Omaha Daily Bee Newspaper, December 24, 1881, Page 2

0 ~ SIXTEEN YEARS The Pit ot Death at Peters- burg — How a Fort Was Lifted in Air. A (Death-Trap Which CUanght Fonr Thousand Federals. AFTER. Some Strange Sights on a Sabbath Morning. Detroit Free Pross, | Up the hill, past the burying grounds, and as the roads fork 1 look for signs of the crater, There are the wigns. Away to the left and high in the air are the buzzirds sailingin slow circles. 1 found them at Sharpsburg, | at Winchester, at Malvern Hill, at Creek -1 saw themn hoverin re of different battle-ficlds over o That the first thing 1 looked for as I rode along the dusty highway to wards the fighting grounds. When the buzzards could be seen there was no need to ask further tion At Malvern il there were a hun of them tluttering over the field where the corpses haa lain thickest, At Cedar Creck 1 could have killed them as they sat on the breastworks and sred their horrible notes. At Chancellorsville T drove one off” the atone erected to the memory of Stone- wall Jackson, and over in the field where a blackened chimney, rotting cannon wheels and cillocks of carth mark the spot where Hooker massed his guns, balf a hundred of the eronk- ing birds disputed the ground with me. THE CRATER, And so, turning to the left, I ride down a foot-path runming between a cotton sud a peanut field and find my- self at length in front of a ll covered with pine und peach trees. This hill is the crater. When once you have climbed its side it is no longer a hill. You look down into an irregular hol- low a hundred and fifty feet long by from twenty to forty broad, and that hollow will live foreverin our war his- tory as the crater. Weeds, grass and the young peach and pinc trees hide much of the horror of the spot, but one who has time to tarry can place overything as it was on that morniny of July 30, 1864, when it was a hole twenty-five foet deep and full of dead and wounded Federals. THE MINE. The mine can oo traced from the erater to tho spot where the federals surned the first sod. The long gal- lory is marked by a caving in of the carth, aud the shaft has caved in and filled up until _one would not know what 1t wae, Right at this point, and what first guggested the idea of the mine, the lines arcso close togcther that one can stand at the crater and hurl a veach-stone into the thicket whero the federal pickets were sta- tioned. At no other point on_ the lines around Petersburg were federal and confederate able to look into erch others’ eycs. It is hardly twent feet across the cuumrliul‘i to tht edge of the thicket, and heve for months not a hand could be shown that a dozen bullets did not whiz for it. When there was no firing, the confederates in the fort and the fed- eral pickets in the thicket could con: verse in ordinary tones of voice. When Grant swung around he pushed on until Lee checked him, and then stopped right there and began intrenching. This made a very irregular line. At the crater the fed- orals held the thicket along the creek, the railroad hebind it and tho forest still further back, Hardly eighty {other found his assaults upon Ma resulting ouly in horrible slaughter, ho appeared to grow wild and reck- his columns of the pit, he continued to add to its horrors columns, and the thicket was then a plowed rods above, the confederates held the same thicket, creck and railroad track. THE ORIQINATOR, Tt is said that the idea of tupneling under the six-gun confederate fort at this point originated with a Pennsyl- vania miner who was serving in one of the regiments in Burnside's corps, A lieutenant in o New York infantry regiment is also mentioned, and bhad the mine heen a success probably a doven men would have stepped forward to claim the honor. No matter who carried the idea to Burnside, ho grasped at it. ‘War means horrible wounds and sick- ening sights and death in a dozen tor- rible terms, but in a war betweon civ- ilized nations men do not look upon such weapons as mines with much favor. A dircct attack upon this six- gun fort would have resulted in re. pulse. If 1t could be blown out of the way there would be a gap in the Con- federate lines through which = whole brigades could pour. One brigade through that gap and Lee's lines were gone. THE WOKK., The work was done by old coal miners working in regular gangs, and the shaft was sunk