Graphic Account of Battle of Crater. 369
The two brigades returned to their former positions at the Wil- cox farm. I do not remember when the Georgia brigade was re- lieved.
I herewith submit, by request of comrades, two letters written by
- ne to my wife, one as will be noticed by the heading and date was
written on Confederate paper, while I was in the fort, to inform her that I survived the battle. The other was written on Yankee paper letter headed, "U. S. Christian Commission, 500 H street, Wash- ington, D. C.," immediately after we had been withdrawn and re- turned to our former position, "where times were easier," in which I gave her an account of the battle.
I will also give some extracts from the Richmond Dispatch, giv- ing an account of the part this brigade took in the capture of the "Crater."
The Petersburg correspondent of the Richmond Dispatch of July 30, 1864, after describing the charge made by the Virginia and Georgia brigades, says:
"About this time General Mahone having ordered up Saunders' Alabama brigade, sent it forward to recapture the rest of the works. Led by their gallant brigadier, they moved forward in splendid style, making one of the grandest charges of the war, and recap- turing every vestige of our lost ground and our lost guns, and cap- turing thirty-five commissioned officers, including Brigadier-General Bartlett, commanding first brigade, first division, ninth corps, three hundred and twenty-white and one hundred and fifty negro privates, and two stands of colors.
"Sunday, 3ist.
"All quiet to-day. Our wounded are being cared for, and the dead on both sides in our lines are being buried.
"Still they come. Saunders, of the Alabama Brigade, has just sent in another battle flag, thrown away by the enemy yesterday, and picked up by General S.'s men this morning.
"General Saunders reports that he has buried in the mine alone fifty-four negroes and seventy-eight Yankees, exclusive of men buried in trenches."
Extract from the Richmond Dispatch of August 3, 1864. In speak- ing of the burial of the dead under the flag of truce, it says:
