July 1st, '63

The powder barrel did
not have the effect of
blowing in their gallery
for at between 1 & 2 o'c
today the villans [sic] sprung
a tremendous mine -
estimated to have
been from 5 to 800 lbs of
powder [inserted in pencil (2000 pds)] -- at that place,
which blew up the redan
burying eight negroes and
five or six soldiers & of-
ficers who were sapping
to them; and killing and
wounding some 15 others
who were in the work.

The interior parapet
was a little injured but quickly
repaired by us. At the instant
of the explosion
the enemy opened a terrific
fire of artillery at that
point with considerable
loss to us -- many officers,
especially colonels, have
fallen in this siege, and
God grant that our defence
may not prove futile but
that this point may be
saved to the Confederacy,
since we have labored
so hard in the performance
of our duty, -- to hold it til
the government can succor us.

In the early morning the
enemy kept up for some
hours a heavy fire
with their columbiads from the
peninsula which destroyed
may houses in the lower
part of the city -- "tis thus
they seem to work off
their spleen, -- caused by
our success & probably
the effect of our fire on
the peninsula, -- by ruining
the town and frightening
and killing the women &
children; -- they must be
aware that we have no
troops in the city since all
are required to man the
works.