about HOO feot from the fort, and went down twonty feet before the gallery branched off, This gallery was wido enough for two men to work abreast, and over four feet high. One of the greatest troubles was in surveying the route and striking the proper distance, and even when the gallery was under the fort no one felt exactly sure within #ix or eight feot. A little science and a great deal of guessing, however, struck the right spot, and galleries were then dug to the right and left for a distance of thirty foet, UNSUSPECTING VICTIMS, The confederates within the fort were totally unsuspicious of what was going on beneath them. Once, when one of the wing galieries was being ex- cavated, a soldier who was lying on the ground suddenly called out that he could hear the sounds of diguing, but those to whom he appealed » id that it must be rats burrowing their way in to get at the provision, Again, & negro who had been within Burn- side's lines repurted seeing the shaft, but the men supposed the federals were digging a well. PLACING THE YOWDEL, When the mine had been finished Grant suddenly discoverod that it wus » grand thing and certain to work, though during its progress ‘‘Burnsice's Tunnel” was as much )oered at as But. ler's Dutch Gap Canal. Powder wus brought up forit and carefully carricd through the long, dark hole until eight tons were under the fort, Then « single sentinel held the place until Grant should be ready. GERANT WAS KEADY on the 30th of August. He hud sent a force to the north of the Jawes to 'HE OMATA DAILY BEE: 1pel Lee to draw off some of his from the Petersburg lines, and v federal fort the length of the line was ordered to open fire from every gun at a given signal. T was hoped that this terrific fire wonld op the eonfederates from rallying to repulse the column of assaultat the fort to be blown up. WAITING, t 3 o'clock on the morn ng of the 30th it would be break ot day. It would be the hour when even watchful soldiers would regard the dangers of the night as passed and At half: foel sleep tuggmg at their eye-lids Lonyg before that hour Marshail’s bri wade of Lediie's division had 1 shed silently down from the pine forest and drawn up in colamn for assault, within half-pistol shot of the fort; followed, and in he gray of morning there stood Bernside's whole corps in battle line, very man knowing of the mine, and every man belicving that success was sure. The last regiment down had n standing in lime half anhour en the sturs paled, a dim light rept over the fields, and men whisp cred to ench other that they could see tho flag on the fort, The moment come for the explosion, and a corps was trembling with ex citement, brigades TIE FIRST BLUNDEI. Men who had planned, excavated placed the powder coutd surely be trusted to lay the fuse and lizht it, but either fear or carclessness upret the whole pian. The fuse burned a Little way aud then the fire died out. Daylight camo fur d grew broader. From beit ely uble to discern the flag fly the slecping fort, the soldiers conld length, see the roofs and spires of St. Petersburg, a mile and u half distant, Reveille was sounded all along tho confederate lines when a volunteer descended the shaft, replaced the fuse, and made sure of his work. THE EXPLOSION. There first came a slight heaving of the earth, then a sinking down, and all at once the fort rose in a cloud of flame and smoke, and the ground shook for a mile around. Even be- fore the sods and dirt had ceased falling the New York Fourteenth Ar. tillerymen wero dashing into thecloud of smoke, closely followed by the whole brigade. WHAT THEY SAW, As the men rushed for the spot where the fort had stood they found tho ugly holo which has sinco been known s the Crater. and blackened and mangled bodies of nearly 200 Confedorates were dying in and around the pit, some half The burned buried in the dirt, some gasping in agony, and some crushed to pulp under the heavy guns which had fol- lowed them into the air and fallen back to carth with an awful thud. SFORWARD TO DEATH!” At Frede sburg, when Burnside y's Hill less, At the Crater, when he found assnult checked by I)y urging forward other The space between the fort field, barren of evep, n bush. This space was soom eovered by tlm guns of the Confederates. The fort had been awept away, and here was the gap, but to pass through Loe's lines