Yesterday was the 147th anniversary of the Battle of the Crater, during which the 48th Pennsylvania regiment exploded a mine underneath of Confederate forces at Elliot's Salient. The destruction of the fort was complete and presented a great opportunity for Union forces to take Petersburg. The attack that followed the explosion was mismanaged however and the day turned into a Union defeat.
To mark the day Petersburg had a regiment of reenactors at the sight. They conducted drills and artillery demonstrations. It was a nice hot day so quite a few people visited the park and the Crater in particular.
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Entrance to the mine tunnel. The mine was a feat of engineering
that many Union commanders thought impossible at the time. |
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| Infantry company giving a rifle demonstration. |
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