* * * * *

THAT TERRIBLE SATURDAY MORNING.

On that terrible Saturday morning, July 30, 1864, before day had yet dawned, after the enemy had massed a large number of troops in front of our guns, the fuse which was to ignite the mine was fired.  The enemy waited fully an hour, but there was one explanation, the fuse had gone out.  A brave Federal officer, whose name I do not know, volunteered to enter the tunnel and fire it again, which he did.

A minute later there was a report which was heard for miles, and the earth trembled for miles around.  A “Crater” one hundred and thirty feet long, ninety-seven feet in breadth, and thirty feet deep, was blown out.  Of the brave artillery company, twenty-two officers and men were killed and wounded, most of them killed.  Hundreds of tons of earth were thrown back on the rear line, in which my command was.

* * * * *

A WHOLE COMPANY BURIED.

Here was the greatest loss suffered by any command on either side in the war, myself, my only Lieutenant, W.J.  Lake, and thirty-four enlisted men were all buried, and of that little band thirty-one were killed.  Lieutenant Lake and myself and three enlisted men were taken out of the ground two hours after the explosion by some brave New Yorkers.  These men worked like beavers, a portion of the time under perpetual fire.

* * * * *

BURIED THIRTY FEET DEEP.

Colonel Dave Fleming and his Adjutant, Dick Quattlebaum, were also in the rear line, only a few feet to my left, and were buried thirty feet deep; their bodies are still there.  I do not know how many of the Federal troops stormed the works, but I do know the Confederates captured from them nineteen flags.  The attacking columns were composed of white men and negroes; sober men and men who were drunk; brave men and cowards.

One of the latter was an officer high in command.  I have lost his name, if I ever knew it.  He asked me how many lines of works we had between the “Crater” and Petersburg, when I replied, “Three.”  He asked me if they were all manned.  I said, “Yes.”  He then said, “Don’t you know that I know you are telling a d——­d lie?” I said to him.  “Don’t you know that I am not going to give you information that will be of any service to you?” He then threatened to have me shot, and I believe but that for the interference of a Federal officer he would have done so.

* * * * *

DEATH TO ADVANCE AND DEATH TO RETREAT.

I had just seen several of our officers and men killed with bayonets after they had surrendered, when the enemy, who had gone through the “Crater” towards Petersburg, had been repulsed, and fell back in the “Crater” for protection.  There was not room in the “Crater” for another man.  It was death to go forward or death to retreat to their own lines.  It is said there were three thousand Yankees in and around the “Crater,” besides those in portions of our works adjacent thereto.