Battle of the Crater Part of the American Civil War Scene of the explosion Saturday July 30th Alfred R. Waud, artist. Date July 30, 1864 Location Petersburg, Virginia Result Confederate victory Belligerents United States (Union) CSA (Confederacy) Commanders Ambrose E. Burnside Robert E. Lee Strength IX Corps Elements of the Army of Northern Virginia Casualties and losses 5,300 total 1,032 total

v • d • e Richmond–Petersburg Campaign Combatants United States of America (Union) Confederate States of America (Confederacy) Commanders Abraham Lincoln, Ulysses S. Grant Jefferson Davis, Robert E. Lee Strength 2,200,000 1,064,000 Casualties 110,000 killed in action, 360,000 total dead, 275,200 wounded 93,000 killed in action, 258,000 total... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (835x550, 425 KB)TITLE: Scene of the explosion Saturday July 30th SUMMARY: Figure in lower left has oversized shoes. ... Alfred Waud (photograph by Timothy H. OSullivan). ... is the 211th day of the year (212th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1864 (MDCCCLXIV) was a leap year starting on Friday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar or a leap year starting on Sunday of the 12-day-slower Julian calendar. ... Nickname: Location in the State of Virginia Coordinates: , Country United States State Virginia County Independent city Founded December 17, 1748 Government  - Mayor Annie M. Mickens Area  - City  23. ... Motto Deo Vindice (Latin: Under God, Our Vindicator) Anthem (none official) God Save the South (unofficial) The Bonnie Blue Flag (unofficial) Dixie (unofficial) Capital Montgomery, Alabama (until May 29, 1861) Richmond, Virginia (May 29, 1861–April 2, 1865) Danville, Virginia (from April 3, 1865) Language(s) English (de facto) Government... Image File history File links US_flag_35_stars. ... In this map:  Union states prohibiting slavery  Union territories  Border states on the Union side which allowed slavery  Kansas, which entered and fought with the Union as a free state after the Bleeding Kansas crisis  The Confederacy  Confederate claimed and sometimes held territories During the American Civil War, the Union... Image File history File links Confederate_National_Flag_since_Mai_1_1863_to_Mar_4_1865. ... Motto Deo Vindice (Latin: Under God, Our Vindicator) Anthem (none official) God Save the South (unofficial) The Bonnie Blue Flag (unofficial) Dixie (unofficial) Capital Montgomery, Alabama (until May 29, 1861) Richmond, Virginia (May 29, 1861–April 2, 1865) Danville, Virginia (from April 3, 1865) Language(s) English (de facto) Government... Portrait of Ambrose Burnside by Mathew Brady, ca. ... For other uses, see Robert E. Lee (disambiguation). ... Combatants United States of America (Union) Confederate States of America Commanders Ulysses S. Grant Robert E. Lee Strength 67,000 – 125,000 average of 52,000 Casualties 53,386 ~32,000 The Richmond-Petersburg Campaign was a series of battles around Petersburg, Virginia, fought from June 15, 1864, to March... Combatants United States of America (Union) Confederate States of America Commanders Ulysses S. Grant Robert E. Lee Strength 67,000 – 125,000 average of 52,000 Casualties 53,386 ~32,000 The Richmond-Petersburg Campaign was a series of battles around Petersburg, Virginia, fought from June 15, 1864, to March... 1st Petersburg – 2nd Petersburg – Jerusalem Plank Road – Staunton River Bridge – Sappony Church – 1st Ream's Station – 1st Deep Bottom – Crater – 2nd Deep Bottom – Globe Tavern – 2nd Ream's Station – Chaffin's Farm – Peebles' Farm – Darbytown & New Market Roads – Darbytown Road – Fair Oaks & Darbytown Road – Boydton Plank Road – Hatcher's Run – Fort Stedman

