Save Eyewitness Ordered with airSlate SignNow

Save eyewitness ordered

welcome to half history we'll travel I'm your host Wilder historian and today is the second part to the Battle of the crater eyewitness account I read just a few days ago if you haven't listened to that one please do it's a Union soldiers first-hand account of when the explosion happened and his regiment ran into the crater in this account I want to tell you about a Confederate soldier who also went towards the crater once the explosion had occurred I hope you enjoy this account it's very insightful without any further ado let's get started I was attached to Mahone's ol brigade he commanded really a division at the time and for many months before we were engaged in protecting the main line of supply to General Lee's army the Weldon railroad and rarely a week passed that we were not moved out to push off the attacking enemy or to retake and reestablish the broken line of the railroad of such vital importance many men had been lost killed and wounded in those often repeated conflicts and in truth the command had been very nearly frazzled out to use a vulgar ism and no recruits having their choice would enlist in it just as the day began to dawn came that low deep quivering ominous sound I had stretched myself on a board raised a little under an old cart shed that had been bored and splintered again and again by the enemies of batteries in the front and on the right and on the left hoping that in the quiet all along the line just then raining I might catch a short nap the thunderous explosion shook me from the board and I wept to my feet to find its cause the rumbling was yet to be heard and knowing that mining and counter mining had been going on the cause was soon determined in the course of an hour or more a courier rode to the brigade headquarters in a very few moments the order ran around to all fall in fall in quietly men under a guide we started for the scene of the action and disaster by Sir to attest route and somewhat hidden approach to avoid as much as possible at outlooks of the enemy by a zigzag covered 'we pretty safe from shot we Tru up in front of a broken Confederate line we entered the ravine to avoid observation and for shelter almost directly opposite the crater proper as we entered that natural ravine from artificial zigzag way we met the division commander general Mahone who gave orders to each commanding officer of a regiment as we passed to move up the ravine about to the front of the brigade I was on the right and therefore front of the brigade the General's orders halt your right front and move up and down the line and give the order softly but no shot is to be fired until after the men are in the broken trenches fix your bayonets and await the order to forward let your man understand that is only forward and with cold steel if we broke failed to retake and reestablish the broken line the enemy could march without strong checks that capture of the city I was informed by the general as I moved up the ravine and a Georgia Brigade would follow directly and form on my right then an Alabama Brigade would move to the right of Georgia and in that way the whole broken line would be covered recaptured and re-established at one rush for the last plans and purposes rarely go as designed the enemy who had held the line since 5:30 a.m. were very restless the explosion was a success and they were in possession of the line by a frontage of at least three or four brigades it was soon found that those Colored Troops were only ready for slaughter they were led by white officers one a colonel held position on the right of the crater and in front he was a very gallant man and used all the means at his command to induce his regiment to charge from the broken line he held to the heights of his front but his gallant men whom history tells us fought nobly were not ready or willing to follow him from those sheltering trenches yet how safe they were there was a double line of ditch at least four feet deep and is wide with a heavy line of earthwork between them six to eight feet in height and impenetrable to shot or shell the frontline now their rear was capped by heavy thick sandbags through the little ports of which our men and all in possession and did again as soon as regained we boys who had never fought behind any dirt thought it was just splendid yet rationalist lost for us several men after the recapture but the efforts of the colonel referred were of so energetic a character and so great his encouragement by command an example it was thought by our general Mahone that he might induce his men to charge he seized his color spring over the protecting ditch and by every gesticulation showed the way to the front and perhaps the victory so the command came whispered along our line from the left to charge now men charge as yet the Georgia Brigade in Alabama Brigade had not gotten into position but the moment was critical General Mahone had no idea to stand and receive volleys of led on open field from perhaps two or three lines of battle so he ordered his Virginia Brigade to the fearful charge unprotected or unsupported by the flanks and the boys answered to the low tone command with fixed bayonets and a strong double quick they sprang from the ravine and rushed up on the foe the pack trenches nor was a shot fired until we hit the line but many fell under the single volley from the rifles of the regiments and the trenches from the rout regiment in that short blade charged not 100 yards 82 men fell from the front and flank fire and so the loss was felt all along