the federals mast jump| K down those ragged banks, clamber over that horrible dobris, and scram- ble up a height of twenty-five feot and reform. Those who had _planned the destruction of the fort had mnot planned this horriblo death-trap for federal soldiers, but it was to prove one just the same, ‘‘PFORWARD! FORWARD! Wild with excitement the ofticors cried “‘Forward!” and company after cmn‘)nny and regiment after regiment tumbled into the pit on one side and tried to climb out on the other. All organization was at once lost, and the horrible sights in the pit dampened all onthusiasm, It was a mob in the Crator—a shouting, struggling mob, and when one got out three fresh men charged in as the assaulting columns ddvanced. IT WAS A SURPRISE. To the Codfederates, oven when so many were awake and daybreak had come, Had this explosion taken place as planged Lee's lines would have been broken. As it wus, the men in the two flanking forts wore so dumbfounded and dazed by the shock that not a gun was fired until the rumble of Grant’scannon had gone clear down his lines and back and the Crater was full of feCerals Then the confederates realized the situation and actedquickly. The fort was gone, but the parallols had net been disturbed. Moving to the threateuod point from right and left | - they soon had forco enough to hold the gap. Indeed, they soon held the pit with its mob of disorganized sol- diers, and not a man could raise his head without receiving a bullet, and after the ground had been heaped with dead there was a'genoral retroat to cover., The brigades which had flanked the Crater had not come pro- pared with axes to tear away the chevaux-de-frise protecting the carth- works, and as a consequence not a man passed it, 1t seems almost past belief at this day that after 3,000 men had) been slaughtered in and around tho Crater, and whilo at least a thousand living ones were cooped up in the pit and unablo to get out, Burnside ordered up the negro troops and piled them in on top of the vetorans who had gone before, Such was tho case, however, and white and black, private and officer, were mixod together in a terrified mob and held prisoncrs in the hole until Gen, Bartlett raisod the white flag and sur- rendered to the Confedorates, FIRING INTO THE CRATER, Aftor the confoderate fire had beon trained upon the space between the thicket and the crater, those who at- tempted to retreat from the latter met cortain death. Some of the killed on this spot liad four bullets in them. Tho confederates at length crept close enough to sheot into the crater itself, and then occurred the slaughter wwong the negro treops. Phey had come in last and were cou- sequently most exposed. When Bartlett surrendored there were 700 or 800 corpses in the Crater, with over 1,000 muskets and a wagon load of other accoutrements, All wero buried out of sight by caving in the banks to fill up the pit and re establish the line. SOME STRANGE SIGHTS, In that narrow space, scarce forty rods square, the federala lost nearly 4,000 men and the confedorates over 1.000. On Sunday morning when Grant sent in a flag of truce and asked pormission to bury his dead, he found them corded up on each side | of the trenchos and waiting for him. Hardly a corpse was handled by the which was not hit more ind many of them were struck five and six times, now on exhibition at the Crater by the owner of the farm muskets with threc cr four bullets imbedded in the stocks, gun barrels with flattened bul lota welded to them, and dozens of oth vidences to prove the truth of the words of one of the federals who came ont aiave “If there is any hell hotter than your old rebel erater I don't want to get within a million miles of it.” Pctersbure, V. M. Quan, Frank Dardal, But) 1o, BLOSsoM s TEVEr Catiie ACToss anyth good in ko short tion, dvay stomuch; |ste ngly recommend it,” Price 50 cents, trial bottles 10 cents, declf-oodlw WHAT IT COSTS To Educate Childron in'Nebrasha. Lincaln Journal ‘The auditor of public accounts has sent out to the various county treas- urers of the state the apportionments of school moneys which were derived from interest on territorial bonds, district and county bonds, private sa- cucities, unpaid principal, _school lauds, rents of echool lands, Normal school enllowment, state tax and oth- or sources, his vouchers and warrants, amounting in the total to$18¢ 380,70. It will be seen by scanning the official report, prepared by the audi- tor, that the number of persons of school age in the state is 153,125, and the rate allowed each county, per scholar, is a fraction over one (lanr and twenty-three cents per scholar. The report gives the number of schol- ars attending school in cach county, and the amount paid each treasurer in the state for school pnrposes: . No. of (Counties, Seh'rls Antelope veees 1694 Adamy .. ... . 