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Petersburg! |
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Petersburg! |
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Petersburg, July 30, 1864 Estimated Casualties: 5,300 total After weeks of preparation, on July 30 the Federals exploded a mine in Burnside’s IX Corps sector beneath Pegram’s Salient, blowing a gap in the Confederate defenses of Petersburg.
From this propitious beginning, everything deteriorated rapidly for the Union
attackers. Unit after unit charged into and around the crater, where soldiers
milled in confusion. The Confederates quickly recovered and launched several
counterattacks led by Maj. Gen. William Mahone. The break was sealed off, and
the Federals were repulsed with severe casualties. Ferrarro’s division of black
soldiers was badly mauled. This may have been Grant’s best chance to end the Siege
of Petersburg. Instead, the soldiers settled in for another eight months
of trench warfare. Maj. Gen. Ambrose E. Burnside was relieved of command
for his role in the debacle. |
