resolved to prevent this by menacing Richmond, on the left bank of the James, or at least by destroying the bridge of boats which the enemy had at Chapin's Bluff to maintain his communications from one bank to the other. This expedition was intrusted to Hancock, reenforced by two divisions of cavalry led by Sheridan.

On July 26, we received orders to be ready to march with four days' rations, and a hundred rounds of ammunition to a man, forty of which would go in the ammunition wagons. No quartermaster train would follow us, except a few wagons with intrenching tools, and twenty ambulances to a division, which betokened some hard work. Where were we going? We knew nothing of our destination when we started, at five o'clock in the afternoon. Mott commanded the division, Birney having been promoted a few days before to the command of the Tenth Corps, which formed part of Butler's forces.

On reaching the City Point road, we marched in front of a double gallows, on which the night before two wagoners of the Seventy-second New York had been hanged, under circumstances which will give some idea of the discipline which ruled in the Army of the Potomac. The term of service of the regiment had expired. It was about to leave the army. The two teamsters had been mustered out like the others, when, on the eve of departure, they conceived the fatal idea of going to spend the night at an isolated farmhouse some distance away, where a woman, still young, lived alone, and whom, it appeared, they thought engaging. They reached the place late in the evening, and succeeded in inducing her to open the door on some pretext. As soon as they were within, they attacked the woman, and treated her person with shameful violence. "She will not dare," they thought, "to tell the secret." And besides,

as the regiment was to leave the next day, they would be far away before she could make complaint. In that they deceived themselves. At daylight, the outraged woman was at headquarters, and entered her complaint. before the provost-marshal. Search was immediately made. Suspicions were naturally directed towards the mustered-out regiment, where, in fact, the guilty ones were soon discovered. On seeing their comrades depart to return home, they must have had bitter reflections on the danger of yielding to the impulses of passion. Perhaps they too had families awaiting their But it was too late. The court-martial was merciless. Between the cup and the lips there was room for a hanging. They were executed in full view of the enemy's lines, to show the rebels how justice was done amongst us. I do not say that the example was not a good one; but, the time of service expired, on the eve of seeing their kin - it was hard.

return.

At nightfall we left the City Point railroad to cross the Appomattox, on the bridge of boats which connected our position with Butler's at Bermuda Hundred. The march continued the whole night; sometimes in the woods, sometimes through the fields. Fires, kept up along the road by cavalry soldiers, marked out the way for us. At dawn, somewhat tired, we crossed the James, at Jones' Neck, on a bridge of boats. At six o'clock my skirmishers were in contact with the enemy.

The enemy's troops were some which Lee had sent to dislodge, or at least hold in check, a brigade of Butler's, intrenched on the left bank of the river, near Deep Bottom. General Foster, who was in command, had successfully repulsed several attacks when we came to assist him. His adversaries turned promptly against us, and took position on the borders of a wood, which commanded the plain where we were. Miles' brigade

L

and mine were deployed in advance, each of us covering his division. On my right, the Fortieth New York; on my centre, the One Hundred and Forty-first Pennsylvania, and the Second Battalion of sharpshooters advanced without serious opposition to the position assigned to them, around two farmhouses of some importance. But on my left the Ninety-ninth and Hundred and Tenth Pennsylvania had just entered into a field of corn, where they were received by a fusillade from the wood in front of them. The fire becoming hotter from that quarter, I sent the Seventy-third New York to reenforce them. They then continued their advance, and had just dislodged the skirmishers of the enemy, who were in the corn, when the One Hundred and Tenth, which connected on the left with the other brigade, observed four guns in position within a short distance. Their fire was immediately turned obliquely on the artillerymen, while the Ninety-ninth and the . Seventy-third, continuing to engage the infantry, obliqued towards the left to draw nearer the cannon.

Meanwhile Miles, profiting by a hollow of the ground, rapidly disposed four of his regiments for a charge, which was quickly made. The four guns were taken. Some other pieces, less exposed, took position in front of me, and began to burst their shells and throw their solid shot amongst my four regiments in reserve. Two of our batteries hurried up to silence them, and compelled the enemy to withdraw into the woods, where their infantry also soon disappeared.

About nine o'clock the affair was over. My regiments were able to get a little rest, after a night march and a morning of skirmishing, while some other troops were thrown forward in pursuit of the enemy, who, however, did not retire far. He had simply fallen back into a second line of intrenchments, behind a stream of water

called Bailey's Creek. To attack him in front appeared to General Hancock too hazardous. The cavalry was sent to find out what was the chance for a turning movement. While waiting, necessary precautions were taken not to be turned ourselves, and my brigade was ordered to cover the right flank of the expeditionary corps.

We passed the night in this manner. On the morning of the 28th, Lee had already sent considerable forces against us, whose attack General. Sheridan had to sustain. He successfully repulsed it; but henceforth it could no longer be a question of reaching Chapin's Bluff, still less of surprising Richmond. That evening, at dark, as soon as Miles had relieved me, I marched to join General Mott near the bridge of boats.

The division was ordered to return that same night to the front of Petersburg, and receive instructions there from General Ord. Barlow's and Gibbon's divisions were to remain at Deep Bottom twenty-four hours longer.

CHAPTER XXIX.

THE MINE.

Universality of Yankee genius - The mine dug by Colonel Pleasants — Project of assault — General Burnside's plan - Unfortunate modifications — Lots drawn — Last preparations —The match goes out — The explosion The crater - Terrible fiasco - The double investigation - Different conclusions-The true cause of the want of success.

GENERAL ORD had recently arrived from the West, where he had served up to this time. General Grant, knowing him to be an officer of merit, had transferred him to General Butler's army, where he took the place of General W. F. Smith, as commander of the Eighteenth Corps. For the time being he occupied the right of our lines, in front of Petersburg. His headquarters were on the top of a hill, whence the view embraced a part of our intrenchments, and glimpses as far as the city of Petersburg, of which the steeples and some of the edifices could be seen. There we learned the cause of our sudden recall from Deep Bottom.

The mine dug under the direction of Burnside was finished and charged. The firing of it was fixed for the next day, July 30, and was to be followed immediately by a charge of the Ninth Corps, with the support of the Eighteenth. For this reason our division had been recalled, to relieve the troops of General Ord in the trenches.

A few details on the manner in which this work was carried out may be interesting here.

The engineer officers took no part in it. This will, without doubt, appear more extraordinary in Europe than