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Appendix T: newspaper article, Findings of the Court of inquiry in the investigation of the Petersburg mine explosion, mentioned in letter of March 13, 1865.
see page 267, Vol.
II (army and navy journal, of March 11, 1865）
The Petersburgh explosion: decision of the Court of inquiry into the cause of its failure
The following is the finding and opinion of the court ordered to investigate the circumstances attending the failure of the explosion of the mine before
Petersburgh:—
Finding
After mature deliberation of the testimony adduced, the court find the following facts and circumstances attending the unsuccessful assault on the 30th July:
The
mine, quite an important feature in the attack, was commenced by
Major General Burnside, soon after the occupation of his present lines, without any directions obtained from the headquarters of the Army of the Potomac.
Although its location—and in this the engineers of the army concur—was not considered by
Major General Meade a proper one, it being commanded from both flanks and reverse, the continuance of the work was sanctioned.
It was not the intention of the
Lieutenant General Commanding, or of the
Major General commanding the Army of the Potomac, it is believed, to use the mine in the operations against
Petersburgh, until it became known that the enemy had withdrawn a large part of his forces to the north side of the
James River, when it was thought advantage might be taken of it as an assault.
All the
Union troops sent north of the
James had been recalled in time to participate in the assault, so that the whole of the forces operating in front of
Petersburgh were disposable.
The mine was ordered to be exploded at 3.30 A. M., but owing to a defective fuse, it did not take place till 4.45.
The detailed order or plan of operations issued by
Major General Meade is in accordance with
General Grant's instructions, and was seen and approved by the latter previous to its publication.
(It is marked K in the appendix of the report of the Court of Inquiry.)
It is the concurrent testimony that had the order been carried out, success would have attended the attack.
Also it is in evidence that
General Meade met
General Burnside and three of his division commanders the day before the assault, and impressed upon them that the operation was to be one of
time; that unless prompt advantage were taken of the explosion of the mine to gain the crest, it would be impossible to get it, or the troops to remain outside of their lines.
