We require enough to make four lines of 600 feet each. Major-General BURNSIDE: A. E. BURNSIDE, Major-General. CITY POINT, July 26, 1864. Is there any reason to suppose the enemy have found your mine? U. S. GRANT, HEADQUARTERS NINTH ARMY CORPS, Lieutenant-General GRANT:“ A. E. BURNSIDE, HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC, CONFIDENTIAL.] Maio-General BURNSIDE, Commanding Ninth Corps: GENERAL: The major-general commanding directs me to inquire. whether anything has transpired connected with your mine that leads you to believe that it is in danger from countermining? If it is your conviction that it is so endangered, then the commanding general authorizes you to make every preparation for springing it, but directs that you do not explode it earlier than to-morrow afternoon, Wednesday, the 27th, say at 4 o'clock, if not otherwise ordered. The commanding general further directs me to say that the charge of the mine should be determined by the usual rules governing such subjects. It is not intended by the commanding general to follow up the explosion of the mine by an assault or other operation. If, therefore, the mine can be preserved for use at some early future day, when circumstances will admit of its being used in connection with other operations, the commanding general desires that you take no steps for exploding it as herein prescribed. A. A. HUMPHREYS, Major-General and Chief of Staff. HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC, CONFIDENTIAL.] Major-General BURNSIDE, Commanding Ninth Corps: GENERAL: The major-general commanding directs me to say that a reconnaissance this morning having developed facts concerning the enemy's intrenchments which render it highly desirable that your mine should be used in connection with operations against them, to be undertaken some days hence, he directs that you preserve it, if practicable, and that the operations connected with it authorized this morning be suspended. The commanding general desires to hear from you upon the subject. A. A. HUMPHREYS, Major-General and Chief of Staff. HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC, Major-General BURNSIDE: I wish you would submit in writing your project for the explosion of your mine, with the amount of powder required, that these preliminary questions inay be definitely settled. You had better also look for some secure place in the woods where the powder required can be brought in wagons, and kept under guard, thus saving the time it will take to unload it from the vessels and haul it to your camp. Whenever you report as above and designate a point I will order the powder brought up. GEO. G. MEADE, Major-General. Major-General MEADE: HEADQUARTERS NINTH ARMY CORPS, Your dispatch received. I am just preparing an answer to your first letter of this morning, together with a statement of my views in regard to the explosion of the mine and the operations to follow it, which I will send by Captain Bache very soon. A. E. BURNSIDE, HEADQUARTERS NINTH ARMY CORPS, Major-General HUMPHREYS, Chief of Staff: July 26, 1864. GENERAL: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your notes of this morning by Captains Jay and Bache, also of a telegram from the commanding general relating to the same subject. It is altogether probable that the enemy are cognizant of the fact that we are mining, because it has been mentioned in their newspapers and they have been heard to work on what are supposed to be shafts in close proximity to our galleries, but the rain of night before last no doubt filled their shafts and much retarded their work. We have heard no sounds of work in them either yesterday or to-day, and nothing is heard by us in the mine but the usual sounds of work on the surface above. This morning we had some apprehensions that the left lateral gallery was in danger of caving in from the weight of the batteries above it and the shock of their firing, but all possible precautions have been taken to strengthen it and we hope to preserve it intact. The placing of the charges in the mine will not involve the necessity of making a noise. It is therefore probable that we will escape discovery if the mine is to be used within two or three days. It is nevertheless highly important, in my opinion, that the mine should be exploded at the earliest possible moment consistent with the general interests of the campaign. I state to you the facts as nearly as I can, and in the absence of any knowl edge as to the meditated movements of the army I must leave you to judge the proper time to make use of the mine. But it may not be improper for me to say that the advantages reaped from the work would be but small if it were exploded without any co-operative movement. My plan would be to explode the mine just before daylight in the morning or about 5 o'clock in the afternoon, mass the two brigades of the colored division in rear of my line in columns of divisions, "double column closed in mass," the head of each brigade resting on the front line, and as soon as the explosion has taken place move them forward with instructions for the division to take half distance, and as soon as the leading regiments of the two brigades pass through the gap in the enemy's line, the leading regiment of the right brigade to come into line perpendicular to the enemy's line by the right companies "on the right into line wheel," the left companies "on the right into line," and proceed at once down the line of the enemy's works as rapidly as possible, the