The Battle of the Crater was a battle of the American Civil War, part of the Siege of Petersburg. It took place on July 30, 1864, between the Army of Northern Virginia, commanded by General Robert E. Lee and the Army of the Potomac, commanded by Maj. Gen. George G. Meade (under the direct supervision of the general-in-chief, Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant). Combatants United States of America Confederate States of America Commanders Benjamin Butler P.G.T. Beauregard Strength 4,500 2,500 Casualties 250 150 The First Battle of Petersburg was an unsuccessful Union assault against the city of Petersburg, Virginia, June 9, 1864, during the American Civil War. ... Combatants United States of America Confederate States of America Commanders Ulysses S. Grant George G. Meade Robert E. Lee P.G.T. Beauregard Strength Army of the Potomac: 62,000 Army of Northern Virginia: 42,000 Casualties 8,150 3,236 The Second Battle of Petersburg, also known as the... Battle of Jerusalem Plank Road Conflict American Civil War Date June 21–24,1864 Place Petersburg, Virginia Result Inconclusive (Union extended siege lines) The Battle of Jerusalem Plank Road, also known as the First Battle of the Weldon Railroad, was the first of a series of battles during the Siege... Combatants United States of America (Union) Confederate States of America Commanders Brigadier General James H. Wilson and Brigadier General August V. Kautz General William Henry Fitzhugh Lee and Captain Benjamin Farinholt Strength 5000 938 Casualties at least 42 at least 10[1] The Battle of Staunton River Bridge was an... Combatants United States of America (Union) Confederate States of America Commanders Brigadier General James H. Wilson and Brigadier General August V. Kautz General William Henry Fitzhugh Lee and Major General Wade Hampton Casualties unknown unknown[1][2] The Battle of Sappony Church was an engagement of the American Civil War... Combatants United States of America Confederate States of America Commanders James H. Wilson, August Kautz [US] William Mahone, Fitzhugh Lee [CS] Strength Third Cavalry Division, Army of the Potomac 2nd, 5th, 6th, 15th VA; 2nd, 5th, 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th, FL; 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th, 13th, 14th AL Infantries; 3rd... The First Battle of Deep Bottom was fought from July 27 to July 29, 1864, at Deep Bottom in Henrico County, Virginia, as part of the Siege of Petersburg of the American Civil War. ... The Second Battle of Deep Bottom was fought from August 14 to August 20, 1864, at Deep Bottom in Henrico County, Virginia, during the American Civil War. ... Battle of Globe Tavern Conflict American Civil War Date August 18–21,1864 Place Petersburg, Virginia Result Union victory The Battle of Globe Tavern, also known as the Second Battle of the Weldon Railroad, saw the Confederate forces loose control of the vital Weldon Railroad to the Union army during... Combatants United States of America Confederate States of America Commanders Winfield S. Hancock Henry Heth Strength II Corps Heths Division, III Corps Casualties 2,750 814 {{{notes}}} The Second Battle of Reams Station was fought in the American Civil War on August 25, 1864, in Dinwiddie County, Virginia. ... Combatants United States of America Confederate States of America Commanders Benjamin Butler Robert E. Lee Richard S. Ewell Strength Army of the James II Corps Casualties Fort Harrison 3,300 New Market Heights 850 Fort Harrison 1,700 New Market Heights 50 The Battle of Chaffins Farm, also known... The Battle of Peebles Farm (or Poplar Springs Church) was the western part of a simultaneous Union offensive against the Confederate works guarding Petersburg, Virginia and Richmond, Virginia. ... Combatants United States of America (Union) Confederate States of America Commanders David B. Birney, August V. Kautz Robert Hoke, Charles W. Field Strength Corps At least 2 divisions Casualties 458 700[1] The Battle of Darbytown and New Market Roads was an engagement between Union and Confederate forces during the... The Battle of Darbytown Road was fought on October 7, 1864 between Union and Confederate forces. ... The Battle of Fair Oaks & Darbytown Road (also known as the Second Battle of Fair Oaks) was fought October 27 and October 28, 1864, in Henrico County, Virginia, as part of the Richmond-Petersburg Campaign of the American Civil War. ... The Battle of the Boydton Plank Road (or First Hatchers Run) followed the successfull battle of Peebles Farm. ... This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ... Battle of Fort Steadman Conflict American Civil War Date March 25, 1865 Place Petersburg Result Union victory The Battle of Fort Steadman occurred on March 25th, 1865, during the final days of the American Civil War. ... Combatants United States of America (Union) Confederate States of America (Confederacy) Commanders Abraham Lincoln, Ulysses S. Grant Jefferson Davis, Robert E. Lee Strength 2,200,000 1,064,000 Casualties 110,000 killed in action, 360,000 total dead, 275,200 wounded 93,000 killed in action, 258,000 total... Combatants United States of America (Union) Confederate States of America Commanders Ulysses S. Grant Robert E. Lee Strength 67,000 – 125,000 average of 52,000 Casualties 53,386 ~32,000 The Richmond-Petersburg Campaign was a series of battles around Petersburg, Virginia, fought from June 15, 1864, to March... is the 211th day of the year (212th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1864 (MDCCCLXIV) was a leap year starting on Friday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar or a leap year starting on Sunday of the 12-day-slower Julian calendar. ... The Army of Northern Virginia was the primary military force of the Confederate States of America during the American Civil War in the eastern theater. ... This does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... For other uses, see Robert E. Lee (disambiguation). ... Generals Burnside, Hancock, Couch, Ferro, Patrick, Wilcox, Cochrane, Buford and others. ... Insignia of a United States Air Force Major General German Generalmajor Insignia Major General is a military rank used in many countries. ... George Gordon Meade (December 31, 1815 - November 6, 1872) was an American military officer during the American Civil War. ... US Lieutenant General insignia In three branches of the United States Army, United States Marine Corps and United States Air Force, a Lieutenant General is also called a three-star general, named for the three stars worn on the uniform. ... Ulysses S. Grant,[2] born Hiram Ulysses Grant (April 27, 1822 – July 23, 1885), was an American general and the eighteenth President of the United States (1869–1877). ...

