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a very good representative of a large class of those who made up the rank and file of our volunteer army. Edward M. Schneider was a soldier in the 57th Massachusetts. He was the son of Rev. Mr. Schneider, a well known American missionary at Aintab. When the regiment was formed, he was a student at Phillips Academy, Andover, Mass., and but little more than seventeen years of age. He was a youth of great ambition, adventurous spirit, and a tender and affectionate nature.

His patriotic feeling was extremely ardent, and against the wishes of his friends, he resolved upon a soldier's life. He was wounded at the North Anna, and was sent to Port Royal to be transferred to a hospital at Washington. But refusing this, he returned to his regiment at Cold Harbor. Among the very first, in the attack of the 17th of June, he was shot through the body and fell mortally wounded. When told that there was no hope, he said to the Chaplain of the regiment: "It is God's will. I wish you to write to my father and tell him that I have tried to do my duty to my country and to my God. I have a good many friends, schoolmates and companions. They will want to know where I am and how I am getting on. You can let them know that I am gone, and that I die content. And, Chaplain, the boys of the regiment—I want you to tell them to stand by the dear old flag! And there is my brother in the navy-write to him and tell him to stand by the flag and cling to the cross of Christ." He lingered in great pain until Sunday morning, June 19th, when he died. He was one of many thousands-perhaps the expression ought to be hundreds of thousands-to be found throughout our entire army during the war, brave, intelligent, enthusiastic youth, the sons of educated and Christian parents, who early learned the lesson that duty was more imperative than affection, and devotion to principle of greater worth than personal safety and bodily life! The record of their lives, their courage, their death, is an illustrious vindication of the true character of the volunteer army of the United States.

*Coffin's Four Years of Fighting, p. 366.

But the greatest loss that fell upon the Ninth Corps was the death of Major James St. Clair Morton, chief engineer upon. the staff of General Burnside. He was of a gallant, daring temperament, and, on one or two occasions during the campaign had led in person charges of the troops upon the enemy's intrenched lines. Always in the van, he had narrowly escaped with his life in former battles. On the 17th of June, he headed the advance of General Hartranft's brigade, and was killed while the troops were retiring from the attack. Major Morton was born in Philadelphia, Pa., September 24, 1829, and was the son of Dr. S. G. Morton, a distinguished physician of that city. He was appointed to the United States Military Academy at West Point at the age of eighteen, and graduated in 1851, the second in a class of forty-two members. He was assigned to the Corps of Engineers as Second Lieutenant, July 1, 1851. He was promoted to Captain, August 6, 1861, and to Major, July 3, 1863. On the 29th of November, 1862, he was commissioned a Brigadier General of Volunteers, but preferring his own department of service, he was mustered out of this appointment, November 7, 1863, and was remitted to his former rank in the Corps of Engineers.

From August 18, 1851, to May, 1852, Lieutenant Morton was employed in his corps upon Fort Sumter, and from May, 1852 to September, 1855, upon Fort Delaware. In 1856, he published "An Essay on Instruction in Engineering," and in 1857, "An Essay on a New System of Fortifications." He was assistant Professor of Engineering at West Point from September, 1855 to June, 1857; assistant Engineer in construction of fortifications at the mouth of New York harbor from June, 1857 to March, 1858; Engineer of the third lighthouse district of the Atlantic coast from March, 1858 to July, 1859; and Engin eer in charge of the Potomac Aqueduct from July, 1859 to July, 1860. From the latter duty he was relieved and appointed Engineer of the expedition for the exploration of the coasts of Chiriqui from August, 1860 to the subsequent November, when he returned to Washington. He