leading regiment of the left brigade to execute the reverse movement to the left, moving up the enemy's line. The remainders of the two columns to move directly toward the crest in front as rapidly as possible, diverging in such a way as to enable them to deploy into columns of regiments, the right column making as nearly as may be for Cemetery Hill. These columns to be followed by the other divisions of this corps as soon as they can be thrown in. This would involve the necessity of relieving these divisions by other troops before the movement, and of holding columns of other troops in readiness to take our place on the crest in case we gain it and sweep down it. It would be advisable, in my opinion, if we succeed in gaining the crest, to throw the colored division right into the town. There is a necessity for the co-operation at least in the way of artillery of the troops on my right and left. Of the extent of this you will necessarily be the judge. I think our chances of success in a plan of this kind are more than even. The main gallery of the mine is 522 feet in length, the side galleries about 40 feet each. My suggestion is that eight magazines be placed in the lateral galleries, two at each end, say a few feet apart, in branches at right angles to the side galleries, and two more in each of the side galleries, similarly placed, situated by pairs equidistant from each other and the ends of the galleries, thus: LEFT LATERAL GALLERY. RIGHT LATERAL GALLERY. MAIN GALLERY. Tamping beginning at the termination of the main gallery for, say, 100 feet, leaving all the air space in the side galleries. Run out some five or six fuses and two wires to render the ignition of the charges certain. I propose to put in each of the eight magazines from 1,200 to 1,400 pounds of powder, the magazines to be connected by a trough of powder instead of a fuse. I beg to inclose a copy of a statement from General Potter on the subject. I would suggest that the powder train be parked in a wood near our ammunition train, about a mile in rear of this place. LieutenantColonel Peirce, chief quartermaster, will furnish Captain Strang with a guide to the place. I beg also to request that General Benham be instructed to send us at once 8,000 sand-bags to be used for tamping and other purposes. I have the honor to be, general, very respectfully, your obedient servant, [Inclosure.] A. E. BURNSIDE. Major-General, Commanding. HEADQUARTERS SECOND DIVISION, NINTH ARMY CORPS, Lieut. Col. LEWIS RICHMOND, Assistant Adjutant-General, Ninth Army Corps: COLONEL: I desire to call the attention again of the general commanding to the fact that the mining operations on my front are entirely completed, and that with the exception of putting in the charges (which it is not desirable to do until they are wanted for use) the mine has been ready to explode since the 18th instant. The mine is composed of a main drift 5 feet by 4 feet 6 inches, running a length of 550 feet, with lateral galleries amounting to about 80 feet. It is carried under one of the enemy's batteries, and the enemy can be heard at work within the battery and also below the surface. The delay in springing the mine increases continually the probability of its being detected and defeated, and its immediate proximity to the enemy's work renders it highly improbable that it can escape discovery any great length of time. I would respectfully represent that if the mine is to be exploded the earlier it can be accomplished the more likely it is to be attended with favorable results. The enemy are continually strengthening this portion of their line as well as preparing a second position in its rear. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, ROBERT B. POTTER, Brigadier-General, Commanding. HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC, Major-General BURNSIDE, Commanding Ninth Corps: The major-general commanding directs that you send a division to occupy the intrenchments formerly occupied by General Ferrero's division as soon as it is dark, and upon reaching the position that the pickets of General Hancock be relieved at once. The pickets occupy the same line that Ferrero's pickets occupied. The movements of the troops is ordered to take place as soon after dark as practicable, in order to avoid the observation of the enemy. A. A. HUMPHREYS, Major-General and Chief of Staff. HEADQUARTERS NINTH ARMY CORPS, Major-General HUMPHREYS, Chief of Staff: July 26, 1864. GENERAL: I beg to state that each of the divisions of this command are occupying a certain portion of the line. I have put one brigade of the colored troops in last night to occupy a portion of the line that has been held by one of General Willcox's brigades ever since our arrival here. I shall be forced to relieve these men by the same brigade of General Willcox's in order to move the whole of the Fourth Division to the line they formerly occupied, indicated in your dispatch. It will be done as soon as possible after dark. I have the honor to be, general, very respectfully, your obedient servant, A. E. BURNSIDE, Major-General, Commanding. HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC, Major-General BURNSIDE, Commanding Ninth Corps: The pickets of General Hancock having been withdrawn before the order reached him directing him to retain them until relieved, the commander of the pickets from your troops should have officers with him familiar with the line picketed by Ferrero. A. A. HUMPHREYS, Major-General and Chief of Staff. |