Before Petersburg

VOL. VIII.—No. 399.]

NEW YORK, SATURDAY, AUGUST 20, 1864.

$1,00 FOR FOUR MONTHS.

$3,00 PER YEAR IN ADVANCE,

Entered according to Act of Congress, in the Year 1864, by Harper & Brothers, in the Clerk's Office of the District Court for the Southern District of New York.

BEFORE PETERSBURG - CARRYING POWDER TO THE MINE. -[SKETCHED BY A. R. WAUD]

COL. PLEASANT SUPERINTENDING THE ARRIVAL OF THE POWDER.-SKETCHED BY A. R. WAUD.]

BEFORE PETERSBURG.

ON this page, and also on pages 532, 536, and 537, we give illustrations of General GRANT'S campaign. THE CROSSING OF THE JAMES by HANCOCK'S corps, illustrated on this page, took place July 26, from Jones's Neck to Deep Bottom, on the north side. By 6 1/2 o'clock the next morning this corps had all crossed the river, and was advancing across Strawberry Plains to the earth-works of the enemy half a mile in its front. Although exposed to a sharp fire in this advance, they pressed steadily for-

ward, and flanking the rebel left, gained a position from which the rebel line could be easily enfiladed, when the enemy gave way. BARLOWSs division captured four 20-pound Parrott guns which the flying rebels left in their embrasures at the edge of the woods. This capture, the credit of which is particularly due to Miles's brigade, is illustrated on page 532.

On this page are also two sketches illustrating the interior of the mine exploded in front of Petersburg July 30. One of these represents soldiers carrying the powder down the covered way into the

mine; the other the arrival of the powder, superintended by Colonel PLEASANTS. The mine had two chambers at the end of the covered way, and was 400 feet in length. It was made under the supervision of Colonel PLEASANTS. It was 510 feet in length, from the entrance to the point where the galleries diverged. A visit to it was not the most delightful trip that could be imagined. In the first place, the covered way by no means afforded entire security to the passengers through it, as there were numerous places covered by the rebel sharp-shooters, who, upon the traveler's appearance, would fire

half a dozen shots at once, to make sure of him—particularly aggravating to the men perspiring under the burden of sandbags or kegs of powder, the latter carried also in bags. The mine being less than four feet in height, it was necessary to bend double in order to pass through it; the atmosphere was insufferably hot, and the ground so slippery as to quickly tire any one not used to such locomotion. Sitting at the end of it, the men passing in the powder as silently as possible, speaking in low tones, and lighted by dimly-burning dark lanterns, a queer sensation was felt on learning that not more than (Next Page)  

GENERAL GRANT'S CAMPAIGN.- HANCOCK'S CORPS CROSSING THE JAMES RIVER FROM JONES'S NECK, JULY 26, 1864 - [SKETCHED BY W. W. CHARLES.]