They said that we had undermined the whole of Petersburg; that they were resting upon a slumbering volcano and did not know at what moment they might expect an eruption.

I somewhat based my calculations upon this state of feeling, and expected that when the mine was exploded the troops to the right and left would flee in all directions, and that our troops, if they moved promptly, could get in and strengthen themselves before the enemy had come to a realization of the true situation.

It was just as I expected it would be.

We could see the men running without any apparent object except to get away.

It was half an hour before musketry firing, to amount to anything, was opened upon our men in the crater.