became the Superintendent of the fortifications on the Tortugas in April, 1861, and continued in charge till March, 1862. While engaged in the last named work, Captain Morton was prostrated by severe illness, from which he did not recover until the spring of 1862. When he entered into active service in May of that year, he was assigned to the staff of General Buell as Chief Engineer of the Army of the Ohio. In this position, he superintended the erection of the fortifications about the city of Nashville, and afterwards organized a pioneer and bridge brigade, which was found to be of the greatest service. General Rosecrans (who succeeded General Buell) himself an engineer of no small distinction, expressed the warmest approval both of this organization and of Captain Morton's subsequent fortification of Murfreesboro' and Chattanooga. Speaking of this brigade, General Rosecrans, in his report of the battle of Murfreesboro', says: "The efficiency and esprit de corps suddenly developed in this command, its gallant behavior in action, and the eminent service it is continually rendering the army, entitle both officers and men to special public notice and thanks, while they reflect the highest credit on the distinguished ability and capacity of Captain Morton, who will do honor to his promotion to a Brigadier General." Promoted to Brigadier General of Volunteers, he was engaged in the battle of Chickamauga, where he was wounded.

In October, 1863, Major Morton was relieved of his appointment on the staff of General Rosecrans, and soon after the reorganization of the Ninth Corps, he was appointed its Chief Engineer, very greatly to the satisfaction of General Burnside. Always prompt, energetic and trustworthy, he was conspicuous in every operation of the arduous campaign. General Burnside was strongly attached to him, having learned to hold his abilities in the highest estimation, and to depend upon him as one of his best, most intelligent and most reliable advisers. The other officers of the corps looked upon him as a gallant and skilful soldier. His death was keenly felt by all who had known him as a brilliant officer and a generous and genial

friend. General Parke wrote of his deceased comrade in terms of warm and hearty commendation :-From the date of his appointment to the corps, May 18th, to the day of his death, Major Morton "performed the arduous and dangerous duties of his position with an activity, zeal and ability which often called forth the praise of his commanding general. He was noted in the Corps for his personal gallantry, and in the attack at the North Anna he took a conspicuous part, narrowly escaping death. On the morning of the 17th of June, he received orders from General Burnside to place the troops making the assault in their proper position, and to direct at what point they should strike the enemy's works. When this had been accomplished, feeling deeply interested in the success of the movement, he went forward with General Hartranft. When the attack failed, he was retiring with the troops when he was struck in the breast by a rifle ball and mortally wounded. Captain Shadley immediately went to him, but I believe he expired without a word. In his death, this Corps and his country lost a valuable officer; and his memory will long be cherished among those who were fortunate enough to have known him."

Major Morton's contributions to military literature were especially valuable, and were the result of close study and a wide experience. He was a vigorous writer, an original thinker, and an accomplished scholar in the special department to which he had devoted his time and thought. Major Morton's body was sent to his afflicted family in Philadelphia, where appropriate honors were paid to his heroic memory.

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CHAPTER V.

THE MINE.

THE

HE experience of the army in front of Petersburg induced General Grant to believe that the place could only be reduced by the slow process of a siege. He therefore decided to place the army of the James on the north and the Army of the Potomac on the south side of the James river, and in this way invest both Petersburg and Richmond. Parallels were accordingly laid out, traverses and covered ways built, trenches opened, earthworks of various sizes thrown up and armed, and all the different operations of a siege fairly entered upon. On the line which the Ninth Corps occupied were two batteries of two guns, one of four, one of six, two of eight, and in the centre, one of fourteen guns. Besides these were three mortar batteries. General Grant fixed his headquarters at City Point. Our lines extended from across the Jerusalem plank road in front of Petersburg to Deep Bottom, crossing the Appomattox and the James by means of ponton bridges. A force was also held at White House, and the York and Pamunkey rivers were patrolled by gunboats.

The enemy made one or two attempts during the summer to make diversions in other quarters, at one time pushing a considerable force into Pennsylvania. and Maryland, and even attacking Fort Stevens, on the north side of the city of Washington. One party reached the Philadelphia, Wilmington and Baltimore Railroad, cut the telegraph wire and destroyed a portion of a bridge.. Another party burned Chambersburg. But all such movements were insufficient to make General Grant give up his hold. The aggressive forces were swept

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