he 4th Division was tempered by humanity, and
pregnant with a fraternal feeling of comradeship. And then there was a
corps pride very naturally existing among the white troops, which
prompted a desire for the achievement of some great and brilliant feat
by their black comrades. This feeling was expressed in more than one way
by the entire corps, and greatly enhanced the ambition of the Phalanx to
rout the enemy and drive him out of his fortifications before
Petersburg, if not to capture the city.

These high hopes were soon dissipated, however. General Meade had an
interview with General Burnside on the 28th; the subject was fully
discussed as to the plan of the assault, as proposed by General
Burnside, and made known to Meade by Burnside, in writing, on the 26th.
It was at this meeting that General Meade made his objections to the
Phalanx leading the assault. General Burnside argued with all the reason
he could command, in favor of his plans, and especially for the Phalanx,
going over the grounds already cited; why his white troops were unfit
and disqualified for performing the task of leading the assault, but in
vain. Meade was firm in his purpose, and, true to his training, he had
no use for the negro but as a servant; he never had trusted him as a
soldier. The plan, with General Meade's objection was referred to
General Grant for settlement. Grant, doubting the propriety of agreeing
with a subordinate, as against the commander of the army, dismissed the
dispute by agreeing with Meade; therefore the Phalanx was ruled out of
the lead and placed in the supporting column. It was not till the night
of the 29th, a few hours before the assault was made, that the change
was made known to General Ferrero and his men, who were greatly
chagrined and filled with disappointment.

General Ledlie's division of white troops was to lead the assault, after
the explosion of the mine on the morning of the 30th. It was on the
night of the 29th, when General Burnside issued his battle order, in
accordance with General Meade's plan and instructions, and at the
appointed hour all the troops were in readiness for the conflict. The
mine, with its several tons of powder, was ready at a quarter past three
o'clock on the eventful morning of the 30th of July. The fuses were
fired, and "all eyes were turned to the confederate fort opposite,"
which was discernible but three hundred feet distant. The garrison was
sleeping in fancied security; the