[201]
suspended.
As Ord and Burnside passed me, the latter said something like: “You have 15,000 men concentrated on one point.
It is strange if you cannot do something with them.”
Ord replied angrily, flourishing his arms: “You can fight if you have an opportunity; but, if you are held by the throat, how can you do anything?”
Meaning, I suppose, that things were so placed that troops could not be used.
Burnside said to one of his Staff officers: “Well, tell them to connect, and hold it.”
Which was easy to say, but they seem to have had no provision of tools, and, at any rate, did not connect with the old line.
Poor Burnside remarked, quite calmly: “I certainly fully expected this morning to go into Petersburg!”
1 At 11.30 A. M. Headquarters mounted and rode sadly to camp.
3.30 P. M. Harwood, of the Engineers, said to me: “They have retaken that point and captured a brigade of our people!”
Indeed, the Rebels had made a bold charge upon the huddled mass of demoralized men and retaken the crater, killing some, driving back others, and capturing most.
And so ended this woeful affair!
If you ask what was the cause of this failure to avail of one of the best chances a besieging army could ask for, I could answer with many reasons from many officers.
But I can give you one reason that includes and over-rides every other--the men did not fight hard enough.
August 1, 1864
I waked at about six in the morning and heard the General say, “Very well, then, let the truce be from five to nine.”
Whereby I knew that Beauregard had agreed to a cessation of hostilities for the burial of the dead and relief 