54 8

THE BATTLE OF THE PETERSBURG CRATER.

without being fired at. They had been in the habit of using every possiblemeans of covering themselves from the enemy’s fire.

General Meade objected to the use of the colored troops, on the ground, aShe stated, that they were a new division and had never been under fire, whitethis was an operation requiring the very best troops. General Burnside?

however, insisted upon his p 1 ' 0 '

300 400 Feet.

’ 40 20 0

100

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Horizontal Scale.

Plan.

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gramme, and the question wasreferred to General Grant, wh°confirmed General Meade ’sviews, although he subse-quently said in his evidencebefore the Committee on tl 10Conduct of the War:

“ General Burnside wanted to p u ^

his colored division in front,

and 1

believe if be bad done so it won

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DETAILS OF THE MINE.

have been a success. Still I agreed with General Meade as to his objections to that pl aD ,General Meade said that if we put the colored troops in front (we bad only one division) aIJit should prove a failure, it would then be said, and very properly, that we were shovingthese people ahead to get killed because we did not care anything about them. But that cownot be said if we put white troops in front.”

The mine was charged with only 8000 pounds of powder, instead of 14,00°>as asked for, the amount having been reduced by order of General Mead 0 ’and while awaiting the decision of General Grant on the question of the color eCl