History of Pennsylvania volunteers, 1861-5; prepared in compliance with acts of the legislature, by Samuel P. Bates.

1864 PETERSBURG MINE. 1069
the mine was to be sprung on the morning of the 30th. It had been constructed
under many disadvantages. The line at its mouth was exposed to the fire of
the enemy's batteries, and the project had received little encouragement from
general officers, beyond that extended by Generals Burnside and Potter.
Immediately upon its explosion an assault was to be made along the entire
line. The assaulting column was the First Division of the Ninth Corps, commanded by General Ledlie. It had formed during the night near the division
of General Wilcox. The explosion was to take place at half-past three in the
morning, but owing to adefective fuse it was delayed until nearly five. Captain
Theodore Gregg, in command of the regiment, which now numbered two hundred and ten effective men, received orders, early in the morning, to leave a
strong line of skirmishers, under command of an efficient officer, in front of the
enemy's works, and to march the remainder of the regiment back to the edge
of the wood in rear of our lines. One hundred men, under command of Captain Fessler, of company K, were detached as skirmishers, and the balance of
the regiment formed on the left of the Fourth Rhode Island, along the edge of
the wood. The troops composing the storming party were now ready to move
forward according to the battle order of General Burnside. All eyes were
turned to the rebel fort beneath which eight thousand pounds of powder were
soon to be ignited. The fuse, which had become dampened and failed to ignite,
was re-lighted, and at precisely sixteen minutes before five the mine exploded.
The scene which was presented was terrible to behold. Large masses of the
works, with men and artillery commingled, were blown far into the air. The
crater was enshrouded in a dark cloud of sulphurous smoke, lighted up by an
occasional flash from the rebel magazines, which were exploded almost simultaneously with the mine.
A terriffic fire of artillery was immediately opened from one hundred and
forty-four guns upon the enemy's works, and the air was filled with howling,
screeching projectiles. The regiment was ordered to follow the Fourth Rhode
Island, and marched by the left flank through a covered way. In crossing the
open field it was much exposed to the fire from the rebel lines on the right
and left, the whole space traversed being literally swept by minie, grape, and
canister. On arriving at the ruined fort, the regiment was ordered to charge
a battery in position near some buildings to the rear of the rebel works; but
the condition of the crater of the exploded mine was such that it was found
impossible to do so. A charge upon a battery immediately in front was ordered, and as the regiment, which now comprised about eighty men, advanced,
the enemy opened upon it with batteries stationed at different points on right
and left, accompanied by a heavy fire of musketry from the rifle-pits, which
caused it to fall back into the intrenchments around the ruined fort. Frequent
hand to hand encountres occurred, swords were crossed and muskets clubbed,
until finally the order to withdraw the troops from the dangerous position was
given. The officers and men behaved with great coolness and courage in this
daring but unsuccessful assault. The color-bearer of the Sixth Virginia attempted, while fighting in the crater, to plant his regimental flag upon the
broken parapet, when Corporal Frank Hogan, of company A, shot him and
captured his colors, receiving for his gallantry a medal of honor from the War
Department. The regiment sustained a loss in this contest of six killed, twenty-two wounded and thirty-nine missing.
On the 1st of August the dead were buried, and the wounded secured under