02544cam a22003253u 4500 47778 UtSlPG 20260610134111.0 m cr n 260607r2014||||utu|||||o|||||||||||||| d 10034469 UtSlPG en iso639-1 E456 Shearman, Sumner U. (Sumner Upham), 1839-1914 Battle of the Crater; and Experiences of Prison Life Salt Lake City, UT : Project Gutenberg, 2014 1 online resource : multiple file formats text txt rdacontent computer c rdamedia online resource cr rdacarrier Release date is 2014-12-25 Produced by MWS and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive). "Battle of the Crater; and Experiences of Prison Life" by Sumner U. Shearman is a personal narrative detailing the author's firsthand experiences during the Civil War, written in the late 19th century. This historical account focuses on the Battle of the Crater, which took place in 1864, and the subsequent experiences of the author as a prisoner of war. Shearman, who served as a captain in the Fourth Rhode Island Volunteers, provides a unique perspective on the battle tactics, chaos of the battlefield, and the harsh realities of prison life during the war. In this gripping narrative, Shearman begins by recounting the strategic plan of the Union to blow up a Confederate fortification via an underground mine, an operation initially spearheaded by Lieutenant-Colonel Henry Pleasants. The explosion creates chaos, yet the Union's subsequent charge fails due to confusion and a lack of strong leadership, leading to surrender under dire circumstances. Shearman's detailed observations continue as he describes his harrowing journey as a prisoner, detailing the deplorable conditions, scarce food, and the camaraderie that developed among the prisoners. The narrative captures the emotional toll of war, the tactics of survival, and the bittersweet feeling of eventual freedom after months of uncertainty. (This is an automatically generated summary.) Original publication data not identified United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865 -- Prisoners and prisons Petersburg Crater, Battle of, Va., 1864 https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/47778 88617 88617