comparatively quiet till late in July. Both sides
were busy strengthening their intrenchments. Lee held both Richmond and
Petersburg in force, besides a continuous line between the two. Attempts
to break this line and to cut the railroads around Petersburg led to
several engagements which would have been considered great battles
earlier in the war.

[Illustration: Portrait.]
General David Hunter.

Grant's total losses from the crossing of the Rapidan to the end of June
were 61,000, but re-enforcements promptly filled his ranks. The
Confederate loss cannot be accurately determined, but was probably about
two-thirds as great.

Through July one of Burnside's regiments, composed of Pennsylvanians
used to such business, had been working at a mine under one of the main
redoubts in front of Petersburg. A shaft 500 feet long was dug, with a
cross gallery 80 feet in length at the end square under the redoubt.
This chamber was charged with 8,000 pounds of powder, which was fired
July 30th. The battery and brigade immediately overhead were blown into
the air, and the Confederate soldiers far to left and right stunned and
stupefied with terror. For half an hour the way in to Petersburg was
open. Why did none enter? The answer is sad.

Grant had splendidly fulfilled his part by a feint to Deep Bottom across
the James, which had drawn thither all but about one division of Lee's
Petersburg force. But Meade, at a late hour on the 29th, changed the
entire plan of assault, which Burnside had carefully arranged, and to
lead which a fresh division had been specially drilled. Then there was
lamentable inefficiency or cowardice on the part of several subordinate
officers. The troops charged into the great, cellar-like crater,
twenty-five feet deep, where, for lack of orders, they remained huddled
together instead of pushing on. The Confederates rallied, and after
shelling the crater till more of its occupants were dead than alive,
charged and either routed the living or took them prisoners.

[Illustration: Map.]
The Shenandoah Valley.

During the summer and fall of 1864 the scene of active operations was
shifted to the Shenandoah Valley. The latter part of June Lee sent
Early, 20,000 strong, to make a demonstration against Washington, hoping
to scare Grant away from Petersburg. Early moved rapidly down the
valley, hustling Hunter before him, who escaped only by making a detour
to the west, thus leaving Washington open. Thither