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[267] Mahone were in the trenches. The mine was under Johnson's portion of the fortifications. Wise was on Elliott's right, Ransom's brigade under Colonel McAfee (Ransom being wounded) on his left. Hill's corps, and most of Longstreet's, had been sent north of the James to counteract Hancock and Sheridan, who were demonstrating against Richmond in order to draw Lee's forces from the trenches, and thus insure the success of the attack that was to follow the destruction and confusion wrought by the explosion of the mine.

All the siege and field artillery was to support the attack. Then, says McCabe, ‘Ledlie was to push through the breach straight for Cemetery hill. Willcox was to follow, and after passing the breach, deploy on the left and seize the Jerusalem plank road. Potter was to pass to the right and protect his flank, while Ferrero's negro division, should Ledlie effect a lodgment on Cemetery hill, was to push beyond that point and immediately assault the town.’

The Confederates had detected the mining and had thrown up intrenchments at the gorge of the salient and traversed their works.

At daylight on the 30th, the mine was fired. First a slight quake, then an erupted mass of earth, and a roar appalling followed. Next came a hail of stone, earth, wood, and mangled bodies, and a ragged chasm marked the place where the salient had stood. Two hundred and seventy-eight South Carolina officers and men, together with part of Pegram's battery, were mangled to death in the upheaval and subsidence. Then every gun on the Federal line opened, and an unenthusiastic line of Ledlie's division made unopposed headway toward the destroyed works. These men filed into the crater and filled it with a confused mass of disorganized troops. Their commander was not with them. The coming of a tangible enemy, however, aroused the Confederates, who had been thrown in consternation by the eruption. General

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