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192 Series I Volume XXIV-II Serial 37 - Vicksburg Part II

Page 192 Mississippi, WEST TENNESSEE, ETC. Chapter XXXVI.

passing the ditch and approaching under the parapet. The shape of this gallery was 4 feet 6 inches high in the clear, 3 feet clear at bottom, 2 feet 6 inches in clear at the top. Mining frames set at 4 feet from center to center, and top-sheeting, our location being so deep that the enemy, who would have had to descend enormously, cold only crush our troops. Here I worked day and night, which six-hour reliefs, up to 10. 30 p. m. . July 4, the miners suffering much from the extreme heat and want of air, when I received verbal orders from Major General U. S. Grant to stop all work, the place having surrendered. I had 175 feet of powder, according to the nature of the soil, I had calculated to be 2, 2000 pounds, as I had to blow 27 or 28 feet of solid ground overhead, at the same time destroying all mining around that front. My front, I was only able to pay one visit daily to Colonel Giles A. Smith, on gone ahead in good manner, particularly that of Colonel Smith to stop their sap-rollers and go to mining. Both of them could not advance any more very well with their saps. Colonel Smith's sap-roller was faced by a riff by a rifled gun (6 pounder) located in the enemy's ditch, and was perforated three times, and Colonel Malmborg was served with hand-grenades so copiously that he had to cover in the head of his sap. As I had no miners to spare for these two points, I called for General Ewing to furnish me 16 men from the Fourth WEST Virginia Volunteer Infantry, whom I knew to be old coal miners. These men started two mines on the night between the 3rd and 4th, one at Colonel Smith's and the other at Colonel Malmborg's sap. Early in the morning of July 4, colonel Malmborg sent to me a note, stating that he believed he was countermined by the enemy, and asking my advice. I went out immediately, and ascertained that the enemy was working in gallery on his right flank, 8 feet distant, on the same horizontal plane. I instructed the colonel to head the enemy's countermine by turning and crushing him. I sent the colonel 200 pounds of powder and the necessary safety-fuse. Half an hour latter the place was surrendered. In closing my report, I have to recommend especially First Lieutenant C. Lochbihler, commanding Company, I Thirty-FIFTH Missouri Volunteer Infantry, on engineer duty, and also his whole company, for their promptness and the interest they took in all the arduous tasks they had to undergo. SECOND Sergt. Max Frande excelled in mining, and generally proved such a good engineer soldier that if any promotions take place in the above-mentioned company he ought to be considered. All the details that have been furnished to be from Major-General B lair's DIVISION have done their duty according to orders.

I am sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant.

WM. KOSSAK,

Captain and Aide-de Camp, on Engineer Duty.

Captain C. B. COMSTOCK,

Chief of Engineers, department of the Tennessee.


Page 192 Mississippi, WEST TENNESSEE, ETC. Chapter XXXVI.