d was barred as
before. He was indeed in a far worse position than when he had crossed
the Rapidan, for the morale of his army was much injured by the repeated
repulses and terrible losses it had sustained. The new recruits that had
been sent to fill up the gaps were far inferior troops to those with
which he had commenced the campaign. To send forward such men against
the fortifications of Petersburg, manned by Lee's veteran troops, was to
court defeat, and he therefore began to throw up works for a regular
siege.

Fighting went on incessantly between the outposts, but only one great
attempt was made during the early months of the siege to capture the
Confederate position. The miners drove a gallery under the works, and
then drove other galleries right and left under them. These were charged
with eight thousand pounds of powder. When all was ready, masses of
troops were brought up to take advantage of the confusion which would be
caused by the explosion, and a division of black troops were to lead the
assault. At a quarter to five in the morning of the 30th of July the
great mine was exploded, blowing two guns, a battery, and its defenders
into the air, and forming a huge pit two hundred feet long and sixty
feet wide. Lee and Beauregard hurried to the scene, checked the panic
that prevailed, brought up troops, and before the great Federal columns
approached the breech the Confederates were ready to receive them. The
assault was made with little vigor, the approaches to the breech were
obstructed by abattis, and instead of rushing forward in a solid mass
they occupied the great pit, and contented themselves with firing over
the edge of the crater, where regiments and divisions were huddled
together. But the Confederate batteries were now manned, and from the
works on either side of the breech, and from behind, they swept the
approaches, and threw shell among the crowded mass. The black division
was now brought up and entered the crater, but only added to the
confusion. There was no officer of sufficient authority among the
crowded mass there to assume the supreme command. No assistance could be
sent to them, for the arrival of fresh troops would but have added to
the confusion. All day the conflict went on, the Federals lining the
edge of the crater, and exchanging a heavy musketry fire with the
Confederate infantry, while the mass below suffered terribly from the
artillery fire. When night closed, the survivors of the