38 Buffalo 26R3 Boine e L Buter (fass Cheyenne Cedar ... Clay Colfax . Cnming. Cusier Dawsou.... Dakof Dixou. Dodge. ... Douglas, Fillnjore Franklin, Frontier. Amts due 8207 84 418 60 Goepe Hal Howard. Jeffarson 1682 98 14902 97 9884 90 1307 75 Madiso » Merrick Nance. Nemaba. Nuckolls, ... te Richardson. :n!lnm ' Sarpy. Sauudors Seward Sherman. ... Stanton........ “ Thayer V.lley ‘Washington Wayne.......... . Waobater, ..... Wheel York. Totals vmu,:«?orn Rate per scholar, $1.2884, A Lady's Wish. “Oh, how I do wish my skin was as clearand soft as yours,” said a lady to her friend. “‘You can easily mako it 80,” answered tho friend *How?" inquired the first lady. By using Hop Bitters, that makes pure, rich blood and blooming healt It did it for me, a8 you observe.” Read of it. Cairo Bulletin. D 156-Janl STOP THAT COUGH, If you are suflering from a Cough, Cold Asthma, Bronchitis, Hay Fever, Consumption, loss of voice, tickling of the throat, or any affection of the Throat aungs, use Dr. King's Now Discovery for Consumption. This is the great remedy that is causing so much excitement by its wonderful cures, curing thonsands of hopeless cases, Over a million bottles of Dr, King's Now Discovery have been used within the last year, and have given porfoct satisfaction in - cvery instance, We can unhesitatingly say that this is |-~:nllf‘ the only sure cure for throat and lung affections, and ean cheerful- ly recommend it to all, Call and il hottlo freo of cost, or a rog or 1,00, Tsh & McMahon, Om- DexterL ThomasdBro. WILL BUY AND SELL RBEAIL BST.ATE AND ALL TRANBACTION CONNKCTED THEREWITY, Pay Taxes, Rent Houses, Ete, 1P YOU WANT 10 BUY OR SELL Call a8 Office, Koom &, Ureighton Block, 0:::.. pécw 3 VICTOR'S RESTAURANT, 1016 Faraham Streef MBALS AT HOURS. Qysters, Chops and Game Cooked to O+ der, And Berved Under Personal Supervision of Proprietor, VICI'OR DUCROSS, There arc | £ CORNIGE | Mrs. 1. 6. Robe noral debility, want of ap: ote., wo that {ife was a bur. Blood Ritters 1 felt bot den; tor than for years, too much.” writes with best resl casc of a friend the effect was { wine suffering trom dropsy Bruce Turner, | N, Y., irites: 'T have and unable Bitters re | I feel confident + Asouith Hall, Binghampton, N. Y., writes: ! e, N. Y., writes: “About ttick of hilious fove stive wore weakened, pletely trated for day Burdoek Blood Tiiters the improvement was & vi ible that | ww ed. - 1 cannow, though 0l ye work, C. THacket Robinson, proprictor of The Canada Preshyterian, To For years I suffered whe, 1 used your Burdock Blood Bittors with happicst rosulis, and I now find myselt in better health than for years po Mrs. Wallaco, Buffalo, N. Y, writes: I have used Burdock Blood Ditfers for nervous and bil- jous headaches, and can recommend it to anyone requiring a cure for billiousness.” Mrs. Ira_ Mullbolland, Albany, N “For several years | have suffored ring billious headaches, dyspo plainta peculiar to my sex. 8 Burdock Blood Bitters I am entirely relieved.” FOSTER, MILBURN, & Co., Props. BUFFALO, N. Y. Rold at wholesale by Ish & McMahon and C. F, Goodman, Jo 27 eod-me " USTETTER:S CELEBRATED STOMACH BIfTERS Hostetter's Stomach Bitters is s much regarded a3 a household necessity as sugar or coffee. The cason of thi s that roved it to be perfoct morgency whero a prompt and convenient rem- dy is demanded. Constipation, liver complaint, dyspepain, iudigestion and othcr troubles ara overcome by it For walo by all Druggistsand Dealers, to whom apply for Hostetter’s Almana: for 1 WESTERN WORKS | C. SPECHT, Proprietor, '1213 Harney Street, OMAHA, - - - NEB —MANUFACTURERS OF— GALVANIZED IRON Cornices, Dormer Windows, Finials, TIN, IRON % SLATE ROOFING. Specht's Patent Metalic Sky- light, Patent Adjustable Ratchet Bar and BRACKET SHELVING. f oxperience have ble in thoso cascs of Tam tho general State Agent for the above | Scribed by the di line of goods. IRON FENCING. Orestings, Balustrades, Verandas,iOffice and Bank Rallings, Window and Cellar ? uards; al GENERAL AGENT Peerson and Hill Patent Inside Blind. novadtt THE KENDALL DRESS-MAKERS' COMPARION, & S0t plaits and prosses perfectly one yard per i 11-4 inches in k. 1t does all kinds and sty e, No lady that docs he aking can rd 0 do without one—as nice plaiting is ln.