Prelude

Union soldiers in trench before the battle.

During the siege of Petersburg, Virginia, the armies were aligned along a series of fortified positions and trenches more than 20 miles (32 km) long, extending from the old Cold Harbor battlefield near Richmond all the way to areas south of Petersburg. Image File history File links Petersburg_crater_union_trench. ... Image File history File links Petersburg_crater_union_trench. ... A siege is a military blockade of a city or fortress with the intent of conquering by force or attrition, often accompanied by an assault. ... Nickname: Location in the State of Virginia Coordinates: , Country United States State Virginia County Independent city Founded December 17, 1748 Government  - Mayor Annie M. Mickens Area  - City  23. ... Combatants United States of America Confederate States of America Commanders Ulysses S. Grant George G. Meade Robert E. Lee Strength 108,000 62,000 Casualties 13,000 2,500 The Battle of Cold Harbor, the final battle of Union Lt. ... Nickname: Motto: Sic dic Itur Ad Astra (Thus do we reach the stars) Location in the Commonwealth of Virginia Coordinates: , Country State County Independent City Government  - Mayor L. Douglas Wilder (I) Area  - City 62. ...

After Lee had checked Grant in an attempt to seize Petersburg on June 15, the battle settled into a stalemate. Grant had learned a hard lesson at Cold Harbor about attacking Lee in a fortified position and was chafing at the inactivity to which Lee's trenches and forts had confined him. Finally, Lt. Col. Henry Pleasants, commanding the 48th Pennsylvania Infantry of Maj. Gen. Ambrose E. Burnside's IX Corps, offered a novel proposal to solve the problem. is the 166th day of the year (167th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Lieutenant Colonel is a rank of the United States armed forces which is currently used by the United States Army, United States Air Force, United States Marine Corps, and United States National Guard. ... Brig. ... Portrait of Ambrose Burnside by Mathew Brady, ca. ... IX Corps (Ninth Corps) was a corps of the Union Army during the American Civil War that distinguished itself in combat in multiple theaters: the Carolinas, Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, and Mississippi. ...

