troops, Back Pay, and 500,000 More at Petersburg, August 1864
• NP: August 7, 1864 Sunday Mercury (New York): An “Old Soldier” Visits the 5th NY July-August 1864
• NP: August 13, 1864 Cape Ann Light and Gloucester Telegraph: 23rd MA Observes the Crater Battle
• NP: August 13, 1864 Cape Ann Light and Gloucester Telegraph: 32nd MA Observes the Crater Battle
• NP: August 13, 1864 Cape Ann Light and Gloucester Telegraph: 32nd MA, the Crater, and a Feud
• NP: August 16, 1864 New York Evening Post: The Colored Troops at Petersburg
• NP: August 16, 1864 Vicksburg Daily Herald: From Before Petersburg, Va (Battle of the Crater)
• NP: August 18, 1864 Pittsfield (MA) Sun: Extract of a letter from a member of Co. E, 27th Mass. Vols.
• NP: August 19, 1864 The Bedford Inquirer: 21st PA Cav and the Crater, July 30, 1864
• NP: August 21, 1864 Sunday Mercury (New York): The 95th NY Witnesses the Battle of the Crater, July 30, 1864
• NP: September 2, 1864 Boston Recorder: The Repulse at Petersburg, July 30, 1864
• NP: March 24, 1865 The Roman Citizen (Rome, NY): 50th NY Eng Letter, March 14, 1865
• NP: September 17, 1884 The Clarion (Jackson, MS): The Death Grapple at Petersburg: Last Days of Harris’ Mississippi Brigade, Part 2
• NP: December 16, 1895 The State (Columbia, SC): ELLIOTT’S BRIGADE. How It Held The Crater and Saved Petersburg.
• NP: November 15, 1896 Birmingham Age-Herald: Sanders’ Alabama Brigade at the Crater
• NP: January 31, 1898 The State (Columbia, SC): Elliott’s Brigade at the Crater
• NP: March 5, 1899 The State (Columbia, SC): Elliott’s Brigade in the Crater Fight
• NP: October 22, 1905 Richmond Times-Dispatch: Sanders’ Alabama Brigade at the Crater
• NP: September 2, 1906 Charleston (SC) News and Courier: 64th Georgia at the Crater
• NP: April 15, 1907 Charleston (SC) News and Courier: The Truth About the Battle of the Crater (64th GA)
• NP: July 30, 1964 Petersburg Progress-Index: Siege Centennial, Part 22: The Battle Of The Crater
• NP: July 31, 1964 Oakland Tribune: Timothy S. McAlister Describes the Crater
• NT: June 25, 1903 National Tribune: Battle of the Crater
• NT: October 17, 1907 National Tribune: The Massacre in the Crater
• Opinions on the Fighting Ability of Black Soldiers at the Siege of Petersburg
• Remembering the Battle of the Crater: War as Murder by Kevin M. Levin
• Review: Into the Crater: The Mine Attack at Petersburg

WOUNDED IN THE ONE HUNDRED AND SIXTH [PENNSYLVANIA] REGIMENT.—The names below are those of the One Hundred and sixth Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers who have been wounded since the 10th day of June [1864]:—

Serg. Samuel Irvin, D, head, slightly, June [10] 11.¹

Lewis Fizell, A, arm amputated June 16 [or 17].²

Abraham [Abram] Starr, F, left leg amputated above the knee, June 16.³

Corp. Henry McCoy, F, contused wound, abdomen, June 16.⁴

Burton W. Trout, D, head, slight. June 16.⁵

Lewis Shaba[?]l, [I?], foot, very slight. June 17.⁶

First Serg. W[illia]m. E. Coward, E, back, slight, June 16.⁷

W[illia]m. Kephart, E, leg, slight, June 16.⁸

Serg. Henry Osborn, K, leg, very slight, June 16.⁹

Corp Henry Darragh, K, shoulder, serious, June 16.¹⁰

W[ilia]m. Mellon, A, left leg below knee, slight, June 17.¹¹

Corp. Ichabod [S.] Jones, D, right arm, contused, June 18.¹²

John Fesmire, A, right side, serious, June 18.¹³

John Weber, F, shoulder, slight. June 18.¹⁴

Adjutant John A. Steel, left leg, flesh wound, June 18.¹⁵,¹⁶

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TELEGRAPHIC REPORTS OF THE PRESS ASSOCIATION.

—–

FROM NORTHERN GEORGIA.

—

Another Attack and the Enemy Again Repulsed.

—

MARIETTA, June 21 [1864].—The enemy’s right attacked our left yesterday [June 20, 1864], under General Hardee, and were repulsed with great slaughter. We captured 60 prisoners, among them Lieut. Col. Watson, of the 40th Ohio.

Three deserters also came in who desired to be employed in any capacity.

General [Joseph E.] Johnston, as well as the whole army, are anxious for an engagement.¹

—

Late Northern News.

Richmond, June 22 [1864].—Northern papers of the 18th [of June, 1864], announce to their gullible readers that Petersburg has been captured and is now held by Grant’s army. One despatch says that the hardest fighting was done by black troops.²

Colonels Chenowith and Charlton Morgan visited Lexington on the 16th [of June 1864] to treat for the exchange of prisoners, but Burbridge refused to recognize the flag of truce and held them as prisoners.

Under the effect of the story of the capture of Petersburg, gold declined in New York, closing at 195 ½.³,⁴

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CAMP OF THE 208^TH REG[IMENT]. P[ENNSYLVANIA].V[OLUNTEERS].
Nov. 6, 1864.

DEAR SIR:

I am seated this morning to drop you a few lines to let you know how we are flourishing. We are getting along finely and enjoying the best of health.

Company H had quite a time yesterday presenting Major [Alexander] Bobb, of Bedford County, with a horse.¹ It was quite affecting, yet all the boys appeared to enjoy it.

There was heavy firing in the direction of Petersburg yesterday [November 5, 1864].² It is supposed that the rebels will make a general attack along our lines about the time the election takes place. But we are bound to vote for Old Abe if we must vote in line of battle.³

I never knew a regiment to have better health than the 208^th [Pennsylvania], we have not lost one man by sickness although we have had one killed, one of our own men shot him on picket. They both belonged to Company E.

Jacob College is very much under the weather. He has had eleven attacks of spasms in one week, they are caused by homesickness. If he could only see Rosy it would be all right.

Yours Truly,

DAVID S. JOHNSON.⁴

SOPO Editor’s Note: This article was transcribed by Roy Gustrowsky.

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