The Crater at Petersburg

This is one of the most astonishing stories of the Civil War, that but for the disaster that it became, would have been seen as one of its most heroic triumphs

After the stupendous disaster of Cold Harbor, where Grant sent his men into frontal attacks that turned to frontal slaughter, Richmond was still in Confederate control. The year is 1864 and Grant decides to go south to the hub of transportation that supplies the capital-Petersburg. If he can block of Petersburg and its railroads, then Richmond will literally be starved out.

The first assault goes well, but as with many before, with no follow through falls short of total success. Lee sends men to reinforce the city with a thin line of defense that spans 30 miles.

It is then that a Pennsylvania soldier, a miner, remarks that they should just build a mine underneath and blow up the whole line.  One commander, Pleasants takes him quite seriously and encourages his men who have the skills to do just that. For one month they dig deep underneath a shaft with an expert ventilation system, a tunnel 511 feet long that ends at the Confederate picket line. Rumors swirl through Petersburg, but it seems absurd that such a venture could ever be accomplished.

The tunnel finished, fuse is lit. Fuse dies out. Lit again.  Bam!!!###*@#####

The earth explodes, men buried head first feet first. The Union soldiers stop in confusion at the scene in front of them, then leadership chaos breaks out as they rush into the crater both to save the rebel soldiers and to save themselves from rebel fire.

It is a disaster.

What can be seen today is the entrance to the tunnel, the demarcated picket lines, just 100 yards apart, and a depression about 100 feet in diameter.

It would take another year for Petersburg to fall, leading to the eventual evacuation of Richmond.