Pleasants, a mining engineer from Pennsylvania in civilian life, proposed digging a long mine shaft underneath the Confederate lines and planting explosive charges directly underneath a fort (Elliott's Salient) in the middle of the Confederate First Corps line. If successful, this would not only kill all the defenders in the area, it would also open a hole in the Confederate defenses. If enough Union troops filled the breach quickly enough and drove into the Confederate rear area, the Confederates would not be able to muster enough force to drive them out, and Petersburg might fall. Burnside, whose reputation had suffered from his 1862 defeat at the Battle of Fredericksburg and his poor performance earlier that year at the Battle of Spotsylvania Court House, gave Pleasants the go-ahead, hoping to restore his reputation. This article is about the U.S. State. ... A group of Confederate soldiers The Confederate States Army (CSA) was organized in February 1861 to defend the newly formed Confederate States of America from military action by the United States government during the American Civil War. ... The 21st Michigan Infantry, a company of Shermans veterans. ... Combatants United States of America Confederate States of America Commanders Ambrose E. Burnside Robert E. Lee Strength Army of the Potomac ~114,000 engaged Army of Northern Virginia ~72,500 engaged Casualties 12,653 (1,284 killed, 9,600 wounded, 1,769 captured/missing) 5,377 (608 killed, 4,116... Combatants United States of America Confederate States of America Commanders Ulysses S. Grant George G. Meade Robert E. Lee Strength 100,000 52,000 Casualties 18,000 12,000 The Battle of Spotsylvania Court House, sometimes simply referred to as the Battle of Spotsylvania, was the second battle in Lieut. ...

Mine construction

Contemporary sketch of Col. Pleasants supervising powder in the mine.

Digging began in late June, but even Grant and Meade saw the operation as, "A mere way to keep the men occupied," and doubted it of any actual strategic value. They quickly lost interest and Pleasants soon found himself with few materials for his project, to the extent that his men had to forage for wood to support the structure. Work progressed steadily, however. Earth was removed by hand and packed into improvised sledges made from cracker boxes fitted with handles, and the floor, wall, and ceiling of the mine were shored up with timbers from an abandoned wood mill and even from tearing down an old bridge. The shaft was elevated as it moved toward the Confederate lines to make sure moisture did not clog up the mine, and fresh air was pumped in via an ingenious air-exchange mechanism near the entrance; the miners kept a fire continually burning at the bottom of a single ventilation shaft, which emerged behind the Union lines. Meanwhile, a wooden duct ran the entire length of the tunnel. The fire superheated stale air, forcing it up the ventilation shaft and out of the mine. The resulting vacuum then sucked fresh air in from the mine entrance, and carried it through the wooden duct to the location where the miners were working.^[1] This precluded the need for additional ventilation shafts and served well in disguising the diggers' progress. On July 17, the main shaft reached under the Confederate position. Rumors of a mine construction soon reached the Confederates, but Lee refused to believe or act upon it for two weeks before commencing countermining attempts, which were sluggish and uncoordinated, and they were unable to discover the mine. General John Pegram, whose batteries would be above the explosion, did, however, take the threat seriously enough to build a new line of trenches and artillery points behind his position as a precaution. Image File history File links Petersburg_crater_sketch_LOC.jpg Summary Charcoal sketch depicting Col. ... Image File history File links Petersburg_crater_sketch_LOC.jpg Summary Charcoal sketch depicting Col. ... is the 198th day of the year (199th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the Virginia politician, see John Pegram. ...

The mine was in a "T" shape. The approach shaft was 511 feet (156 m) long, starting in a sunken area downhill and more than 50 feet (15 m) below the Confederate battery, making detection difficult. The tunnel entrance was narrow, about 3 feet (0.91 m) wide and 4.5 feet (1.4 m) high. At its end, a perpendicular gallery of 75 feet (23 m) extended in both directions. Grant and Meade suddenly decided to use the mine three days after it was complete after a failed attack known later as the First Battle of Deep Bottom. The Federals filled the mine with 320 kegs of gunpowder, totaling 8,000 pounds. The explosives were approximately 20 feet (6.1 m) underneath the Confederate works and the T gap was packed shut with 11 feet (3.4 m) of earth in the side galleries and a further 32 feet (9.8 m) of packed earth in the main gallery to prevent the explosion blasting out the mouth of the mine. On July 28, the mine was armed. The First Battle of Deep Bottom was fought from July 27 to July 29, 1864, at Deep Bottom in Henrico County, Virginia, as part of the Siege of Petersburg of the American Civil War. ... is the 209th day of the year (210th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

Battle

Sketch of the explosion seen from the Union line.