the line lessening as the fire reached the left regiments the trenches were one at that - all the way on the right are left of the crater but it still sheltered it's packed disordered hundreds of black and white men now came the deadly thrust of the bayonet during the few pinned in years of that bloody war it was the first time I had ever seen or ordered the bayonet to be used to think of it makes me recall even now soon the trenches were filled with the dead in many places they lay heaped and there was literally no place on the ground for our feet many tried to escape by the front and were shot from the start the space between two battle lines they were within musket range was covered with dead and wounded artillery played heavily on those seeking safety and flight from the hot sand our rear ran from the flank where the flan remained unbroken the deadly work was fearful to look upon fearful now to recall from the dim past now troops pass beyond the broken line and battle order fear seemed to hold those who were behind that dreaded double reserved line which the Federals always kept within reach was with the Confederates of myth there was no second line only a little hastily placed artillery the attack and recapture was made by troops brought from the extreme right of General Lee's lines the success was wonderful and I may add just here that journal Mahone's commissioned as a major-general bears the date of that day in commemoration of that deed at the request of Julie and the order of President Davis since those sad days some years ago now I had the pleasure of looking at him upon the walls of his hospitable mansion in Petersburg a large and finally executed oil painting representing that special battle scene it is well worth the examination of a critical artist I will give you one or two incidents illustrating the peculiarities of men even in the midst of such horrors as the date and the locality would indicate the temperature was high the Sun gave out his fiercest rays and flesh could not be allowed to remain long uncovered when dead and festering therefore about noon of the next day General Grant raised a flat flag and asked time for the removal of his wounded and burial of the dead the latter act became absolutely necessary in the first of course I'm humanity called for and as I have stated the space between the two lines of battle was strewn with dead and some few wounded in visiting each body to determine whether dead or wounded one poor fellow about midway between the lines as soon as approached bounded to his feet and no wound was found upon him but he had laid upon that field rigidly and stiff through the long day and not afraid to raise his head so close and steady was the fire from the Confederate battle line and from the federal - he had waited motionless as Forrest could be discovered and after being a little refreshed by the ever ready restorative whiskey marched off jauntily to his line for protection the dead and the crater proper were buried where they lay deep below the surface of the ground simply by hastily shoveling the broken loose dirt in upon the bodies how many were buried in that pit I do not recall but many had sought shelter there and met down when fellow noticed closely he lay upon his stomach faced to one side on the incline of the pit side and did not move at all all the earth rose around him his tongue hung from the mouth and the flies buzzed about it in his head and he still made no movement until the earth was reaching his head rapidly when the fear of being buried alive overtopped his dread of his enemies and he then rose up and shook away the earth from his body and it was found he had no wound saved then a bullet had passed through his jaw cutting the roots of his tongue he was sent quietly to the rear as a prisoner into a hospital the dread of death with those men surmounted every other sentiment when wounded and helpless man a colored barber from New York made so terrible and out crowd during the night before there had been an opportunity to care for any of the wounded that I went to him and asked why he did it he replied that he was badly wounded by a piece of shell that his thigh was shattered and that he was in great pain and could not control his cries in reply to my inquiry he said that he was in the army against his will when told that nothing could be done for him but that as soon as the fire in select a little he should be removed to the wounded to our rear for help he remained patiently and quietly until the aid came the Fisher reports give the loss on that memorable day as about 4,500 nearly 1000 prisoners and 20 stands of colors it was one of the most desperate charges made by an unsupported single on a battle any history makes record of it is to be remembered that this loss of life was enacted within one half hour and along a frontage of less than 200 yards after the broken line was repossessed by the Virginia brigade of a few thin regiments the Georgia Brigade came up and rendered gallant aid and holding the lines but they failed to cover the crater proper or to oust the mixed crowd of watts and blacks now huddled there our front was yet too narrow the Alabama Brigade came up yet later and while the Virginia and Georgia brigades turned their fire directly upon the excavation and kept down all heads and hands with guns they the Alabama troops made a handsome charge directly on the mine and captured it without loss comparatively it was a handsome walkover for them while the Virginia and Georgia boys kept well under cover all defenders Colonel George T Rogers six Virginia infantry