\m?nm of fashion, if seen it selis itsolf, For Mchines, Circulars or Agent's teris address CONGAR & CO., 118 Adaws St., Chicago, 111 GEO, W, KENDA uahi. SIBBETT & FULLER, ATTORNEYS AT LAW, D4 VID OITY, NEB, Special attention giaen to collections in Butl " Dexter L. Thbmas. ATTORNEY - AT - LAW <on, Pittshiirg, Pa., writes: 1 1 cannot praise your Bitters “Your of the al m mysolt for torpidity of theliver_and in der of the Kidneys, ed with a dull pain through my eft shouider, Lost my spirits, appetite or, and conld with diffienlty keop up all ur Burdock Blood Bitters a8 di o feit no pain since first week af i - After using two bottles of your 3 of age, o« fair and reasonablo day’s PLAITIN‘GHI_ILA[}HINEI arat oo \''URDAY DECEMBER 24, 1°81. 2 EST —~AND- Handsomest ~IN THE— MARKET' WM. F. STOETZEL 521 South Tenth St. | s z NG SILVER. ISAPrPEHIRE RINGS. QTEDRI L™ PHARL RINGS, IN GREAT VARIETY RUBY RINGS, BIRTHDAY AND COMPLIMENTARY PRESENTS. WHIPPLE, McMILLEN & CO,, T E W E X B IN GOLD, AND WEDDING, Ivcorporation ef the Millard Farmers' Club. Articles of incorporation made and adopted this 20th day of October, A, D. 1861, by and. between the undersigned in- corporators, as follows, to-wit: NAME. Article I. The name of this club shall be the Millard Farmers’ club, PLACE OF BUSINESS, Article IT. The principal place of busi- ness of this club shall .be at Millard sta- tion, county of Douglas, Nebraska, NATURE OF BUSINESS. Article 111, The general nature of busi- ness to be transacted by this club is to conduct o general literary and social busi- ness and other entertainments of a social character. CAPITOL STOCK, Article IV, The amount of capital stock of this club shall bo two thousund dollurs, divided into shares of one dollar each, ich shall be Yuinl in the manner pre: ectors, COMMENCEMENT AND TERMINATION, Artic o V. This club shall commence to transact business and exercive its corporate powers the 20th day of October, 1881, and ts powers shall cease on the 20th day of October, 1981, AMOUNTS OF LYIABILITY, Articlo VI The highest smount of a- bility or indebteduners, which this club shall at any one time subject itslef, shall be three hundred d llurs, . OFFICERS, Arxticle VII, The ofticers of , this conducted By a board of three directors, who shall be elected from among the stockholders, and they shall appoint o president and such other officers as by law is required, JULIUS SCHRAEDER, CounTy oF DourrA On thix 20th day of October, A, 1), 8881, personally agpeared before me, Charles B o e AR conm e Julius Schroeder, J, Blum, Claus Schu. mann, W, Gerndorf, to me known to be the signers ot the fur(-uul:f articles of in- corporation, and acknowledged the same to be their voluntary act and deed. [sEAL.] CHARLES BRANDES. Notary public in and for Donglas county, Nebraska. & ORCHARD &'BEAN, CARPETSIGRO EDHOLM ERICKSON Bive the Bargains - —IN ALL KINDS OF— JEWELRY WATCHES,CLOCKS, SILVERWARE,SOLID AND PLATED WARE AND DIAMONDS. At Prices that Suit Any Customer 'DEWEY & STONE, FURNITURE! ¥ N . < SRR NN e RN C ERSI ho Really Wishes a First. Class Arti STAR TINTED SPECTACLES Are also Sold Exclusively by us. ALSO WESTERN AGENTS SMITH AMERICAN ORCAN C0.’S ORGANS. EDHOLM & ERICKSON, THE JEWELERS, Opposite the Post Office. CARPETS HAVE DECLINED SLIGHLTY AND—— J. B. Detwiler Is the first to make the announce- ment to his customers and the general public. } MATTINGS, Ol L GLOTH AND WINDOW SHADES, Always sold at the lowest Market Prices. NEBRASKA |We carry the largest stock and make the Lowest Prices. Orders promptly filled and every attention given to patrons. J. B. DETWILER, 1318 Farnham Street. State Gazetteer and Busi- ness Directoy, ping o deseription and a list of all u onin the state, will be issued carly in 1882, Price £4,00, J. M. WOLFE, Publisher. 120 South Fourteenth Street, Om.:hn. Neb e1-12m ~ BOCGS & HILL REAL ESTATE BROKERS No. 1508 Faraham Street, OMAELA, -~ -~ NEE. yrrca—Nor b side opp. Grand Central Hotel OMAHA, NEBRASKA. e