Battle of the Crater ~ Civil War Battles
Ulysses S. Grant).
After weeks of preparation, on July 30 the Federals exploded a mine in Maj. Gen. Ambrose E. Burnside's IX Corps sector, blowing a gap in the Confederate defenses of Petersburg, Virginia. 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. Grant considered the assault "the saddest affair I have witnessed in the war." The Confederates quickly recovered and launched several counterattacks led by Brig. Gen. William Mahone. The breach was sealed off, and the Federals were repulsed with severe casualties. Brig. Gen. Edward Ferrero'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. Burnside was relieved of command for his role in the debacle.During the Civil War, Petersburg, Virginia, was an important railhead, where four railroad lines from the south met before continuing to Richmond, Virginia, the capital of the Confederacy. Most of the supplies to Lee's army and to the city of Richmond funneled through this point. Consequently, the Union regarded it as the "back door" to Richmond, without which defending the Confederate capital would be impossible. The result was the Siege of Petersburg (which was actually trench warfare rather than a true siege), in which the armies were aligned along a series of fortified positions and trenches more than 20 miles (32 km) long, extending from the old Cold Harbor battlefield near Richmond to areas south of Petersburg.
After Lee held at bay Grant's attempt to seize Petersburg on June 15, the battle settled into a stalemate. Grant had learned a hard lesson at Cold Harbor about attacking Lee in a fortified position and was chafing at the inactivity to which Lee's trenches and forts had confined him. Finally, 's IX Corps, offered a novel proposal to break the impasse.
Pleasants, a mining engineer from Pennsylvania in civilian life, proposed digging a long mine shaft underneath the Confederate lines and planting explosive charges directly underneath a fort (Elliott's Salient) in the middle of the Confederate First Corps line. If successful, this would not only kill all the defenders in the area, it would also open a hole in the Confederate defenses. If enough Union troops filled the breach quickly enough and drove into the Confederate rear area, the Confederates would not be able to muster enough force to drive them out, and Petersburg might fall. Burnside, whose reputation had suffered from his 1862 defeat at the Battle of Fredericksburg and his poor performance earlier that year at the Battle of Spotsylvania Court House, gave Pleasants the go-ahead.
George Gordon Meade: Union General (Famous Figures of the Civil War Era): 
The Life and Letters of General George Gordon Meade: 
The Life and Letters of General George Gordon Meade: 
Life of General George Gordon Meade: Commander of the Army of - general-george-gordon-meade/1143631544
The Life and Letters of General George Gordon Meade: General George Meade - Bookshelf
George Meade, Union general
Profiles the West Point graduate who led the Union Army into the Battle of Gettysburg during the Civil War.The life and letters of George Gordon Meade, major-general United States Army
After making proper dispositions for the encampment of the corps, General Meade rode into Frederick City with one or two of his staff, hoping to meet there ...Life of General George Gordon Meade, commander of the Army of the Potomac
GENERAL GEORGE GORDON MEADE. CHAPTER I. GENEALOGY OF THE MEADE FAMILY. ( RESIDENCE OF RICHARD WORSAM MEADE IN SPAIN.) It is a great satisfaction, ...Major General George G. Meade, an address
MAJOR GENERAL GEORGE G. MEADE AN ADDRESS William S. Lambert. PHILADELPHIA. Samuel P. Town, Printer, Seventh and Sansom Streets. 1880. ...Did General Meade desire to retreat at the battle of Gettysburg?
0 3 or: DID GENERAL MEADE DESIRE TO RETREAT AT THE BATTLE OF GETTYSBURG? BY Compliments of GEO. MEADE. 30L. US ARMY. PHILADELPHIA: PORTER & COATES. 1883. ...Daily Article Directory
George Meade - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
George Gordon Meade (December 31, 1815 – November 6, 1872) was a career United States Army officer and civil ... a scholarship drive for the General George G. Meade school ...
George Meade: Biography from Answers.com
George Gordon Meade (born , Dec. 31, 1815, Cádiz, Spain — died Nov. 6, 1872, Philadelphia, Pa., U.S.) U.S
Union General George Gordon Meade
The Battle of Gettysburg occurred just three days after General Meade wass appointted to command the Army of the Potomac
George Meade - General George Meade
Major General George G. Meade was key Union commander during the Civil War. George Meade is best known for leading the Army of the Potomac to victory ...
George Gordon Meade Biography
The victor of Gettysburg, George G. Meade does not rank with the ... In the spring of 1864 newly appointed General-in-Chief U.S. Grant set up his headquarters with Meade's army. ...