On the morning of July 30, 1864, Pleasants lit the fuse. But as with the rest of the mine, Pleasants had been given poor quality fuse, which his men had had to splice themselves. After no explosion occurred at the expected time, two volunteers from the 48th Regiment (Lt. Jacob Douty and Sgt. Harry Reese) crawled into the tunnel. After discovering the fuse had burned out at a splice, they spliced on a length of new fuse and relit it. Finally, at 4:44 a.m., the charges exploded in a massive shower of earth, men, and guns. A crater (still visible today) was created, 170 feet (52 m) long, 60 to 80 feet (24 m) wide, and 30 feet (9.1 m) deep. Between 250 and 350 Confederate soldiers were instantly killed in the blast. Image File history File links Petersburg_crater_explosion_waud. ... Image File history File links Petersburg_crater_explosion_waud. ... is the 211th day of the year (212th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1864 (MDCCCLXIV) was a leap year starting on Friday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar or a leap year starting on Sunday of the 12-day-slower Julian calendar. ...

The plan was doomed from the start, however, due to Meade's interference on the day before the battle. Burnside had trained a division of United States Colored Troops (USCT) under Brig. Gen. Edward Ferrero to lead the assault. They were trained to move around the edges of the crater and then fan out to extend the breach in the Confederate line. Then, Burnside's two other divisions, made up of white troops, would move in, supporting Ferrero's flanks and race for Petersburg itself. Sgt. ... Edward Ferrero (January 18, 1831 – December 11, 1899) was one of the leading dance instructors, choreographers, and ballroom operators in the United States. ...

Meade, who lacked confidence in the operation, ordered Burnside not to use the black troops in the lead assault, thinking the attack would fail and the black soldiers would be killed needlessly, creating political repercussions in the North. Burnside protested to General Grant, who sided with Meade. Burnside selected a replacement white division by having the commanders draw lots. Brig. Gen. James H. Ledlie's 1st Division was selected, but he failed to brief the men on what was expected of them and was reported during the battle to be drunk, well behind the lines, providing no leadership. (Ledlie would be dismissed for his actions during the battle.) James Ledlie in the Civil War James Hewett Ledlie (April 14, 1832 – August 15, 1882) was a civil engineer for American railroads and a general in the Union Army during the American Civil War. ...

Ledlie's untrained white division went across the field to the crater and, instead of moving around it, thought it would make an excellent rifle pit and it would be well to take cover and so they moved down into the crater itself, wasting valuable time while the Confederates, under Maj. Gen. William Mahone, gathered as many troops together as they could for a counterattack. In about an hour's time, they had formed up around the crater and began firing rifles and artillery down into it, in what Mahone later described as a "turkey shoot". The plan had failed, but Burnside, instead of cutting his losses, sent in Ferrero's men. They also went down into the crater, and for the next few hours, Mahone's soldiers, along with those of Maj. Gen. Bushrod Johnson, and artillery slaughtered the IX Corps as it attempted to escape from the crater. Some Union troops eventually advanced and flanked to the right beyond the Crater to the earthworks and assaulted the Confederate lines, driving the Confederates back for several hours in hand-to-hand combat. Mahone's Confederates conducted a sweep out of a sunken gully area about 200 yards (180 m) from the right side of the Union advance. This charge reclaimed the earthworks and drove the Union force back towards the east. William Mahone (December 1, 1826 – October 8, 1895), of Southampton County, Virginia, was a civil engineer, teacher, soldier, railroad executive, and a member of the Virginia General Assembly and U.S. Congress. ... Bushrod Johnson Bushrod Rust Johnson (October 7, 1817 – September 12, 1880) was a teacher, university chancellor, and Confederate general in the American Civil War. ...

Aftermath

Crater with Union soldier in 1865.

The Confederates reported losses of 1,032 men in the battle, while Union losses were estimated at 5,300, about half of which were from Ferrero's division. Five hundred Union prisoners were taken, and 150 of these prisoners were USCT. Both the black and white wounded prisoners were taken to the Confederate hospital at Poplar Lawn in Petersburg. Burnside was relieved of command. Although he was as responsible for the defeat as Burnside, Meade escaped censure. As for Mahone, the victory, won largely due to his efforts in supporting Johnson's stunned men, earned him a lasting reputation as one of the best young generals of Lee's army in the war's last year. Image File history File links Petersburg_crater_aftermath_1865. ... Image File history File links Petersburg_crater_aftermath_1865. ...

Grant wrote to Chief of Staff Henry W. Halleck, "It was the saddest affair I have witnessed in this war."^[2] He also stated to Halleck that "Such an opportunity for carrying fortifications I have never seen and do not expect again to have."^[3] Pleasants, who had no role in the battle itself, received praise for his idea and the execution thereof. When he was brevetted a brigadier general on March 13, 1865, the citation made explicit mention of his role.^[4] Henry Wager Halleck (1815 - 1872) was an American soldier and politician. ... In the US military, brevet referred to a warrant authorizing a commissioned officer to hold a higher rank temporarily, but usually without receiving the pay of that higher rank. ... is the 72nd day of the year (73rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1865 (MDCCCLXV) is a common year starting on Sunday. ...

Grant subsequently gave in his evidence before the Committee on the Conduct of the War: The Joint Committee on the Conduct of the War was a United States Congressional investigating committee created to handle issues surrounding the American Civil War. ...

Despite the battle being a tactical Confederate victory, the strategic situation in the Eastern Theater remained unchanged. Both sides remained in their trenches and the siege continued.

The Crater in 2004.

Image File history File linksMetadata No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File linksMetadata No higher resolution available. ...

Historical site

The area of the Battle of the Crater is a frequently visited portion of Petersburg National Battlefield Park. The mine entrance is open for inspection annually on the anniversary of the battle. There are sunken areas where air shafts and cave-ins extend up to the "T" shape near the end. The park includes many other sites, primarily those that were a portion of the Union lines around Petersburg. Petersburg National Battlefield Park is operated by the National Park Service in Petersburg, Virginia and the surrounding area. ...

In popular media

The 2003 film Cold Mountain, based on the novel by Charles Frazier, contains a recreation of the Battle of the Crater. This article is about the film. ... Charles Frazier, American novelist, was born in 1950 in Asheville, North Carolina, graduated from the University of North Carolina in 1973, and received his Ph. ...

References

• National Park Service battle description
• NPS online book on the Crater
• Catton, Bruce, A Stillness at Appomattox, Doubleday and Company, 1953, ISBN 0-385-04451-8.
• Catton, Bruce, Grant Takes Command, Little, Brown & Co., 1968, ISBN 0-316-13210-1.
• Corrigan, Jim, The 48th Pennsylvania in the Battle of the Crater: A Regiment of Coal Miners Who Tunneled Under the Enemy, McFarland & Company, 2006, ISBN 0-7864-2475-3.
• Davis, William C., and the Editors of Time-Life Books, Death in the Trenches: Grant at Petersburg, Time-Life Books, 1986, ISBN 0-8094-4776-2.
• Eicher, David J., The Longest Night: A Military History of the Civil War, Simon & Schuster, 2001, ISBN 0-684-84944-5.
• Johnson, Robert Underwood, and Buel, Clarence C. (eds.), Battles and Leaders of the Civil War, Century Co., 1884-1888.

Bruce Catton (October 9, 1899 — August 28, 1978) was a journalist and a notable historian of the American Civil War. ... Robert Underwood Johnson (January 12, 1853 – October 14, 1937) was a U.S. writer and diplomat. ...

Notes

External links

• Battle of the Crater is at coordinates 37°13′06″N 77°22′40″W / 37.21825, -77.37768 (Battle of the Crater)Coordinates: 37°13′06″N 77°22′40″W / 37.21825, -77.37768 (Battle of the Crater)